Being bullied at hospital.

IHD

Without going into loads of detail, i have to go to hospital every other day for treatment that keeps me alive. I go to a small unit that is separate from the main hospital and always has the same staff on a rota. Now i know a lot of you think nurses are overworked and im sure its true of many, but because this is a specialist unit our nurses dont have an awful lot to do. They get us started on our treatment then basically chat and have a good laugh and eat sweets till its time to take us off. I am light sensitive so find myself in a small room most of the time. When i was on the main unit i saw to much of the fun that was going on and the patients coming second and made several complaints , none of which i could prove. I even got 2 nurses refusing to give me my treatment. I had reported them , one for giving me drugs i shouldnt have had and the other totally ignoring a request when i felt ill. The result of that was ...an apology! I have made written complaints which have been brushed off and now as a result several of the nurses dont even speak to me. It makes me hate going for a treatment which isnt nice to start with. Im not old, infirm or senile and yet get spoken to (if at all) like a 90 yr old lady. When in truth i know more about my treatment than some of the nurses. Yes you see it on tv and find it hard to believe but it does go on. Even down to the staff eating the sandwiches that are sent up for the patients during treatment. For my last 3 treatments this week ive been in a lot of pain. The outcome .. no pain relief, the nurse has just started my treatment, not even tried to help me be comfortable and no one has been to check on me. Im afraid that while there are a few good nurses the majority dont care. In fact most days i feel like im interrupting their social lives. What in earth can i do? Im a strong person but they are making me want to stop my treatment. I have no alternative place to go.

minimoneysaver

Is there someone who can go with you to witness this treatment and back up your complaints? This is disgraceful. I sincerly hope that you have made your complaint to PALS. It makes you wonder who is in charge?!

minimoneysaver

I meant to say, can the person who goes with you call for help when pain relief is needed etc?
I too have experienced awful treatment in hospitals and now take someone with me all of the time for that very reason. It helps if you have someone batting in your corner.

IHD

Sorry no . I live alone and have to go on my own. Its also what you call a 'closed unit' so they dont allow you to bring people with you for infection control. This is why i cant prove things, its my word against several nurses. I have thought of filming but think its illegal?

Melonade

I would ring PALS like mini already said. We had an issue with a doctor regarding two amily members and they gave great advice and were very supportive.

Not sure about illegal but I would be tempted to film it anyway if its the only way of getting some proof.

It's such a shame that good nurses can be so let down by the ones who just don't give a crap. I always wonder why when they could find themselves needing care one day... Needing to set a bloody example and do the job properly :mad:

Toto

This must be horrible for you, I actually can't imagine how you must feel having to go somewhere every other day when it makes you feel so miserable. But, this is your life and that is worth fighting for, you have the right to be treated with care and respect when you are having your treatment.

I second contacting PALS, they can help you, I also think you should document what is happening and when, things that are said, things that are and aren't done etc. Gather as much evidence if you can, and if possible have a quiet chat with some of the other patients to see if anyone else has any concerns.

It infuriates me that a few rotten people give an entire profession a bad reputation. It makes me even more angry that the people they are supposed to be caring for are made to feel vulnerable and sad. Please be strong and get help to beat these awful people.

lurkylurky

My OH has a weekly treatment and wasn't happy with the treatment he received from the nursing staff. He felt they were railroading him and not listening to his concerns. He had a PICC line as he was on intravenous antibiotics but the nurses didn't want to use it as they said it was "a faff" sterilising it and they wanted to put a cannula in every week. I pointed out that he'd been told they should use the PICC line

They also tried to railroad him into starting the treatment at home. He got himself into a right state over it which wasn't helping his illness. I went with him on one occasion and asked to speak to the consultant. I felt really bad as she interrupted a clinic to come and talk to us. But she was absolutely lovely and talked through all the issues he was unhappy with and said she would look at some retraining for the nurses. He's now (5 weeks later) about to start self administering the treatment at home and is happy to do so.

Could you have a chat with your consultant?

I'm always amazed at how many staff there are at these clinics. Two of the nurses at this particular clinic are ex ICU nurses which seems a waste to us. They too spend most of the time chatting and drinking coffee.

OH has been seriously ill for two years now. He's been in ICU on life support and is now under the care of 6 consultants. During this time we've suffered the worst and enjoyed the best that the NHS has to offer. We try to focus on all the fantastic nurses that look after him, but I know that's easier said than done when you're having a bad experience.

ETA: forgot to say, if you need pain relief and it isn't forthcoming ask to see the consultant.

minimoneysaver

Just another thought...are you allowed mobile phones in the unit you attend? It may be worth getting the direct line to the consultants secretarys and PALS and if worst comes to worst, ring for attention, including pain relief, if your requests go unanswered. These nurses most definitely need more training. After some of the experiences I have had in hospital, I am not at all surprised by what yourself and the other posters have said about their experiences. They are a disgrace to the profession.

Sagaris

I wouldn't worry about the legalities of filming these things - it's how the BBC seem to film most of the Panorama programmes these days! At least it would provide proof of what is going on - I hope you get somewhere with this, it's bad enough that you have to go through the treatment, without it being made even worse.

valk_scot

I think you need to get a witness to back you up, it would help your complaints be taken more seriously. Have the other patients also been witness to or the recipients of this sort of treatment? It would be more effective if a number of you complained together.

Ruby_woo

I had a similar issue when my dad was in hospital. It's imperative that you not only speak to PALS, but the head of nursing too. Can I ask which hospital it is please? X