"Postnatal Care"

Following a C-section, I was cared for at Bunbury Hospital. Unfortunately the experience was somewhat overshadowed in a poor experience and treatment from one staff member during my hospital stay, I found this midwife was abrupt, cold and uncaring in the first 24 hours of my c-section. On my first attempt at getting out of bed after major abdominal surgery I requested they support me with my log roll transfer.

The midwife did not listen to my request and instead advised me they were unable to physically assist me due to injuries preventing them from assisting. They told me I would be fine and to just swing my legs over the bed and get up. I requested support from the other Midwife on shift if they were physically unable to assist and this midwife declined advising I could do it myself. My husband, also a health professional like myself stepped in and suggested a log roll before attempting to move to a sitting position.

The midwife told me I was fine and to just swing my legs over the bed. On this attempt the pain was excruciating less than 24 hours post-surgery and I rolled back over in bed in tears while they just stood there and looked on. My husband then chose to step in and physically assist with my transfer out of bed and provide 1x1 assist support with walking and toileting while this midwife just looked on. Additionally I felt the midwife was negative in their attitude when asking for regular pain relief and blamed other staff for some mis-management or mis-communication on another occasion when awaiting pain medication to be dispensed to me while spending time in the special care nursery with my newborn baby. 

As a health professional myself working in occupational health, I was alarmed at this incident which could have been substantially worse for any other patient who did not have the support of having a partner qualified to assess and assist with my mobility post-op. Throughout my 2 days when this midwife was on the ward my husband took over the caring role in terms of my mobility. It is also concerning as to the risk imposed on patients and staff in their working while physically unable to perform the inherent requirements of their role. It worries me significantly as to how this midwife would assist in the event of a medical emergency and generally being able to provide adequate care to other women postpartum in a hospital setting. I would suspect that the midwife had not disclosed their physical restrictions to the workplace, creating, in my opinion, a health and safety issue for staff and patients. Regardless, this issue needs to be addressed immediately for the health and safety of consumers of maternity services at the hospital and I feel has potential to become a legal liability.