"Hospital care and communucation"

My husband was admitted to western general Edinburgh with respiratory problems. To alleviate the water retention issues the doctors acted promptly. My husband was in the same ward over new year 2017 and had no problems with the staff.  

We are well aware that the ward is an exceptionally busy one however some of the staff mannerisms were either abrupt, unhelpful and down right rude.  

The staff complete a questionnire each day with tick boxes being completed.   When I discussed this with my husband he informed me that he was not asked to respond to these questions. Therefore they recorded the patient was comfortable each day. My husband was not getting any sleep suffering acute migraine pain every night yet was marked as comfortable.   My husband was unable to sleep due to an acute pain going from his shoulder over his skull and into his eye which was exceptionally painful. Because my husband said the word painful he was offered pain relief and not the alternative migraine tablet which the doctors said could be requested every 2 hours, as required, and advised the nurse he wanted the other tablet.   He was given paracetamol and oramorphe and was informed did he want it or not, the nurse walked away therefore no further discussion. My husband sat from 2. 00am till the day shift staff changed at 8. 00am and told new nurse about severe pain into eye and she administered the migraine tablet immediately. When questioned, the night staff nurse said he used the word pain, not migraine, therefore pain medicine given and would not apologise for their behaviour as the patient (my hysband) did not describe medication correctly, really the patient has to advise which medication was to be administered whilst in a state of extreme anxiety!  

There was an occasion when he had gone to toilet and he turned the wrong oxygen cannula on, and not the one he was using, and therefore got into difficulties hunting for breath when he tried to catch the nurses attention he was informed can't you see I'm busy and the nurse walked out of room. Another patient had to come to his rescue and switch on the correct cannula.

He found when requesting anything it was forgotten about and only after 3/4 attempts did he get a new bottle so be could use the toilet an hour or so after the first request. The quickest way to get any attention seemed to be to pull the red cord in the bathroom as we witnessed 11 people running to aid patient who pulled cord.  

All communication was on result of tests not what they were for and why they were carrying out the tests. There were several more episodes that occurred during his 2. 5 week stay where the staff when questioned would always remark we're busy, can't you see I'm busy, in a minute which turned to 4 hours.

Bed side manners were not in display and the patient was treated, in some occasions, with contempt. If the staff don't like the job find another profession. As said not all only a few spoil the NHS reputation.  

Hopefully I can care for my husband in our own home so there will not be another occasion for him to be admitted again. He went through a lot of mental anguish which could have been avoided. He is trying to come to terms that he has lung cancer without the added stress he had to endure during his stay in hospital