I was admitted to ward 6 with severe lower abdominal pain. I receive IV morphine in A and E and also in ward 6 through the night and the next morning. At lunchtime on the next day, I was transferred to the xray department for a scan by the porter without a nurse escort and no blanket. My pain increased with the movement of the wheelchair and I was left outside the scan area alone. Due to the pain, I felt very faint and sick and was worried that I would faint as I was there alone.
The scan was carried out which again as I was moving about, increased my pain further and I was very upset. I was then wheeled to the reception area and left on my own until a porter was available. I was in a distressed state, cold and felt undignified and upset in a waiting area.
On return to the ward, the porter asked staff members at the nurse station what room I was in. A member of staff advised the porter, by this point I was in agony, crying and struggling to breathe normally as I got myself into a state due to pain.
I tried to get from the wheelchair to my bed with no assistance which again furthered my pain struggling to get into my bed. The pain was unbearable and I had what felt like pins and needles going through my arms, hands, legs and feet. I feel that the staff would have noticed on return to the ward that I was distressed, I was also crying within my room and feel that the staff would have heard me as my room was outside the nurse station.
It felt like a while later when a nurse came into my room and gave me oramorph, I asked the nurse if she could contact my mum (who was at the hospital) and she advised that I would need to calm down first. I also explained that I had pins and needles and she advised again that I would need to calm down and left my room.
Straight after that my mum walked into my room and immediately requested a paper bag as I was hyper-ventilating and also requested more pain relief as I was in agony.
It was only after intervention from my Mum that I was taken to theatre where I was found to have a torsion in my fallopian tube which was removed.
Whilst I fully accept that the scan was necessary, I feel that my transfer to xray and events leading from this, that I received no support from the nursing staff and do not understand why I had been left alone. If I had not been left by myself that I would not have been so distressed.
I would however like to thank the nightshift staff during my stay as their care and attention was great and very different from the day shift staff.
"Mixed experience during hospital stay"
About: Crosshouse Hospital / General Surgery Crosshouse Hospital General Surgery KA2 0BE
Posted by Distressed and Ignored (as ),
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