I was admitted to Holywell Ward for keyhole surgery and should have been discharged the same day. I had an adverse reaction to the anaesthetic and wanted to sleep and sleep.
I was transferred to Elmton, where I had to shuffle from one bed to the other, over a plastic slide. I slept. Woke as the staff nurse was doing her round, dispensing tablets. I asked for pain killers, only to be told, I had only just been admitted. Another nurse explained as I had had my operation and had been transferred, I was not yet on her screen. By the time she reached me with the tablets, I was retching and couldn't take them. She brought me a tablet to stop me throwing up. I slept. Woke again - searched for painkillers, none there. I asked where they were to be told I had refused them. I said I hadn't refused them and explained I couldn't take them and I'd had them returned. I also reminded them that they had given me the tablet to prevent me being sick. The nurse asked if the tablet had worked and made me feel I should be grateful for her help. She then fetched my painkillers.
Slept through breakfast, woke, needed more painkillers. I asked if I had to keep asking for them and they explained I was asleep when they came round. They did then fetch me some.
I thought it advisable to take my first trip to the toilet with the aid of a nurse. A young man escorted me but had disappeared when I came out. I asked a nurse passing if she would walk with me. She did but she was under the impression I had got there on my own when I hadn't and seemed surprised I now needed help. The staff nurse then appeared and asked if I had urinated which I confirmed I had. She punched the air like a footballer and said "Yes!"
I was then discharged. I believe they were having difficulty finding a district nurse. They asked if I could change my own dressings and suggested I probably didn't need a district nurse. They also said I could always see the nurse at my own surgery.
I can't fault Holywell Ward but I felt like an unwelcome visitor on Elmton.
Also I would have appreciated a lot more information about any symptoms I was likely to encounter as a result of my op and definitely more info on how to proceed with the four wounds in my stomach from the surgery.
"Inconsistent experience across different wards in the same hospital"
About: Chesterfield Royal Hospital / General surgery Chesterfield Royal Hospital General surgery S44 5BL
Posted by glittergirl21 (as ),
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