"Nursing Care at Noosa Hospital"

I was admitted to Noosa Hospital recently for surgery and was most unimpressed with the nursing care I received.

It began when a pair of white stockings were tossed on my pre surgery bed and I was instructed to put them on. Never having done this before, by 8pm they were like a tourniquet, and fortunately when I asked for them to be removed, a nurse refitted them.

After surgery, I remained in my surgical gown until the next morning - no offer was made to change me into night attire.

I was told that I would be given a post-op wash however no-one ever came to do this. I was offered pain relief and it was an hour before a Panediene Forte was brought. I asked for something to eat and was told no, however after a visit from the Registrar, and my request for some sandwiches, they were brought.

During the night I was given two lots of antibiotics through the Canula together with a water wash. During the third treatment the nurse only injected the antibiotic and when I asked about the water wash I was told by the nurse that he had forgotten about that.

During the night, when one male patient in a nearby room pressed the buzzer for help, I heard a nurse call out to that patient in a very loud voice from the corridor asking what he wanted. I then heard the nurse say to another colleague that that patient doesn't know what he wants.

I thought the staff were excellent at taking blood pressure ALL night even though mine had been perfect from early afternoon. I can understand that this is required however..

I also thought the surgery nurses, including the anaesthetist’s assistant and the nurses in Recovery were excellent but the care I received from the remainder of the nursing staff, in my opinion was appalling.