"Brilliant care vs frustration with management and policy making"

Short stay at Lincoln County Hospital, including high points, lows and frustrations.

I was admitted with Pneumonia. 

My partner called an ambulance which arrived very promptly and I was conveyed to Lincoln (this would not normally be the A &E to attend from here. Kings Mill would be more usual). On arrival I was dealt with very well and with calm efficiency. 

Having arrived at A&E at quite early in the morning, I was finally transferred to Medial Emergency Assessment Unit around 13 hours later.  My stay proceeded normally until the following morning when a nurse attempted to install a cannula in my left arm. They made a mistake by failing to remove the needle/guide wire so that after the, overly large, cannula was placed in the crook of my elbow I naturally bent the arm but the cannula did not bend. I was immediately in considerable pain. I believe that, when I bent my arm, the cannula punctured the other side of the vein producing a 'through and through' wound internally.

When two antibiotics were administered via that cannula it was also very painful. When I pointed this out the nurse (a different nurse) replied that it didn't hurt, despite my protestations. My left arm remains extremely painful around the puncture area and above.

I was later moved to another bed in a different part of the unit where I spent that night until I was again moved. This time I was moved from Medical Emergency Assessment Unit (MEAU) to Respiratory Support Unit (RSU)  where I spent the next two nights.

The treatment for my pneumonia was completed so far as the need for hospital admission was concerned and I made arrangements to be collected from the hospital.

The Diabetic Team had previously visited me and expressed concern at the high readings of my blood sugar. I had explained that the reason for this was that, because I was in hospital, I was not moving about or taking any form of exercise. I was told that if my blood sugars, which read over 20,  reduced to somewhere between 8 and 12 I would be ok to be discharged. That afternoon I spent a little time walking up and down the ward corridor (7 or 8 times) and my blood sugar reduced to 9.4. Thus proving my point that the chief reason for my high numbers was the lack of exercise.

I was then told that the Diabetic Team wanted me to be kept overnight because they considered the reading still too high. I spoke to a ward sister and pointed out that this made no sense and that I was, from that time on, effectively 'bed blocking'  and the cause of that was the Diabetic Team.

The following morning I was moved to another ward to make way for an emergency admission but not before the ward sister informed me that she had left messages for the Diabetic Team to attend as soon as possible.

By mid morning I had seen nothing of anyone so I attended the ward reception who assured me that the Diabetic Team were aware that I had been moved and where I was. A little later, I again visited the reception and asked them to pass on to the Diabetic Team that, if they were not with me within the next 30 minutes I would be leaving the hospital.

On returning to my bed I was spoken to by a doctor who asked me to remain and tried to explain some of the medical reasons why I should. Having been diabetic for over 16 years I have learned how my particular diabetes works and it does not conform to the hospitals theoretical model of what should happen. 10 minutes after this the doctor returned to say that the Diabetic Team had changed their minds and my case would be transferred to the Community Team; I was therefore free to go.

Throughout my relatively short time at Lincoln County Hospital I found outstanding levels of care from the medical staff - from Student Nurses to Consultants. The mistake that was made with the cannula was just that, a mistake. The important thing about mistakes is that the people who make them take ownership of them and correct them or find a solution that will. That is what happened in this case which is a good thing, but I still have a very sore arm.

The issues seem to have originated from dogmatic application of policy and believing that the strange bubble created within the hospital is relevant to 'real life' outside. I have heard and understand that 'bed blocking' is a serious issue for the NHS yet here is an example of bed blocking caused by NHS policies. This is a self inflicted injury that could undermine future pleas of pressure.