"The care I recieved in Ward 15 Burnley General..."

What I liked

an extremely efficiently run ward.

It was nice to know that the nursing staff were always aware of the patient's treatment, care, problems, issues. This avoids any mi-understandings and having to explain things again to anyone one who wishes to talk to you.

What could be improved

It was noticeable that certain staff were givind advice to patients when they were really not qulified to do so.

For example, most patients are keen to know when they can go home. If a nurse or doctor was asked they could give a measured and professional decision to the patient. However, I did notice on 2 occasions, patients in my ward asking 'minor' members of staff, staff who let me say were not really in a position to give a qualified decision about when thay thought they might be going home. one fellow patient was told "Saturday morning". This patient who was rather elderly and gullible believed this member of staff and told relatives that he was goinf home on Saturday.

Come Saturday morning, the patient was told by his doctor that he was nowhere ready to go home that day. He argued that a 'nurse' had told him he was would be going home and he had made plans accordingly.

If only this member of staff had told the patient that she was not in a position to say when he would be going home and he needed to sk a doctor or staff nurse.

Anything else?

If anyone is undecided about whether to have a general anesthetic or spinal block injection and are in a postion to choose either method, let me say that in my opinion I would go with a spinal injection. I have experience both methods and witnessed patients who are freshly returned back to the ward. The spinal method means you are pain free and wide awake both during the operation and on return to the ward. No being sick, struggling to stay awake or feeling 'spaced out'

I do recommend that patients take an I-pod or mp3 player with headphones into the theatre with them. The music is calming and really takes your mind away from the smells and noises of the operation.