To make a PALS complaint about my post-operative care?

[EllieBelly18]

Name changed for this one.

I had surgery yesterday, and have had very scant details of what actually happened. I don’t know what the surgeon actually did - he said he removed some bone, but I don’t know where.

I was instructed to start doing rinses - but not told when. I ended up asking the nurse today on my post-op call, and she had to run about to other nurses to find out. I don't blame her at all, I blame the consultant who didn't give me any info.

I've been given no post-op care info at all, other than "if it's pouring blood, come to A&E". No details on what's normal/what isn't, no details on whether the level of bleeding I'm experiencing is normal (the nurse didn't know either), no details on whether I have packing in my nose etc. I wasn't told about having to sleep upright, I had to find out via google.

I've not been given the right length sick note, which could apparently be an issue with my GP.

The consultant didn't tell me much after the op, just that I didn't have a CSF leak.

I don’t know timelines for things like returning to exercising, bathing/showering, even if I can drink hot drinks.

I just feel like I've been left to my own devices a bit when it comes to all of the recovery - I was expecting to at least be given a leaflet about the procedure that I had, but I was given nothing, and the nurse on my post-op call said she was quite surprised by how little I was given.

Is it unreasonable to make a complaint to PALS in this case?

Yes but it didn’t describe what was actually done during the procedure. Or aftercare.

Op has had several posts about this - yesterday she was saying it was inhumane to make her fast and that if she wasn’t called first it wasn’t fair and if she was still there at 2pm she would walk out.

she had minor day surgery - polyps I think.

she was swearing about staff not doing their job before she had even been admitted.

The NHS is on its knees because I wanted some information about aftercare?🤣

Not polyps. So you’re wrong there.

To understand the risks/benefits and for you to sign they must have explained to you.

it was minor - the surgeon wouldn’t go through it with you afterwards - they don’t have time. And unless anything out of the ordinary happened then what they said they’d do, they did

why are you so hell bent on causing a problem and kicking up a stink when there’s nothing anyone has done wrong

If you had packing in your nose that needed removing then they would have booked you another appointment with ENT to have it removed. Some people get sent home with packing in their nose that is dissolvable- that can make your nose feel very congested and will 7-14 days to dissolve depending on what type they used.

How much bleeding are you experiencing?

I do bank shifts in a day surgery unit and we always send patients home with written info and a copy of their discharge summary. Some hospitals don't though now but usually signpost you on where this info is.

You could ring your hospital switchboard or contact PALS and ask for your consultant's secretary's email address (as I know from other threads you haven't got through on the phone) and ask for a written summary of what was done in surgery. Do you have any follow up appointments planned?

No, he literally didn’t. He told me it was FESS and left it at that. Surely they can tell me what happened or give me a leaflet! That’s basic care.

Op you had minor day surgery you are making a mountain out of a mole hill do you also want me to write this on the multiple other threads you have started about the exact same thing. Just enjoy the rest watch some netflix nap and enjoy the time.

But not brain surgery either! You’re attention seeking and complaining and thinking you’re something special when there’s nothing for you to be complaining about!

Let them investigate and spend valuable resources on real complaints and putting things right for people where actual mistakes have been made

Not a lot of bleeding, but it’s a pretty steady ooze. It flared up a couple of times last night and this morning to be bright red, fresh blood, but it’s settled down this afternoon into more of an ooze. But my nose is full of crusted up blood.

Okay

https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/resources/functional-endoscopic-sinus-surgery-fess/

here you go - simple! This information is pretty much generic to all nhs hospitals

You were aware of the surgery you went in for, I assume the surgeon or specialist explained what the objective was, and what the possibilities were, and you must have signed the consent.

You were fuzzy from the anesthetic yesterday, the nurse called today so you had the opportunity to ask questions. It doesn't sound irrecoverable. Given the workload the surgeons are working under, I wouldn't complain. I'd just call the surgeon's secretary and ask for anything you think you need.

Your discharge summary will say exactly what operation they did. The rinses & whatnot would have been better to ask about pre-op so you knew what you were in for beforehand. There aren’t that many bony options up there nose….bet it was just a bit of chiselling out the passage between the sinus(es) and nose or reducing the size of a turbinate.

But I don’t know any Of that because I’ve not been told. I didn’t ask beforehand because I expected to be told after, like you are after any other op!

I don’t think this is an issue for PALS. You have had a follow up call and an opportunity to clarify. Did the nirse give you the information or offer to send it? The fitnote is up to gp to sort. Have you been discharged to gp now or will you have a review appointment at hospital first?

@Nursemumma92 @Greybeardy

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5382860-to-ask-anyone-in-the-nhs-how-day-surgery-lists-are-determined?

@EllieBelly18 such a shame you feel so bad about your life.

When i told you a couple of weeks ago on another thread about pretty much the exact same thing to contact pals you said you did and they where just ignoring you and I told you to keep trying which you insisted you did. So why are you contacting pals now when according to you they are completely unreachable.

It is very obvious who you are, the name change isn't going to work.

YABU, all you are interested in is moaning and complaining. Nothing is ever good enough for you.

@youalright her sinus op was yesterday

I know she originally wrote a post a couple of weeks ago about wanting to cancel as she had a holiday in September then she wrote a post the day before yesterday asking what order she would be seen in then she wrote a post today about extending a sicknote and now shes also written this post.

A FESS is simple surgery. The rinses they gave you or prescribed you will have the instructions with them. What you are experiencing with the crusty blood etc is completely normal, hence why they’ve asked you to rinse.

If you absolutely can’t get your head round it, go through the switchboard and ask to speak to the on call House Officer/ Resident Doctor for ENT and ask them to go through it.

It isnt complicated, you’re making it so. I very much doubt you will have been told nothing as you claim.

Well whatever you went in for is likely what they did, hence the lack of info, maybe there isn’t much aftercare to be had apart from the call from a nurse and a follow up? What were you having the FESS for?

Nasal rinses are to start the day after surgery generally and twice a day.

Also when you say ooze do you mean it is coming out continuously or the occasional drip? It is normal for a watery red coloured discharge to come out. It is normal for your nose to seem full of crusty blood, that's your body trying to make a scab in there to heal it. That's why it's important not to pick at it or blow your nose for up to a week and just use the nasal rinses.

Completely standard practice for surgeons to do 1 week sick note and ask for GP to extend it further if needed.

@beetr00 I've seen the OPs previous threads and obviously don't approve of a lot of the content however there is clearly an anxious (probably neurodivergent as stated by OP herself) individual that needs extra info to feel in control and safe so just trying to advise as appropriate.

My partner had major unplanned surgery recently, and they didn't tell him anything afterwards (he was in hospital for 6 nights altogether). He didn't even know he had surgical clips (34 of them!) until the nurse changed the dressing days later (as they were intending to do it laparoscopically originally, but they had to convert to open).

He didn't know exactly what they had done, either. A doctor (who he didn't see till the next day) said they removed the appendix and some of the large bowel (indicating a small amount with his hands). But on the discharge summary it says he had a procedure that involves removing 1/3 - 1/2 of the large bowel.

They didn't tell him when he could start doing which things again, or what symptoms to expect (what's normal and what isn't). The only thing they said was no heavy lifting for 6 weeks. There is no info on the website either (there is on some other trusts' websites, though their procedures do differ anyway, so it's not all accurate for here).

And when they handed us the discharge summary, that was also the first we knew that they were concerned about cancer (it said ?malignancy, and that there would be a follow-up test later for it).

He tried asking various staff for info (nurses and doctors on the ward, and the district/community nurses after discharge), but they just don't tell you much (even assuming you know which questions to ask).

So I think people should stop criticising you just because of your other thread; I agree that everyone should be given all the necessary information (in whatever form is accessible to them) after surgery (or other procedures), however minor. I.e. YANBU in this case.