"Orthopaedics - March 2015"

Remarkable surgeon and excellent HDU care. Once on normal orthopaedic ward I just wanted to get out. A patient opposite my ward had dementia and howled day and night. Everyone was kept awake. A nurse took an instant dislike to me, it was obvious and was happy to spread the gossip to other staff in hearing distance of me. I had back surgery and asked for a pillow to support my back while laying on my side.The evening nurse told me there were no extra pillows. The following evening I asked for pain relief from the drug nurse, who told me I had had my quoter for the day. I spent the night in agony and was nearly at screaming point when my next pain relief was due. The following night at 3am I was in tears with the pain. The nurse who refused me a pillow, asked why I was crying. I said I need pain relief, they said I need to ask for it. The other nurse said they had calculated my drug doses incorrectly the night before. I also heard her discussing with another nurse how a drug should be calculated and administered I was horrified, they were in charge of controlled drugs. Another day I was told to use the bathroom for a wash. I felt unwell but dragged myself there with the zimmer frame. I fainted in the bathroom. Another day I was told I could shower and was assisted by a nurse who had to leave me. I was left for 30 mins naked waiting for help. When it arrived the HCA told me my dressings were not waterproof and told me to wash, in fact the dressings are waterproof. Day 10 I had my hair washed by student nurse, but when they asked for hair dryer there apparently was not one. The next day a hair dryer was used on an elderly patient opposite me. Call buttons took forever to be answered, were often switched off and still took 15/20 mins for your request to be dealt with. Often I received food I did not order. I had a member of staff tell me about an X who was in prison for GBH and was soon to be released and how scared they were. I was not interested. I was ill and needed to get better. The nurses were far too busy discussing nursing politics in front of the patients. Often there seemed to be no direction as to who was in charge. Nursing station was always busy with nurses, surely they had better things to do. The pain team were excellent, thankfully, and listened to me so I went home with the correct drugs. It was 11 days of hell. Today I called to chase my post op appt with the consultant. 3 weeks on and no appt has been made. Put through to secretary who is on leave. Pre - op I was constantly chasing and pushing my treatment through the system, with countless wrong appt and no appt. I made official complaint to Pals. Now post op it seems nothing has improved. Communication is dreadful on the admin side, and all so easy to just be put through to another extension before you get chance to speak. For such a poignant hospital I was mortified with my experience.