My 86 year old mother spent 9 days in ward A22 in the Forth Valley Royal Hospital, there was a good atmosphere in the ward and, in general the staff were friendly, supportive and respectful towards her, and she was well cared for.
She was then moved to ward A32, what a difference! The domestic staff and student nurses were great but, (with the exception of one or two) the rest of the staff I saw with my mother were disrespectful towards here, rough and heavy handed when "helping" my mum and other patients in and out of bed and generally had an uncaring attitude. The consultant was patronising and insensitive when they spoke to my mum and upset her on more than one occasion.
After 3 weeks in this ward my mum was sent home even though she had deteriorated so much that she could not even stand unaided. A week later she was in so much pain and discomfort the G. P. had her re-admitted. There was no bed for her so she spent from a Wed. evening until the early hours of Fri. morning in a cubicle in the Clinical Assesment Unit.
She was cold upset and in pain. They knew she had a heart condition, but they decided the pain in her side was indigestion. She was moved back into ward A32. When I got there on the Friday the other patients in the room told me that she had been very distressed and they had buzzed a few times for a nurse to help her but the nurses had ignored her.
She was by this time delirious and in visible pain, when I pointed this out to the Staff nurse she offered to get her some indigestion medicine! A few hours later my mother died suddenly, in agony of a heart attack, clutching my hand. It was horrendous for her and for me. It haunts me to think of the way my mother was treated the lasts days/weeks of her life. The lack of care and compassion in the C. A. U. and ward A32 was shocking.
"Lack of care and compassion"
About: Forth Valley Royal Hospital Forth Valley Royal Hospital Larbert FK5 4WR
Posted by EMP (as ),
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