"Nurse could not insert catheter"

I went to QEQM hospital A&E with acute urine retention. I was seen by a nurse who tried to insert a catheter and was unable to do so. In trying, she caused me a lot of pain, and there was a fair bit of bleeding. She then decided that she needed another size and went off to get one. We waited...and waited...I was in a great deal of discomfort by now - and then my husband spotted her across the room. He went to ask her what was happening, to which she replied that she'd just been on her break and had forgotten about the catheter! Eventually she arrived with the necessary equipment, and had another go - without success again. Her explanation was that there "must be a tumour or something in the way."

At this point, I demanded to see a doctor - one arrived, and inserted the catheter without any trouble and my problem was "relieved"! There was no apparent cause - certainly not "a tumour or something." I did write to complain and received a letter of apology and the chance to pursue disciplinary action against the nurse in question - I just requested a warning be issued.

All in all, I found this a horrendous experience that should have been easy to treat and turned into a nightmare.