"an awful first experience as a patient..."

What I liked

when admitted to A and E last year with suspected appendicitis i was glad to be seen failry quickly (within an hour of arrival) and taken to a ward within two hours of arrival. the doctors seemed pleasant and explianed their diagnosis and plan to me well.

What could be improved

As a 3rd year student nurse...partly studying at yeovil hospital....i expected the nurses to demonstate better communication and empathy skills. once taken to jasmine ward i was in agony and was given 2 paracetamol and when after 3 and half hours i was still crying in pain i was told 'its another half hour till you can have any more pain killers' this poor pain management is just not acceptable...oral paracetamol for appendicitis is pointless. i lived 40 miles away from yeovil and i respected the visiting times when my other half was asked to leave especially late at night on a gynaecology ward...the girl opposite me was allowed to have her foul mouthed, rude and loud boyfriend on the ward until gone midnight and when i pulled my curtains around for privacy the nurse said in a very rude tone...youre not allowed to have your curtains round! wheres the privacy and dignity there?!!?the next day (still in pain) i was told i probably didnt have anything wrong with me and should go home. i was discharged at 10pm at night with no medication or advice, thinking i had imagined the whole thing. once home my pain got worse and the next day was admitted as an emergancy to Dorchester hospital...within 4 hours of arrival i was on the operating table and had an infected and inflammed appendix removed. the treatment i received at dorchester really put yeovil to shame. summary of care sheets i received from yeovil hospital weeks after my discharge were all wrong- they had no allergies listed (of which i have many) and they said i had experinced resolving abdominal pain which is a lie and that i asked to go home!

Anything else?

i would never go to yeovil hospital again and would never want any of my friends or relatives to experience such poor care from a teaching hospital...the example the nurses are setting for their students is worrying to say the least. i just hope no one else has to experince this before things change