17 replies to this topic

[skookum]

I have posted this heartbreaking story as it hit home with me with some experiences I have had in the past.  It defies belief this young man dialled 999 in desperation to try to save his own life.  I am glad the coroner has referred the case to the police.

http://www.dailymail...o=feeds-newsxml

Although not nearly as serious I have experienced poor nursing in hospital after an operation.  After having my foot re-constructed in a 6 hour operation I started to feel severe unbearable pain.  I begged the nurses for help but they continued to tell me to use my Morphine drip.  My wife arrived at 6 o'clock and begged the nurses who refused to leave their desk station.  On the nursing shift change over the new nurses said it was too late to call a ward doctor.  I got to 3 am sobbing in unbearable pain, I called for a nurse again as was told to "shut up I was waking up the ward".  The next day my wife went and found a doctor personally who immediately rushed me back to theatre.  My leg had swelled in the cast and cut off my circulation.  I know have permanent nerve damage and limited movement.

What amazes me if you ever talk about poor nurses most people just react with this blind allegiance and bleet on about what wonderful people they are. I must admit most are very good but like any profession there are a few that let the side down.

[and then]

skookum, on 04 July 2012 - 07:51 AM, said:

I have posted this heartbreaking story as it hit home with me with some experiences I have had in the past.  It defies belief this young man dialled 999 in desperation to try to save his own life.  I am glad the coroner has referred the case to the police.

http://www.dailymail...o=feeds-newsxml

Although not nearly as serious I have experienced poor nursing in hospital after an operation.  After having my foot re-constructed in a 6 hour operation I started to feel severe unbearable pain.  I begged the nurses for help but they continued to tell me to use my Morphine drip.  My wife arrived at 6 o'clock and begged the nurses who refused to leave their desk station.  On the nursing shift change over the new nurses said it was too late to call a ward doctor.  I got to 3 am sobbing in unbearable pain, I called for a nurse again as was told to "shut up I was waking up the ward".  The next day my wife went and found a doctor personally who immediately rushed me back to theatre.  My leg had swelled in the cast and cut off my circulation.  I know have permanent nerve damage and limited movement.

What amazes me if you ever talk about poor nurses most people just react with this blind allegiance and bleet on about what wonderful people they are. I must admit most are very good but like any profession there are a few that let the side down.

I worked in healthcare as a MRI technologist for 10 years.  People who work in the field who are just there for the money are abhorrent to those who care about people.  I can only imagine how much worse it might be if the nurses and even doctors are only there because they can't find other or more profitable work.  Healthcare isn't about being a Saint but I don't think it can properly be done without a measure of compassion and empathy.  I see an NHS style future for the US with the ACA and I'm not happy about it.  When will people learn that you simply cannot get "something" for "nothing"?  I don't mean to impugn the British system or imply that not enough is paid by the citizens but obviously something is wrong and I think it goes to accountability and plain old lack of empathy by providers due to being overworked by an under funded system.

[skookum]

Totally agree, it is all far too money orientated.  Doctors and nurses are not poorly paid, maybe they could earn more outside the NHS but they could never get the benefits like the pension they receive in the private sector.

[Coffey]

Read this yesterday, absolutely shocking.

and then, on 04 July 2012 - 08:12 AM, said:

I worked in healthcare as a MRI technologist for 10 years.  People who work in the field who are just there for the money are abhorrent to those who care about people.  I can only imagine how much worse it might be if the nurses and even doctors are only there because they can't find other or more profitable work.  Healthcare isn't about being a Saint but I don't think it can properly be done without a measure of compassion and empathy.  I see an NHS style future for the US with the ACA and I'm not happy about it.  When will people learn that you simply cannot get "something" for "nothing"?  I don't mean to impugn the British system or imply that not enough is paid by the citizens but obviously something is wrong and I think it goes to accountability and plain old lack of empathy by providers due to being overworked by an under funded system.

Well the taxes people pay cover the NHS. it's not really "free", it's paid for by the Goverment, from out taxes. Like the Police etc. I get your point though, the US seems to be better with healthcare.

Edited by Coffey, 04 July 2012 - 09:42 AM.

[hooko22]

skookum, on 04 July 2012 - 07:51 AM, said:

I have posted this heartbreaking story as it hit home with me with some experiences I have had in the past.  It defies belief this young man dialled 999 in desperation to try to save his own life.  I am glad the coroner has referred the case to the police.

http://www.dailymail...o=feeds-newsxml

Although not nearly as serious I have experienced poor nursing in hospital after an operation.  After having my foot re-constructed in a 6 hour operation I started to feel severe unbearable pain.  I begged the nurses for help but they continued to tell me to use my Morphine drip.  My wife arrived at 6 o'clock and begged the nurses who refused to leave their desk station.  On the nursing shift change over the new nurses said it was too late to call a ward doctor.  I got to 3 am sobbing in unbearable pain, I called for a nurse again as was told to "shut up I was waking up the ward".  The next day my wife went and found a doctor personally who immediately rushed me back to theatre.  My leg had swelled in the cast and cut off my circulation.  I know have permanent nerve damage and limited movement.

What amazes me if you ever talk about poor nurses most people just react with this blind allegiance and bleet on about what wonderful people they are. I must admit most are very good but like any profession there are a few that let the side down.

Ok what's the deal with those nurses man. That really must have sucked. I take it your morphine button didn't work at all?

Anyway I hope you managed to get some justice out of it all, especially if you suffered some lasting damage!!

[ThePhantomFlanFlinger]

I cant say nothing...they were great with me after my 'accident'...

[skookum]

hooko22, on 04 July 2012 - 10:29 AM, said:

Ok what's the deal with those nurses man. That really must have sucked. I take it your morphine button didn't work at all?

Anyway I hope you managed to get some justice out of it all, especially if you suffered some lasting damage!!

No I never took any action.  The way I figure it I would have to sue the NHS, what is that going to do other than leave less money to treat others.  One thing is for sure it wouldn't have come out of the their wages or pensions.  Anyway I am being compensated by the drivers insurance company who ran me over and destroyed my foot.

[Coffey]

BrianPotter, on 04 July 2012 - 11:00 AM, said:

I cant say nothing...they were great with me after my 'accident'...

That's the thing, there are some really honest, caring and good doctors and nurses out there. but the problem is the ones who jsut don't care at all.

The ones who care and work their rear ends off deserve respect and a pay rise, but the ones who are useless and neglect patients are the ones who let the good ones down. They let the good staff down, the patients down and  make people lose faith in humanity as well. It's disgusting how selfish these people are.

I'm all for the hard working nurses getting pay rises. Just a shame they can't be monitored better so only the good ones recieve better pay etc.

[ThePhantomFlanFlinger]

Coffey, on 04 July 2012 - 03:51 PM, said:

That's the thing, there are some really honest, caring and good doctors and nurses out there. but the problem is the ones who jsut don't care at all.

The ones who care and work their rear ends off deserve respect and a pay rise, but the ones who are useless and neglect patients are the ones who let the good ones down. They let the good staff down, the patients down and  make people lose faith in humanity as well. It's disgusting how selfish these people are.

I'm all for the hard working nurses getting pay rises. Just a shame they can't be monitored better so only the good ones recieve better pay etc.

I cant complain mate really...i ended up losing a leg due to some nice guy wielding an AK47 but i would have lost more without them...the treatment i recieved was spot on..

[Ryu]

hooko22, on 04 July 2012 - 10:29 AM, said:

I take it your morphine button didn't work at all?

To me that comment sounded rather..heartless and dismissive. The morphine was obviously not helping and in his case it wouldn't have alleviated the swelling.

Quote

No I never took any action.

Hmmm...maybe not legal action because it would be an expensive and drawn out ordeal but the people in charge need to be told that you were treated in a dismissive manner. How hard would it have been for a skilled nurse to come in and assess the situation and if need be, call in a specialist..anyone.

At any rate I am so sorry you had to suffer and none of it was necessary at all.

As for the young man..I find it inconceivable that this poor boy was so poorly taken care of. He is a human being, not some sack of lumpy potatoes and how the staff could have treated him so harshly and not even consider his delirium as a symptom of severe dehydration simply speaks of a total lack of medical training.

It makes me sick..not even an animal would be treated like this so why a human?

[Coffey]

BrianPotter, on 04 July 2012 - 04:01 PM, said:

I cant complain mate really...i ended up losing a leg due to some nice guy wielding an AK47 but i would have lost more without them...the treatment i recieved was spot on..

Are/Was you in the forces? That's harsh man, but glad it wasn't worse.

[ThePhantomFlanFlinger]

Coffey, on 04 July 2012 - 05:27 PM, said:

Are/Was you in the forces? That's harsh man, but glad it wasn't worse.

Aye i was mate.....lifes a b**** and then we die...but people are worse off than me..

Edited by BrianPotter, 04 July 2012 - 05:49 PM.

[itsnotoutthere]

I don't just say this to be controversial but I had a stay in the hospital a few years back & couldn't help but notice that a few of the staff could bearing speak or understand english. The ward I was in had mostly elderly patients, & the woman bringing the food tray around (from somewhere in the African continent i would guess) would shuffle along mumble something incoherent at the bottom of the bed, wait for approximately 2 seconds & then shuffle onto the next bed before you had a chance to decide, & bearing in mind most patients were partly deaf. I regularly saw the guy opposite ignored (i think he had dementia) for an hour or so after he had dropped his food all over his lap. So this story doesn't surprise me.
p.s. Has anybody else noticed how often peoples faces are 'fuzzed out' on the program  '24 HOURS IN A & E' , I wonder why?

Edited by itsnotoutthere, 04 July 2012 - 07:27 PM.

[Junior Chubb]

skookum, on 04 July 2012 - 01:27 PM, said:

The way I figure it I would have to sue the NHS, what is that going to do other than leave less money to treat others.

I have considered this before, very noble and it is a line of action (I would like to think) I would take myself. Is it right though?

Does it let standards slip even further?
Does it have a direct effect on NHS funding or is it covered elsewhere?

[Junior Chubb]

itsnotoutthere, on 04 July 2012 - 06:35 PM, said:

I don't just say this to be controversial but I had a stay in the hospital a few years back & couldn't help but notice that a few of the staff could bearing speak or understand english. The ward I was in had mostly elderly patients, & the woman bringing the food tray around (from somewhere in the African continent i would guess) would shuffle along mumble something incoherent at the bottom of the bed, wait for approximately 2 seconds & then shuffle onto the next bed before you had a chance to decide, & bearing in mind most patients were partly deaf.

I think this could be down to the wages and quality of the work. I think the 'English speaking' nurses may start in the NHS but end up at Bupa, leaving the 'Non English speaking' to take the lower paid NHS jobs.

This is a stab in the dark at explaining it (I am sure there are many more factors involved), could be on the right track though. I think you would need someone with more experience in both area's (NHS and Private health care) to confirm this.