"Thank you for your help support, professionalism and kindness"

I have had a number of surgeries in Causeway Hospital as an adult and was admitted for the repair of an incisional hernia which was not unexpected given my history of multiple abdominal surgeries. I had limited contact with hospital team during the Covid pandemic and was aware that policies and procedures were being regularly reviewed and updated in regard to patient and visitors safe guarding, so I was unsure what the situation would be on admission.

I am so pleased to forward my observations during my short stay. The first thing that struck me whilst waiting for admission that the names of staff and accountability within the ward was on display and provided reassurance, I could identify who might be able to help depending on my query. The next was a clear indication of the staff uniform for different staff roles. In my experience and understandably during Covid it was impossible to tell if it was a nurse, physiotherapist, medical staff, specialist staff etc except for guessing that those with stethoscopes were likely to be medics. 

These small things can be so disorienting as a patient.

I was greeted warmly and talked through a Covid test before being escorted to my ward and prepared for surgery, I was expected,my information that had been previously obtained via telephone consultations, pre operation assessments and blood tests etc were all compiled and waiting for final last minute details, observations and consent.

I was informed at each shift change of the nurse in charge of my care and the additional team members which was very reassuring. I found the staff to be a very coherent team with a good sharing of responsibilities. There was an atmosphere of professionalism, humour and cheerfulness, a can do, no problem we are all in this together attitude.

I had previously had surgery on the same ward over four years ago and felt this was a big and important change as the atmosphere was much lighter and staff seemed more respectful towards each other.

Over all I had a very positive inpatient experience and would be happy for any of my family and friends to be cared for in this environment.

A highlight of my stay was to see the confidence and skills of student nurses being developed by the qualified staff and as any patient would tell you, they are a joy and a freshness to behold.

My next observation whilst is not about direct patient care would be in relation to the nutrition available, for a ward with a high number of bowel related surgeries food choices were not available, I saw no real evidence of vegetarian diets beyond soup or salad and when a patient asked about milk alternatives being coeliac they were met by blank faces. That said the kitchen staff have over the past seven years that my surgeries occurred have gone out of there way to get me a scone, a pancake a banana or some small thing that they believed would help move me on to the next step to nutrition. The cup of tea, or toast for supper feels like warm embrace at the end of a hectic day. Thank you to all the lovely staff on the ward for your help support, professionalism and kindness.