"Abysmal nursing care"

Anything else?

I recently had an appendectomy by keyhole surgery and this was carried out excellently by my consultant. He is obviously very skilled and the theatre staff were all kind and attentive. Not so the general nursing staff on my ward at Castle Hill Hospital, who in the main were unpleasant in their manner, rude and unhelpful. One nurse only offered me some reassurance – and went to theatre with me. I was so disgusted with the rest of the nurses that by late evening on my first day in there that I made myself some notes on my mobile The point I wish to make is that although my operation was successful and I suffered no ill effects, no kindness or care was offered to me at all, either before or after surgery. It was disgraceful. It seemed to be the normal attitude overall by the nursing staff and it is becoming generally accepted that this is how nurses behave. My friends are appalled and say they think this is “how things are “ now. Other patients told me they had decided to remain quiet about their concerns “as it caused them less trouble”. If this is how someone (me) is treated, when I was not especially poorly and had taken some refreshments in with me – how anyone seriously ill/long term patients and totally dependent on the nursing staff manage to cope I cannot think. It is seriously time something drastic be done about the training, standards, and management of nurses on general wards – this cannot be allowed to continue. There seemed no real continuity, the nurses all did their little bits – i.e. no particular nurse got to know you properly. No doubt at some point I will be offered an apology. Not enough. Things must change nationally.