"Disappointing, will never return"

What I liked

Admission at A and E was brilliant. Cannot fault the service that we received. Was very impressed with the consultant on Children's ward.

What could be improved

Nursing was very hit and miss. First day was brilliant and attentive. I was there on my own with my son as my husband was stuck working away. However on day 2 One particular nurse stands out in my mind as very uncaring and incompetent. After spending a very traumatic afternoon and night with my poorly boy where he was unable to keep any food or medicine down for longer than 5 minutes, I did not expect the first words out of a nurses mouth to be "mum do you think you can look after your child at home now?" The same nurse then tried to give my child an overdose of antibiotics even though he had only had a dose an hour previous. She then proceeded to lecture me on the importance of getting my son to drink telling me to make it fun (like I didn't already know) - even though she had briefly witnessed my efforts and could see my child's resistance (hardly surprising after he had been violently vomiting for over 3 days). She then promised to get me a syringe and straw to help get him to drink fluids and 2 hours later despite me asking 3 times I still hadn't got them. I had also repeatedly asked for paracetamol for my son as his temperature was high and he had suffered complications because of it. Again i was ignored until another nurse got it for us. There was approx 8 children on the ward and over 36 beds - it was not busy at all. I was made to feel like a nuisance for asking for very basic supplies.I was huffed and puffed at and given lots of attitude! Around lunchtime I went to the nurses station to seek advice and could not find anyone but heard noise coming from an empty bay. The nurses had drawn curtains around beds but I could see balloons and people popping in and out having a party. I was gobsmacked. I also witnessed yellow infection signs being put on the side rooms(we were also in one) but no mention about the risk of contamination was given. I spoke to other parents who had similar experiences to us.

Anything else?

I was not expecting first class service from this hospital but I did expect a certain standard of Basic care. In our case this was not delivered. A friend visited who is a nurse at another local hospital and she was shocked at the nursing standards. She said she had never witnessed "such lazy nursing". Even beds were not changed in the observation bay. We will never go to Good Hope again despite it only being 10 mins from where we live. We will go to Childrens hospital, Women's Hospital or Burton. Why work on a children's ward if you do not like children or families?