"Ward C4 - Orthopaedic Trauma Ward"

Yesterday I was finally discharged from Ward C4 after spending 8 days there for a fracture of my femur. Apart from a handful of staff including the nurses and a few others that I unfortunately cannot remember their name (including my doctor) who were absolutely amazing, the rest were disinterested in any part of my stay on the ward. If the staff already mentioned we're not on shift, my time ended up being difficult and hard to deal with. This is due to the fact that other staff clearly could not be bothered to deal with my needs and requirements. For example, when using the buzzer for aid, it took on average 20 minutes for a member of staff to answer. Now I understand nurses are busy, but when you end up asking a passer by to grab your walking aid in order for you to not wet yourself and see the rest of the nurses standing chatting, ignoring your shouts and calls, now that is an absolute joke. On evening I also spilt water all over myself and my dressings. On this In evening in particular, I was still bed bound. It took a nurse nearly 25 minutes to answer my call, to only issue me a towel to dab my dressings with. So for the rest of the night I sat in wet sheets and a wet gown, which eventually seeped into my dressings causing fluid leakage from my wounds. These accounts are only one of numerous events that occurred whilst my care was in the hands of your nurses on Ward C4 when the nurses named above, were not on shift. Now for me, as a 25 year old woman, who was fortunate enough to able to help herself in situations like this, to know that there were many older people who were less able to help themselves, and knowing the way I was treated, it massively burdened me in how on earth they must be being treated if I was ignored.

I clearly understand that the majority of wards are short staffed and current staff must be put through a tremendous amount of work related stress. This clearly shows in staff and has a huge effect on the health and wellbeing of patients within the hospital. The attitudes and responses I have had from staff is utterly disgusting and even though they are the ones holding the hospital together, I would not expect this from anyone! I believe these issues must be addressed and patients should be taken more seriously despite what nurses and other staff are used to. Every patient is different and we are all human at the end of the day. To be treated like a number is inhuman and quite frankly demoralising. Attitudes must be changed and each patient must be addressed like an open book instead of another number.

In all the years I have attended QMC for treatment, and recommended it through and through, this hospital has truely let me down, apart from those staff mentioned previously who clearly need recognition for all they do.

I look forward to hearing a response regarding these issues, as previously mentioned there was more situations than the two examples described.