"I was admitted via the EAU, in ..."

What I liked

I was admitted via the EAU, in great pain. It was a Thursday afternoon. Because of my profession (senior university academic in health sciences) It was obvious I had knowledge of my condition. I was listened to, and felt involved in the clinical assessment of my condition and that included the treatment plans.

There was an option to rehydrate using a drip, but being needle phobic I suggested I tried natural rehydration first and if that failed would opt for the drip. I was pleased to be respected by the senior clinicians who agreed with me, and happy with the management of my case thus far. I was admitted to Carleton and Coleby ward at aprox 02:00hrs on the Friday morning, where the nursing staff were very helpful. Overall all of the nursing staff were very good.

What could be improved

On the Friday I was constipated. The staff treated me well. On the Saturday night and Sunday I had diarrhoea. I had diffuculty eating and drinking. I asked if I could be reydrated by drip. The Doctor on duty would not move from the EAU doctor's notes that oral rehydration was planned, and in spite of my protestations, she refused to allow me to have a drip. I was very weak, losing weight and in need of fluids. I was also in great pain (osteoporosis/collapsed vertibrae) and was worried about my health and the fact that that whilst the nursing staff were very good, the doctors were not. After the weekend I was alowed a drip, but the doctor who came to fit the canula made a mess of it and achieved what I understand is known as a 'through and through', where the needle went in and then out again, and the fluid squirted over my chest rather than stay in my vein. I almost passed out. The Doctor left her colleage to clear up the mess and left me without a canula, and without the drip. I also acquired C Dif and was placed in isolation. I have self medicated for more than two years, but was not allowed to do same in hospital, and so relied upon the staff to bring my painkillers. On two occasions they failed to bring the medication for three hours, resulting in me having two periods of severe pain (the type that had me crying out loud) and the delay was because it was 'hand over time'. My medication should have been at 08:00hrs but twice arrived at 11:00hrs.

I then learned that it was "unfortunate" that I had been addmitted in that week because the "doctors" were "fresh out of medical school" and were enjoying their first week in a real hospital ward, unsupervised.

I was in pain, I was not listened to, and the overall experience was that I would rather go to any other hospital than relive that again. My wife made enqiuiries to that effect and I almost asked to be transfered to another hospital.

Anything else?

I would suggest that new intakes of doctors are supervised and patients are listened to. The issue of rehydration could have been resolved on the Sunday, and I would not have been so uncomfortable for so long. The issue of the late arrival of painkillers is unforgiveable. never have I ever experienced such sever pain and it was a puzzle to me that the staff who saw me writhing in agony did nothing for sop long. Eventually I was given a painkilling injection, and a doctor spent a few minutes telling me that someone needed a blood transfusion. I fail to see how a blood transfusion takes more than fifteen members of staff for three hours to complete.

Regarding the canula; before she started, I asked the doctor of she had much experience of such things and she reassured me that she had. I told her I was needle phobic and it was a big deal for me. It was about 48 hours before I was alowed a canula, and a junior nurse did it, with good skills and an excellent manner.