"Concerns about my son's care"

My young son was admitted to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow in March 2023 for his Cleft Lip Repair the next day. At our scheduled admission time, we were told his bed wasn't ready and we were ushered into the treatment room. While sat in there for over an hour, multiple staff were coming in and out for equipment etc (understandably so) but were clearly annoyed at having to ask us to move out the way each time.

We couldn't take much more of being made to feel so small so decided to grab a coffee instead while the bed was getting ready which took around another hour or so. We were finally settled on the ward around tea time, hoping he would get as much rest as possible before his major operation in the morning but it seemed the night shift staff had other plans! 

Why are they so loud? Why is it OK in a ward full of sick patients or patient's who are awaiting or just been through major operations or any operation for that matter, to walk around laughing and joking so loudly (this could be done quietly - I would never expect them to walk around sad and quiet all night) and pulling beds out and scrapping them along the floor so loudly and late at night? Speaking with other parents from other wards we weren't the only ones with this issue. 

One nurse on our second night even went out her way to come and pull my child's curtain open, seemingly  as loud as possible in the early hours of the morning, had a look in and then walked away without having the courtesy to close them over again? Or even ask how he was doing. I was sat up awake in the chair provided on my phone and they looked right at me? 

The next morning as we waited for him to go for his op a nurse came over with "his" file to check all his details, only it wasn't my son's file it was someone else's who was in for the same operation.  I was shown some of their personal details. When I pointed out this data breach the nurse seemed annoyed and walked off to get my sons file with no apology for the mistake. This wasn't the only time they got my son mixed up with this other child either, they were forever calling my son by their name and there were medication mix ups also.

Fast forward to after my son's operation which went perfectly, although when he got back to the ward the mistakes that were made were shocking.  Maybe a couple of hours of being back up in the ward 2 nurses came to do his obs and asked if he had taken a feed, which he had twice so they went to speak with the doctor to see if his fluid IV could come out which they were told it could so out it came including cannula. About an hour later another 2 nurses came asking where it was.  We explained the doctor said it could come out to which they said it needed to remain in overnight for his antibiotics.  The other nurses had not mentioned this at all! 

They proceeded to try and fit another cannula in my son's foot at first. 20 minutes of the most horrific screaming from him and they finally stop to then try it in his hand which was unsuccessful so they went back to the foot, both of which cued another 20 minutes of screaming and crying. They thought they had succeeded but the nurse noticed it wasn't in properly as blood was going up the IV tube and also leaking out the insertion site but all they had  done was adjust the top plaster that holds it in place.

Shortly after we had to ask a nurse to look at it as it was bleeding again. They noticed it wasn't done properly and tried to flush it but it couldn't be flushed! I said the nurse knew it wasn't done properly but just adjusted the top plaster. The look on this nurses face said it all and they said they were going to speak to the doctor about it. When they came back they explained that a more senior nurse would try as it's important he got his antibiotics through IV which we agreed to. They spent around 10/15 minutes with my son's hand bent trying to find a vein, all while my son was again screaming in pain and all they could suggest was that he was a fat baby and that it's hard to find veins with chubby baby skin.

They were then politely told to stop, my son was far too upset enough was enough.  I understand that you should only try fit a cannula in any patient 2 times before escalating. My young son was put through this four times And the very 1st nurse was also sent to convince us to try a 5th time.

The biggest concern though was when my son's pain medication was given to the other boy. My son was due pain relief at 11:30. By 1:00pm he was screaming in pain so much I had ask for it, to be told he has had it. This was the final time they mixed my son up with the other little boy. Yes they had given the other that child my son's pain relief. This child was then given it again at the back of 1:00pm before we left for home meaning that he was given an extra dose which we felt was disgusting.