"A simple smile and understanding goes a long way"

My auntie was admitted due to kidney failure secondary from terminal cancer. She was admitted to MAU1 at UHW. 

When the devastating news came that there was no more they could do for her, I attended to be there to support my family. 

As a health professional, I asked if I could speak to a doctor to be informed of her condition and the next steps as naturally her immediate family didn't manage to take much information in.

I approached a doctor in MAU1 and asked if there was anyway a doctor could update me on what was happening so that I was able to inform extended family. I was in uniform as I work in a hospital. The doctor was nothing but dismissive and lacked care and compassion. I was informed a doctor had already spent half an hour explaining everything to the family and that they were really busy. As a health professional I am aware of the extreme pressure the NHS is under but given the devastating news I explained the family hadn't managed to take much in due to being so upset. Again, I was dismissed and the doctor just sighed. The lack of professionalism this doctor displayed was horrific. I would never treat a worried family with such a dismissive and rude attitude. 

Furthermore, I approached nursing staff to ask for pain relief. My auntie was displaying extreme signs of pain, due to being end of life she was unable to communicate but it was evident she was experiencing a lot of pain. My auntie had spend days of constant vomiting. The nurse came in with 2 paracetamol tablets. I explained that due to her vomiting she would not be able to tolerate or even absorb oral medication. The nurse stated she wasn't written up for anything intravenously to which I had to ask her to get medical staff to prescribe. I came back down to the ward 1.5 hours after this was asked for and she still hadn't received anything for pain. I had to ask again to which I was informed they were waiting on a doctor coming. The doctor attended soon after that to assess her. She was then thankfully given IV Paracetamol. However, I feel more could have been done to manage her pain more effectively especially at the end of life.

With that being said, there was other staff who without a doubt went above and beyond. The charge nurse who came onto nightshift was amazing. She could evidently recognise that my auntie was in extreme pain and raised concerns to medical staff to which then her pain was managed more effectively. The CSWs from the dayshift and nightshift could not have been more helpful in supporting my family through such a horrific ordeal. I also want to say the nurse who was on shift on one evening taking care of my auntie was amazing. I asked for an update and she went through everything with me from the ward round that day which honestly made it so much easier for me to share with extended family and provide reassurance that she was being cared for.

My auntie was then moved to ward 5 @ UHW where honestly the care and compassion was exemplary. They made one of the most devastating times so much more easier by the way they communicated with my family and how they supported her in her end of life care. Nothing you asked for was too much trouble. They were letting all family in to see my auntie to say their goodbyes and when the time came that she passed away they supported her immediate family by writing cards for them and making the room much more comfortable. It's always the little things that go a long way. All the staff were lovely, warm and friendly. A simple smile and understanding goes a long way. You really are an asset to your team and I can't thank you all enough. You'll never know how much it means to us all as a family.