"Exceptional Care and treatment dad received ..."

My dad, was a patient in the surgical assessment unit in Forth Valley Royal last month. I wanted to write this to ensure that some appreciation is relayed to the SAU staff regarding exceptional care and communication during his admission. 

  

They had a worried 70 year old, previously fit patient who had never been in hospital since he was 7years old, so was not used to anything medical, a very worried patients wife, and probably worse!, a daughter who is a also a staff nurse, requesting information every day!!  

 

Specifically my mum was extremely worried and stressed meaning that I had to repeatedly ask the nurses and doctors for information to be relayed again to myself so I could better explain it to my parents, as at times I noted that my dad was not really taking in all the information that had already been given to him, in the absence of us. 

 

The nurses and doctors were patient and happy to give my mum and I the information again, with his consent, so we could talk the plans for his treatment through with him.  

 

Another example is, I passed on to a staff nurse that my dad was anxious and fearful of having an MRI, worried about having to be in a small enclosed space and unaware of what it would feel like. I was unsure that my dad would go through with the MRI because of this, and that this would ultimately impact upon his diagnosis and treatment plan. The staff nurse took great care and time to explain the whole process, including the noise of the scanner, as well as providing ear plugs and an eye mask. She absolutely alleviated my dad's worries and concerns and all by just taking some time out of her busy shift to stop and talk it through with him. 

 

The registrar working with dad's consultant was excellent also, providing communication and information about the treatment plan every step of the way, as was the consultant, very knowledgeable, and again alleviating my parents’ concerns and providing detailed information on all dad's illnesses/treatment options and plans. All in all, really great care and all-round brilliant communication provided by SAU which was needed and greatly appreciated by our family. Thank you, SAU staff.