Hi everyone sorry for what is bound to be a long one. On 23rd Jan I ended up being admitted to hospital pending an emergency gallbladder removal. Long story short the care I and others on the ward received was appalling.
Just a few of the things include:
-There were no access to showers on the ward and despite begging numerous times never given one in my weeks stay- there was an 83 year old woman waiting for a bed in a care home who had not had a shower in the 3 weeks she’d been there
-Medications were regularly not recorded. I’d get some medication and 5 minutes later a nurse would come to give me it again and I’d have to explain I’d just had it. I also had to do this for the 83 year old woman when they nearly double dosed her- this was a daily occurrence
-Pain relief was allowed to lapse then you’d have to wait hours after it was due or you asking for more. Medications prescribed were not given fully or at all. I ended up extremely constipated and injured myself because of this.
- I asked for thrush treatment (caused by the antibiotics I was on) and didn’t end up getting any for over 48 hours after first asking. I must have asked 15+ people over this period
- I was left nil by mouth for 3 days waiting for my operation then would be told at 7/8pm that I wasn’t having it and was allowed to eat and drink. I became very dehydrated and wasn’t given fluids despite asking multiple times for these as I felt lightheaded and faint- general bad care
- I had panic attacks because of the cars I was receiving and not being listened to. I said to one of the nurses can you please help me I’m having a panic attack I can’t breathe and I’m really scared. She looked at me and said can you go an ask someone else I’m busy serving the dinners.
There are many more issues but I’ll leave it there you get the gist.
My Mam ended up coming and discharging my on Sunday and has been caring for me at home but struggling to come to terms with what has happened. I’ve put a formal complaint in not just for me but for the people still on that ward. The nurses explained this happens all the time like it wasn’t a big deal. I don’t feel like me and I’ve been having nightmares waking up crying and screaming through the night. I’d like to consider myself quite a strong person mentally but at the moment I feel so weak. The operation went well and I’m recovering well physically but emotionally I’ve never felt weaker. I suppose I’m just looking for anyone who’s been through something like this and can let me know it will get bette. I just feel like I’ve been stripped of myself really and the impact it’s had on me is huge