To think most medical professionals are actually pretty damn good?

[RevoltingPeasant]

I am not an uncritical cheerleader for the NHS - a quick search of threads started by me would show that! I think there are problems with the system itself in that it is inefficient and sometimes has its priorities fucked up. I have also encountered a couple of craps HCPs, like my old GP who told me that she 'wasn't bothered about' the pain in my kidney (subsequently needed 4 operations for it).

But you know what, HCPs don't make the system. And most of them are caring and kind.

This week, a nurse made sure I got in and out of my pre-operative appointment quickly because she knew I was stressed about being late to work. She also joked and chatted whilst she was taking bloods because she knew I am scared of needles.

My GP's had to ring to cancel my smear test, but the receptionist offered me a dr's appointment instead - the next morning, first thing. The doctor was kind and reassuring and sensible.

I am going in for my op tomorrow, and with all the ops I have had at this hospital before, the anaesthetists have been amazing, explained everything clearly, been friendly and funny whilst doing an efficient professional job.

This is a representative cross-section, I think. You get the odd one, but AIBU to think most doctors and nurses are smart and kind and really care?

YANBU - my youngest DD had an accident at the weekend, and the ambulance staff, drs and nurses were superb, both with her and me.

Good luck with your op.

YABU if you want to include medical staff from this county but clearly YANBU for your area :)

Agreed

There's way too much nurse-bashing going on at the moment...really gets my fucking goat.

good luck with your op, Revolting

YANBU but too few people say it out loud, much easier to focus on the negatives.

YANBU but too few people say it out loud, much easier to focus on the negatives.

MrsCustard hmm, I think maybe I do!! My experiences are in Yorkshire and Devon, so quite far apart. Would say the same for both, actually.

Thanks Gravitas

YANBU.

DS had to have a routine but emergency operation. The surgeon rescheduled his morning surgery and did DS first thing after I said "Oh I can't believe it, we're going on holiday tomorrow too!" so that we could still follow our original plans.

When I had an EMCS, the anaesthetist spent ages stroking my hair and telling me what a "brave girl" I was (32 at the time!) because I was very a little bit anxious. He was lovely.

A student midwife stayed with me for an hour after the end of her shift until my DH arrived so that I wasn't alone before my EMCS.

Yanbu. Ds has been in hopsital 7 times and each time he has been treated fantastically and so have I. When he was on cpap the staff took time to explain everything to me and no question was to daft.

Last year when I was upset he couldn't go home that day matron spent 20 mins with me while I was in tears, the next day she went to pharmacy to pick up his medicine so we didn't have to wait for them to be sent up before we could go!

They aren't all perfect but I have had some brilliant care from the NHS in the past. My local EPU have been lovely, and it isn't their fault that the layout of the hospital is utterly unsympathetic. They were still very kind to me and even gave me an hour of their time just to talk things over.

And the consultant's secretary who moved heaven and earth to get me in urgently to see a consultant when I got pregnant in the middle of recurrent miscarriage investigations - if it hadn't been for her perhaps by the time my next appointment came round it would already have been too late.

Also the midwife who listened to my anxieties and took my mental health seriously.

And the Community Psychiatric Nurses who treated me for depression a few years ago and were very patient and understanding.

I have had some less good treatment at times along the way. But that has been the exception rather than the rule.

Lovely to hear some positive stories about nurses and HCP, am sure morale would be higher if this was heard more often

YANBU - and thank you, it makes a very pleasant change to see a nice thread about HCPs, the constant negativity does get very wearing when you know just how much of yourself you put into your work.

YANBU, however, from my experience it varies. When I lived in a wealthy area of London, my GP was helpful and kind. I now live in a poor area of London and they are not - they seem jaded.

Thank you

My experience over recent years has also been very positive :)

All the numerous GPs,consultants,anesthetists and hospital doctors I've come across without exception have been fab. Unfortunately most of the nursing care I've had has been dire and I think there is a problem which needs addressing.

I agree. I have had excellent and professional healthcare in Leeds and Barnsley, and our doctors group practice is also excellent.

When DD was a few weeks old she had breathing problems and ended up with a tracheostomy. Our brilliant GP (sadly now retired) was pretty close to the mark when he guessed at what the problem might be and suggested that she see an ENT specialist. The care she had at Sheffield children's hospital was brilliant and the registrar in ICU was also impressed with our GP's guesswork. I don't think I met any health professional there who was uncaring and incompetent. Our community nurse was lovely and so dedicated to her patients.

I sometimes think that some people get short shrift from medical professionals because of the way they speak to them or present themselves. I am always polite, respectful and try not to waste their time. All the doctors at our surgery have been the same towards me.

I have a friend who is a doctor and she says the worst patients are those that just don't want to help themselves, ignore doctor's advice and come into the surgery with a defensive attitude. For example it must be very frustrating to look after someone with breathing problems when they won't attempt to give up smoking, or a very overweight diabetic with high blood pressure who refuses to listen to advice about diet and exercise.

YANBU at all.

Difficulty is (as with all of these things) that a single bad experience can negate 100 good ones, and the bad ones are all you hear.

I have had a marvellous time on the NHS mostly, overall I think they are fantastic.

Good point sardine, I also think people are quick to complain about bad things (rightly so most of the time) but don't give praise when someone goes above and beyond what is normally expected.

YANBU (but then I am a nurse so would say that )

Thank you for starting this thread.

As a rather tired HCP trying hard not to get demoralised it is a very welcome alternative to the usual doctor/nurse/MW bashing you get on here.

Thank you.

Most of us are hard working and do care. As always, its a few that spoil it for the majority.

That said, I think there are too few trained nurses on the wards these days to do the job properly, and thats where most problems arise

I'm bumping this thread, it needs it.

It's shocking that the ones knocking HCPs are getting more traffic.

For everyone whining that nurses are lazy, unfeeling bitches, read this, go away and have a think about the wider picture.

I think generally health care is pretty good and the professionals delivering it are for the most part kind, caring and competent.

BUT I was on an orthopaedic ward 2 years ago after surgery on a broken ankle; most of the other patients were elderly ladies, one of whom was very confused, would not mobilise after her op, cried loudly, wet the bed frequently etc. Poor thing, I was sorry for her - although sharing a ward with her was a nightmare. And it was clear that for the nursing staff she was a real problem because she constantly needed something - and they were not as kind to her as they might have been, they talked to her patronisingly, I would even go so far as to say they bullied her verbally.

I didnt like their behaviour towards her, but I could understand it - they were so stretched, so short-staffed, other people's care was being interupted by this old lady who made so much extra work for them. And the poor lady was really not in the right place - yes she needed post-orthopaedic care, but what she really needed was that care delivered on a properly staffed and structured geriatric ward where people could give her the time she needed.

I guess that's just a pipe dream these days though.

YANBU! I couldn't be more in awe of HCPs. A big shout out for the wonderful consultants, junior doctors, nurses and support staff at the Evalina Childrens' Hospital who dealt with DS's cleft lip when he was only 3 months old (and supported two stressed parents through the procedure). More recently a similarly wonderful experience at Guy's for a kidney transplant.

Our experience has been uniformly fantastic - the level of skill and professionalism has been everything you would hope for but, just as impressively, the compassion and care has also been universal.

To the MNers who are HCPs - you do a wonderful job. Please don't feel undervalued by your patients and their families.