"Taking longer is better than forgetting basic patient care"

After attending the A&E department with my friend yesterday I wanted to share with you my experience.

Firstly I would like to say it was evident how understaffed that department was. There were 2 nurses in the whole of the department and I appreciate that.

What I found totally unacceptable was the attitude of the majority of staff working in that area.

I think people need to ask themselves why they became a care giver in the first place. Do they want their patients and families to feel like a burden and an inconvenience? I would hope not but that's how the department made you feel. There was no eye contact from staff. I think so that you didn't ask them anything as they were passing. They didn't respond to a friendly smile. They didn't ask how patients, families were feeling even though some looked extremely scared. All these things in my opinion can be done when taking peoples basic observations. Instead it was silence and in some cases pure frustration because they could not get things done quick enough.

Have patience for people, care for people. They don't just want you to make them physically well. They want to feel at ease. Please remember that when you come across someone in extreme pain, someone who is scared or alone, someone who doesn't understand what's happening to them. If it takes you longer to explain to a patient what is happening to them, what medication is given to them then surely that is better than forgetting basic patient care?