"Great ward, terrible EAU experience"

What I liked

The ward I stopped on was excellent and staff were friendly, polite and helpful.

The ward was exceptionally clean.

The urology doctor who dealt with me was also very helpful and friendly and took time to explain my condition to me.

What could be improved

After being referred to EAU from my doctors with severe kidney pain and being 19 weeks pregnant ,following having my intial observations taken i was left in a busy waiting room in a chair from 8.30am to 13.30pm awaiting results.

At 12.30pm I had to ask someone for pain relief. By 13.30 the pain in my back had become so bad i was lying on the floor crying and just being ignored by the nurses. My husband asked for help, the nurse went away for 10 minutes approx and returned and told us we would have to stop where we were as there were no beds. I was in agony on the floor in a full waiting room, i wasnt even offered a pillow or further pain relief, just left to it. I felt humiliated crying infront of the whole waiting room and guilty as the lady sitting next to me was losing her husband and didnt think he would make it through the afternoon. All i could hear were people at the nurses station laughing, they were obviously very busy that day but it didnt look that way to a patient.

After my husband searched the EAU for a more discreet location for me to sit whilst we waited he found a bed. The nurse were very rude as if we were inconvieniencing her and made me feel as though i couldnt approach her. Eventually a senior member of staff saw me on the floor and told someone to find me a bed. I was given a bed and after 20 minutes was seen by another doctor and then my care improved significantly.

Anything else?

I am a student nurse and was pretty horrified by the service we recieived and thinking back, the impression given of russells hall hosipital of anyone seeing me in such a state will probably now be a very negative impression also.

I am having my baby at Russells hall and have always receieved exceptional service from the maternity department with helpful and caring staff.

I informed pals 2 weeks ago of my experience and still havent recieved any feedback.