"post op care on ward 18 was excellent, ..."

What I liked

post op care on ward 18 was excellent, also theatre staff, anaesthetist, oda/odp was kind, considerate and professional, theatre recovery looked after me very well even though my recovery was not as well as planned, I was kept well fed (when not vomiting for 3 days post op) and well hydrated and pain control was effective, a very positive experience mainly.

What could be improved

I phoned on the planned day of admission to check if there was a bed available for my stay, I was assured yes and to come in after lunch, which I did, signed consent in the day room and waited there for 3 hours, only to be then given a blood thinning injection in the stomach and told to go home, fast from midnight and come back at 8am, as there was no bed available, I am registered disabled, cant drive anymore due to my condition and my husband does not drive either, I was expected to get home, take my heavy (for me) bag and do it all again tommorow, my husband is my carer and he had gone to work, as he thought I was now safe and would be looked after, I was stranded. Eventually after much complaint to the powers that be, I was found a bed, but it was a really negative start to an already nervous and stressful experience.

Anything else?

It is unfair to me that the nursing staff, patients and their family have to endure this kind of situation, also some of the nursing staff and co-ordinators became very defensive of the hospital and the situation, as if this is usual and you must accept it, making it really awkward and uncomfortable for me to be put in that situation, I always believed that nurses were patients advocates not the hospitals! I am a reasonable passive person, but I found it totally unprofessional and unacceptable to do this to someone.