Was this nurse rude?

[Littlestdove]

I want to preface this by saying I am in pain so that’s not helping but yesterday I went to A and E with pain under my right rib cage- I believe it could be my gallbladder as I have a polyp and both my parents have had theirs removed . It was an extreme stabbing pain that took my breath away. My blood pressure was 170/90 and I just felt awful. No temp tho.

I was given morphine and some buscopan and then told they couldn’t ultrasound my gallbladder until the morning so they’d send me home with strong painkillers and to come back to A and E if my ultrasound showed any stones and the polyp.

So que to this morning, I’ve been up all night in agony trying to make it through to my ultrasound. Ultrasound shows stone and polyp. I rebook into A and E and first thing the nurse triaging says is

”back again? You’ve been in no end lately”

so I said, well yes I was in yesterday and told to rebook in if I was still in pain and my ultrasound showed a stone and polyp.

”You do know you can see your GP for Abdominal issues?”

and I said yes, I realise that however it was a sudden intense pain

”Well I’m just letting you know for further information”

meh. I’m sat here in pain and now just feel like a time waster.

Incredibly rude. Report her. I hope you manage to find some relief soon.

I would say yes, most definitely rude!
Sorry she has made you feel that way and hope you have a speedy recovery

Yes, incredibly so.

Have you been in more than yesterday and today?

Did she say it in a nasty way or in a 'making conversation' way?

Yes

How did you get to hospital though? Is your pain so severe that you called an ambulance and they took you to hospital? Did you pass out? If you answered no to both of these questions them imo you don't need to be at a & e. Thats probably what the nurse was meaning. Is it that bad that you are passing out, can't walk or talk? a & e stands for accident and emergency. you don't sound like you fit either category from what you have said and the fact that you are well enough to be posting om mumsnet about it.

Gallbladder pain is up there with the worst. I'd have had no patience for her attitude tbh when I was in A&E with the same! I hope you feel better soon

She won't lose her job over this if that's what you want to happen

Sounds a bit rude but I'm wondering how many visits you have had prior to this event in recent weeks or months?

@GoodChat only yesterday and today

Before that, I think about 2 years ago when I had a kidney infection!

Nurse points out something logical and you get offended? Presenting at A&E several times for the same thing if you haven't seen a GP who can make the appropriate referrals and look to prescribe something to manage the pain longer term isn't time wasting as you need to be seen, but probably frustrating for them to be honest. You can either mull over what seems like a sensible discussion and get worked up or take the advice on board.

@ÉireannachÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ I have only ever been in yesterday and two years ago for a Kidney Infection.

Well A and E aren’t going to be able to whip your gall bladder out while you are lying in cubicle three are they? I am not sure what you want them to do, surely you need to be getting your gp to follow through on the a and e diagnosis, pushing for a referral to the gastro intestinal team and topping up the pain killers.

Oh hush you're not triage

@Turtleegg

No actually it isn’t logical. It’s severe pain that can often be life threatening particularly if the gallbladder gets infected. The pain needs managing whilst acute, and you need scanning. It’s not advice it’s negligent advice and the nurse was rude.

Well.she was being dramatic, unprofessional and massively rude then. I would complain if I was you but probably not feeling up to given you are in so much pain. Bless you hope you feel better soon. 🙏

Depends on her tone. Stern and patronising would be rude but chatty and light would be fine.

@Sux2buthen

Agreed. Severe pain needs investigating quickly. It is an emergency and it is the right thing to do. Unless this country is just happy to leave people for months on end in unimaginable pain and agony? Oh wait ….. it is.

I haven’t had this pain but my sister had it during her first pregnancy. She said labour was a walk in the park compared to her gallbladder pain. Normal painkillers don’t touch it and it’s really difficult to get liquid morphine via your GP.

That's a load of bullshit. I drove myself to a&e, was posting on here and playing candy crush to distract myself from pain
I needed emergency surgery within 48hrs before I was paralysed so if that doesn't cover the emergency part I don't know what does

Totally depends on her tone of voice, which I appreciate you can't convey on a MN post!

Hope you feel better very soon OP.

So your argument is that she should completely ignore what she was explicitly told in A&E yesterday (to come back to A and E if the ultrasound shows stones / polyp)?

I don't think she was rude. Of course she should point out to people that they maybe don't need to be in A&E!

What are your medical qualifications? Because the medically qualified person who saw her yesterday told her to come back to A&E if the scan showed stones or polyp and you're now telling her to ignore that advice. I assume you must be a consultant gastroenterologist at the very least?

Of course she was rude. Some nurses are. Just as some people are rude in any profession.
My sil was a nurse and had zero empathy I would have hated to be her patient.
I wouldn't report her though. Just do what the doctor advises.