"Endoscopy Unit"

I recently had to attend the Endoscopy Unit for a Gastroscopy. The information sent to me beforehand was inadequate as I thought, having had this procedure done a few years before when I had to be in a hospital nightgown, I brought my dressing gown, slippers & toilet bag. The nurse who met me in the waiting room laughed at the "big bag" I'd brought, but didn't explain that things had changed & there is no need to remove clothing or make up.

When I was taken in for the procedure there were 2 nurses & an Endoscopist in the room. The nurses told me their names & asked me whether I was having the spray or sedation, when I said sedation I felt that there was a distinct feeling of disappointment.

One of them then started to attempt to put in a venflon to administer the sedative. However, the nurse had to have 2 attempts & im sure the reason my blood wasn't flowing into my hand was because my hand was being held up higher than my shoulder. I was then asked to lie on my side with knees bent. Suddenly from behind a nurse stuck a piece of sponge up my right nostril, telling me what they were doing as they did it, not before they did it. This was never explained to me why this was done & I felt quite violated. I then had the plastic opener thrust into my mouth to hold my mouth open. I still hadn't had the sedation & quickly pulled the opener out of my mouth to ask the question if I'd had the sedation, to which I was told no. It was then given & the procedure carried out. All in all I found it a pretty unpleasant experience, not helped by the very uncaring nurses. As an ex nurse myself I believe that patients should be talked through exactly what is going to happen step by step in a more caring manner.