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Care Opinion

Ward experience

Posted By CF Fridges

"Ward experience"

About: Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital / Respiratory Medicine G54

(as the patient),

I was admitted to hospital for a total of 5 weeks for severe shingles. I also have cystic fibrosis. Unfortunately, there were a few issues during my admission, particularly with medications.

Nearly every time I received medications, particularly in the morning when I received my main lot, I believe there were drug errors with dosing. This was particularly concerning as I was rather out of it due to heavy pain relief.

As I understand it, drugs given incorrectly. I recall a friend picked up that a nurse broke in half a slow release PPI. RN replied when advised that this is ok. Friend argued. RN did not appear to know that there was a special coating and not to be broken.

Ketamine pump ran out and took 3 hours to put in new dose! Bell not answered for over an hour! I was in extreme pain. Friend turned up and finally got a nurse.

Nurse was trying to talk to me whilst having a shower. Friend interjected and said this was not appropriate. I am also hard of hearing. Topic was non-urgent.

I hadn’t eaten for 4 days as I was so out of it on pain relief and severe dystonia. I believe I ended up starving and undernourished. It was only that a friend came in and helped as had dystonia shakes and unable to feed myself.

I had not had a shower for 6 days as I was too weak and in pain to do this myself. I asked once for assistance but nurse too busy. Most of the time I was out of it. A friend was appalled and got their relative to come in and shower me & wash my hair. Also, it seemed my bed hadn’t been changed in 7 days and friend’s relative went and had staff do this immediately.

Obviously it’s difficult on the wards as they are short staffed and new graduates. I believe that grad nurses need more supervision with oral medications. Why do they not have them checked when they are starting out? Even just with another grad nurse? Again I know there are staff shortages but seriously, in my opinion the number of drug errors with oral medications I felt was just dangerous and unacceptable! I believe if I wasn’t in touch with my medications (having CF) I wouldn’t be aware. What if I was a vulnerable patient?

Why couldn’t there be more AINs or ENs to assist nurses with general duties such as showering, meals, bed changes etc etc.

I was hesitant to write this review but medications are serious and could be life threatening. Based on my experience, I feel it’s also not fair to the Grad Nurses to be put in this situation.

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Responses

Response from George Eskander, A/Executive Director, Women and Newborn Health Service, North Metropolitan Health Service 2 years ago
George Eskander
A/Executive Director, Women and Newborn Health Service,
North Metropolitan Health Service

Submitted on 15/09/2022 at 4:31 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 4:32 PM

picture of George Eskander

Dear CF Fridges,

Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback regarding your concerns whilst a patient at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. I was so sorry to read of the difficulties you described whilst an inpatient and acknowledge the distress you must have experienced, and hope you will accept my apologies that you did not receive assistance to attend to your personal care needs during your stay. Unfortunately the health services has been impacted by the level of community illness over the last months which has decreased staffing levels and our ability to provide the high standard of care that we endeavour to achieve. With the reduction of illness in the community, we are already seeing an improvement in our staffing levels and anticipate that this will have a positive impact on our patients experience and we will be able to provide the high standard of care that our teams at SCGH are known for.

In relation to your concerns about medications, I would encourage that in future admissions, you raise these with the Clinical Nurse Specialist at the time as it is important to address these issues as soon as possible to reduce the risk of harm occurring and please don’t be reluctant to speak up as we want to work with our patients. I note your concern regarding whether Graduate Nurses should be giving medications and wish to assure you that there is a program of education which is supervised by the Staff Development Nurses to ensure that they have the appropriate skills and knowledge to safely provide medication. As a health service we take medication safety very seriously and are commencing an area wide program which is focusing on the 6 rights of medication and will include Lessons Learned from investigating incidents involving the prescribing and administration of medicines.

Once again my sincere apologies for your recent experience and I do hope that in future interactions with our health service we can provide you with the high standard of care we aim to achieve.

Warm Regards

George Eskander

A/Executive Director

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