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Better understanding

Posted By 711user

"Better understanding"

About: Crosshouse Hospital / Accident & Emergency Crosshouse Hospital / Cardiology Crosshouse Hospital / Combined Assessment Unit (CAU) General practices in Ayrshire & Arran

(as the patient),

I suffer with a severe chest problem along with a heart complaint and other physical health issues. I also suffer with PTSD and associated mental health issues. Due to the issue surrounding the PTSD I find it extremely difficult to be admited to hospital when my gp or respiratory consultant advises me that hospital is for the best, as fear overtakes and I can't cope with the hospital environment, as I get frightened being around others. I have spoken with both my gp and Dr Hartung about this, both are supportive and understand my fears.

However, in recent days after suffering with chest pain, coughing up blood and being more short of breath than usuall, my gp admited me to crosshouse hospital. After being in resus for a couple of hours I was put into high dependancy unit. I was given all sorts of drugs to help my condition and the nursing staff and doctors were really nice and I did feel so frightened. However In the morning, although   I was feeling a little better, I was speaking with the consultant, who acknowledged that I look a bit nervous and stated the pain that I was experiencing was pain from panic. With the lack of confidence that I have I did not want to say, I do not believe that this was the cause of my pain, or breathlessness, as I know my body and know what and where the different pains and symptoms come from.

As my condition has deteriorated since leaving the hospital, with having more pain, and oxygen levels have dropped again, I now know that it wasn't pain caused through panic, however I'm now too frightened to come back to hospital. My question is with people like myself who find it difficult to communicate and be around others, do you think that there is anything that NHS can do to help people like me when these situations arise? Thank you.  

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Responses

Response from Eunice Goodwin, Patient Feedback Manager for NHS Ayrshire and Arran, Quality Improvement and Governance Team, NHS Ayrshire and Arran 5 years ago
Eunice Goodwin
Patient Feedback Manager for NHS Ayrshire and Arran, Quality Improvement and Governance Team,
NHS Ayrshire and Arran

I respond initially to most of the posts and ensure they are passed to the appropriate team whether they are compliments, observations or grumbles. It is important to make sure all issues are addressed and I try to encourage that to happen for all the posts as required.

Submitted on 15/08/2018 at 16:53
Published on Care Opinion on 16/08/2018 at 10:11

picture of Eunice Goodwin

Dear 711user,

I am sorry to take so long to respond to your post and I am disappointed in that my answer may not be as clear-cut as you question. I would like to say is that we are all responsible to help you through situations such as this.

I know I can't fully understand how you feel but one thing I do know from my clinical background, is that you really must not ignore your medical needs and a trip to your GP is really your first port of call.

Regarding your question, your GP is best placed to explore how you can best be supported in the event that you need a hospital visit. I also wonder if you are getting enough support with your PTSD. Is this something you need to explore further with your GP?

Having a diagnosis of PTSD, I wonder if you could tap into the Mental Health team or the advocacy service. They may be able to help with a hospital visit or admission.

To discuss this with the appropriate advocacy service contact-

01563 574442 for East Ayrshire

0800652 2986 for North Ayrshire

01292 264396 for South Ayrshire

I would like to strongly recommend that you have a chat with your GP again. I hope this is helpful and goes some way to answer your question.

All the very best,

Eunice

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Response from Claire Gilroy, Specialty Doctor, Emergency Department, University Hospital Crosshouse, NHS Ayrshire and Arran 5 years ago
Claire Gilroy
Specialty Doctor, Emergency Department, University Hospital Crosshouse,
NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Emergency

Submitted on 15/08/2018 at 20:48
Published on Care Opinion at 22:36

picture of Claire Gilroy

Dear 711user,

Eunice contacted me today about your post as she was concerned about you. I would also ask you to contact your GP if your health is getting worse so that he or she can make sure you receive the help you need.

I am a doctor who works in the Emergency Department. From what you have written I think you may have been in our department the last time you were in hospital as we have a resus room. I am pleased the doctor and nursing staff were nice. I am sorry we were not able to help you communicate how you were feeling and I am sad that you are now too frightened to come back to hospital. We must do better than this.

Your post has really made me think. It is normal for patients to feel frightened when they are in hospital. It must be even more frightening when you have severe chest problems. I believe that all staff have a role in helping to create an environment that enables patients to speak about how they are feeling and to allow them to make decisions about their health care. This includes challenging medical staff about what they think is wrong with them.

There are many ways that we can do this. We can ask whether you would like a family member or friend to join you in the Emergency Department or ward to help ask questions about your care. We can give you time to think about the information you have been given and come back later to see whether you have any further questions. Some people like to write questions down but this doesn't suit everyone. The main way we can help is by sitting down and taking time to listening to people.

Communication is the most important part of what we do in a hospital. However, no one gets it right every time. Communication skills are something all doctors have to work hard at every single day. There will be some doctors who are talented at it, however, most (including myself) have to learn from the patients they see, and the feedback they get, in order to improve.

Every patient is different. I therefore wonder whether it would be better to ask you how we can help you?

There are lots of options available. We could write a care plan that lists the different things doctors and nurses should do to help you when you are admitted to hospital. I would be more than happy to meet with you or talk on the phone about the options we have available. I would be more than happy for you to bring a friend or family member with you. I could also ask Dr Hartung to do this if you would be more comfortable with him. My email address is Claire.gilroy@nhs.net. Please get in touch.

Claire

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