It saddens me to be writing this as I've worked for NHS for 41 yrs both in hospital and in community. On Saturday, I tried to call NHS 24 as I had been treated the week before for an infection in my breasts after surgery. On Saturday morning my temperature spiked again and my heart was racing and I had really bad diarrhea, I knew my body had stopped responding to antibiotics. After 2 attempts to contact NHS 24 and got cut off both times I decided to go to A & E at Crosshouse, my husband took me.
I arrived at 3:30, got seen by triage nurse quite quickly then asked to wait to see the doctor. I felt so unwell and had to keep going to loo, couldn't keep water it and had to lie down on the bench in waiting area.
Two hours later a Doctor called me and my husband had to leave. I was taken into what looked like a store room for equipment etc. with one chair, The doctor examined me and said they would take bloods. They had nowhere to sit so were on their knees and the tray was put on the floor that had the needle etc. in it.
They said he would need to have the surgeon look at me and bloods would be back around an hour, I was then put in the x-ray waiting area.
I felt awful as I was dehydrated and just wanted to lie down. They came back hour half later to say sorry about the hold up with bloods and surgeon. They asked nurse to do my obs in the waiting area. My heart was racing so I was offered some water, I asked if I could lie down but no response - I guess there no beds, I had my head in my hands, patients coming and going from x-ray just looking at me.
It was now around 8:20 and I couldn't take no more, I approached a nursing assistant and said I can't sit in that chair anymore it had been been 5 hrs. They said they could get me a trolley and a blanket. I couldn't thank them enough. I lay down and just wanted to curl up. Not once did anyone come and see if I was ok. I am not even sure they knew I was there in the x-ray department.
Eventually the surgeon came and checked me and my blood infection markers were high. I just wanted home so they agreed to give me a high dose of antibiotics IV and discharged me with penicillin.
She said she would like me checked at breast clinic Monday or Tuesday and someone would call me on Sunday to see how I was and let me know about clinic. I never got the call.
Thankfully the treatment kicked in. I called A& E on Monday and no one knew what I was talking about regarding the phone call or clinic appointment. I got put though to surgical ward and nurse took my name and number. I said surely there must be a record of be being seen. They acknowledged that it was not good.
Long and short, I had a nightmare experience, I love my job in the NHS and I would never like to think I left my patients feeling this way, I will be making a complaint to the board.
"My experience in A and E department"
About: Crosshouse Hospital / Accident & Emergency Crosshouse Hospital Accident & Emergency KA2 0BE NHS 24 / NHS 24 (111 service) NHS 24 NHS 24 (111 service)
Posted by Malley (as ),
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