"Dreadful experience"

My daughter was admitted to the AMRU ward recently as she was being continuously sick and suffers from type 1 diabetes. After having many bloods tests she was put onto a triple regime of antibiotics even although there was no sign of infection showing in her blood, she was also told that she had a minor heart attack and was also given medication for that too,  I asked why she should be having antibiotics when there was no sign of infection as I felt they were making the sickness worse but I was told this was a precautionary measure. 

On the second day the heart doctor came round to see her and said to come off the antibiotics and heart medication as she had not had a heart attack,  my daughter continued to be sick and I asked staff if they had checked for ketones as her sugar levels were high but I was told that they don't check for ketones unless the sugar levels are over 20. I was rather alarmed at this and I said I felt they should be checked but felt they dismissed what I had to say.

I think it was on the 4th day that they discovered she did had high ketones and they were extremely high which then caused her to have ketoacidosis. This in my opinion should never have been allowed to happen. There were several night shift nurses that were meant to be looking after my daughter but they complained when she got some sick on the bed and they didn't have a very caring attitude even when I called to see how she was.  I feel the staff in this department should have more training as they didn't seem to know very much about diabetes. 

I will say, once the high ketones were discovered she was moved to the diabetic ward where the staff were excellent.  Geraldine the Sister there was very professional and had a lovely manner as did all the nurses that attended to her there which I truly thank them for.