"Accident and Emergency and Ward 2"

I expected to wait in A and E but I felt that some kind of triaging should have been implemented much sooner.

I told reception that I thought I had broken my leg.

They suggested that I wait in minor injuries.

I sat there for 5 hours before being seen.

My leg was broken in several places.

All in all,

I waited for 9 hours before being admitted to a ward.

The medical team definitely did their best once I was x-rayed.

However, the nursing care on Ward 2 was unfriendly, uncaring, officious and task oriented.

The staff there barely noticed the patients.

I was awake all night and was aware of how infrequently anyone entered the bay despite the presence of frail elderly people.

I received rush, minimal and disjointed care.

Staff just did not engage with patients, only the tasks in hand, and did not do those well.

One nurse tended to several IVs without washing their hands between tasks.

The morning staff came on duty and did not even introduce themselves, ask me how i was, or make any civil courtesy.

They only saw 'Nil by mouth' behind my bed and so didn't bother to look at me.

As one nurse walked past, they said, 'she's nil by mouth', despite the fact that I was looking at them.

I felt invisible and i felt afraid.

I told the consultant that if I needed surgery, I would not have it on that ward. I felt unsafe, undermined, dismissed.

My heart goes out to older people on that ward who have no voice or have no advocates.

I must be fair and say that the physiotherapy staff were excellent and were doing some nursing tasks in the absence of nurses.

I am sure that Ward 2 is understaffed.

It is probably a busy ward with a majority of elderly people with complex needs.

However, that does not excuse a professional from being polite and for someone working in a caring profession from being caring.

It does not excuse ignorance.

If you don't care about people, please do not work with vulnerable people.

You are doing them a terrible injustice.