This is Care Opinion [siteRegion]. Did you want Care Opinion [usersRegionBasedOnIP]?
Care Opinion

Having a Stroke. The patient with no name.

Posted By Jump

"Having a Stroke. The patient with no name."

About: Scottish Ambulance Service / Emergency Ambulance University Hospital Wishaw / Stroke Unit (Ward 11)

(as the patient),

Taken to hospital in ambulance to A&E Wishaw General Hospital. Ambulance crew were professionals who went about their duties diligently.

Left off in stretcher in A&E unable to speak properly and numb in left leg and arm not paralysed. Scared and frightened. Doctor appeared asked me to smile lift my arms and legs. Told I was going for a CT Scan. Still no one said my name.

Scan taken then back to A&E, put in a cubicle and told to look at a television screen, told to answer doctor questions. I was totally disoriented by this time and of course I could not speak. What was this about no one told me. This television doctor asked me if I wanted some injection and said it had risks. I said no as I was terrified by this time and did not wasn’t to risk anything.

The nurse then asked me to swallow a cup of water...

I was then taken to a room and left there for a long time. No one had addressed me by name, shown me any concern, explained anything.

I later googled the injection and found out it was important for stroke victims to have this and that the risk was low.

Where was the compassion from staff? Where was me the patient in all this? Speaking to someone on a TV screen at the most frightening time of my life was a nightmare. During my whole six days in hospital no one said my name except the speech therapist. If it did not happened the way I have said I would not believe that stroke care had become just a process performed by robots.

Oh for a kind word a word of recognition .

I seen six doctors, none of whom I can remember their names. Each had little to say other than tell me I would be going for another procedure. The first doctor did tell me I had had a stroke and new medication had been prescribed - they did not explain this medication. The last doctor told me I could go home. I asked what part of my brain had been damage. They asked me if I knew anything about the brain when I said no she said there was no point in explaining!

That sums it up. Why explain I am someone without a name?


More about:
Do you have a similar story to tell? Tell your story & make a difference ››

Responses

Response from Andy Pender, Senior Nurse, Emergency Medicine, University Hospital Wishaw, NHS Lanarkshire 4 years ago
Andy Pender
Senior Nurse, Emergency Medicine, University Hospital Wishaw,
NHS Lanarkshire

Submitted on 08/05/2019 at 23:27
Published on Care Opinion at 23:27

picture of Andy Pender

Dear Jump,

Firstly I would like to apologise that you have had such a negative experience during your attendance at the ED and then onwards at the stroke unit.

I think it may be helpful if you could provide us with further information to give you a targeted response to the concerns that you have raised and so we may address these formally.

If you could forward your details to our Patient Affairs Manager, Yvonne Ross at Yvonne.ross@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk.

Thank you for taking the time to post your experience and allow us to address the issues give us the oppportunitu to ensue we investigate, engage with staff and ensure that there is learning from your journey of care.

Kind regards

Andy

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by Jump (the patient)

I have given you an honest account of my personal experience. I feel the learning for staff is clear. Yes staff need to follow procedures but they also need to remember patients are people who require reassurance, explanations and recognition as people with feelings. Can I say that I believe the staff are forgetting these basic skills and values because they are under pressure and understaffed. I don't believe these staff would want to see themselves as I seen them. I believe that they obviously joined medicine because they cared but caring is not only following proceedures, making beds, serving meals, filling charts and distributing medicine it is about people and getting to know patients and listening.

Response from Rick Edwards, Service Manager Surgical & Critical Care, University Hospital Hairmyres, NHS Lanarkshire 4 years ago
Rick Edwards
Service Manager Surgical & Critical Care, University Hospital Hairmyres,
NHS Lanarkshire

Submitted on 09/05/2019 at 12:03
Published on Care Opinion at 12:03

picture of Rick Edwards

Dear Jump,

You are right of course in your view that people are drawn to the medical and caring professions because of their values, empathy and their drive to want to help others. Like Andy, I was disappointed and saddened to read about your experience.

You do of course have the right to be informed, understand what is happening and be involved in decisions about your care; it's important that staff get to know you, your circumstances and your needs and I'm truly sorry that this wasn't the case for you with the exception of the Speech Therapist.

If you do decide you'd like us to look into your particular circumstances in more detail you would need to contact the Patient Affairs team, but please be assured that Andy will be sharing your feedback with the team for reflection and learning whether you decide to make contact with the Patient Affairs team or not, as this is clearly not the standard of care that we aspire to provide.

In the meantime I wish you well with your convalesence.

Kind regards

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Response from Alan Martin, Patient Experience Manager, Corporate Affairs and Engagement, Scottish Ambulance Service 4 years ago
Alan Martin
Patient Experience Manager, Corporate Affairs and Engagement,
Scottish Ambulance Service

Submitted on 13/05/2019 at 08:13
Published on Care Opinion at 08:13

picture of Alan Martin

Dear Jump,

Thank you very much for taking the time to share your feedback on CareOpinion. I am very sorry to read that you have suffered a stroke. That must have been truly terrifying for you.

I am however pleased to read that the crew that was sent, you have described as professionals. Every stroke is different and as it is a condition that we do not treat as such, the focus must be on the person and transporting them to definitive care as quickly as possible.

I am confident that our partners in NHS Lanarkshire will address your concerns in a manner you would expect and I wish you a full and speedy recovery.

Thanks again and kind regards.

Alan

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Opinions
Next Response j
Previous Response k