"Not caring"

I am writing this review because I was asked to. My previous hospital visits have been fine so this review is no way reflective on other departments.

I visited the accident department at the hospital and was booked in by a very pleasant receptionist and was told the waiting time was 3 hours. I was called by the triage nurse and he looked at my injury and decided I was a minor injury case, not telling me this.

After waiting for over 3 hours my friend and I got a bit fed up especially as the waiting time had gone up to 6 hours. People who came after me were seen before me. I can appreciate that urgent cases need to be prioritized. When I asked a nurse could she tell me when I would be called she said no as I don’t know your name. Of course she didn’t as didn’t askAfter 3 and a half hours I had had enough , my arm was hurting, and decided to go home. I was then told I had to sign a discharge form so was called in to do so. I told the nurse I was 84 years old with P.V.(blood cancer and on chemotherapy tablets) had recently lost my husband and I felt very vulnerable. My friend had to be at work that morning and it was now 2.3a.m.

She hadn’t had much sleep to which the nurse replies “neither have I.” My friend said at least you can sleep when your shift is over. After signing form I mentioned that my arm was not properly covered and open to infection to which her reply was “ it will be your own faultas you discharged yourself” She said the minor injury unit was open at 8 a.m. I have no transport so I have use a tax.

It took the nurse at the doctors surgery 2 minutes to bandage my arm and give me a tetanus shot and get some antibiotics from the doctor. I feel that if

the triage nurse was qualified enough to decide I was a minor injury needing no further treatment he could’ve bandaged my arm himself. No one else saw my injury so were not in a position to comment on it. I am not in the habit of complaining but I do feel no one cared. I have always from had in the past exemplary treatment from caring friendly staff.

I do appreciate that they get busy but there were only about 4 people in the waiting room when I left and when I arrived the waiting room was about half full which surprised me. Other people did arrive later. A man in a wheelchair having fallen downstairs and injured his head didn’t have to wait long which was great and no one minded. Perhaps it would be a good idea to have a minor injury unit in this department so patients could be dealt with in the minimum time and not feel so neglected when waiting for hours with no one speaking to them or making them aware of the situation.

My arm is still being dressed at the surgery so it can’t have been too minor an injury. As I said I am 84 years old with polycythaemia vera (blood cancer) and was feeling a bit nauseous and shaky. I would like to point out that I think nurses do a fabulous job but on this occasion I was very disappointed.

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