"Care in the ward"

Recently I presented to Carnarvon ED with stomach and back pain, being pregnant the doctor indicated that I should have an ultrasound to confirm the pregnancy was all ok. The ED doctor said another doctor was on staff at the moment who would be able to do the scan, they tried to do the ultrasound scan and all seemed ok but I needed to stay in overnight for observation and another ultrasound in the morning so they could see the baby better.

I stayed in overnight, after a noisy night on the ward (patient in the room next to me turning up their boombox at 9pm then 7am), finally it was the morning and 10am came around. At 10am I was told the ultrasound would be at that time, and by that time I was busting to go to the toilet and was experiencing some burning. I told the nurse I couldn't hold it any longer and I went to the toilet, the doctor came soon after and when I told them I was experiencing burning they gave me antibiotics in case I had a UTI. The doctor seemed frustrated that I had gone to the bathroom, and frustrated at the nurse also. It is understandable but if they came to see me on time, then I wouldn't have had to relieve myself and I'm not going to sit in pain while waiting. The doctor told me to come back into the ward the following day to try again for the ultrasound, I was reassured my blood work was at the levels it was expected to be.

I came back to the ward, they took my bloods and I noticed on the bloods form and my imaging form that it was listed to give a copy of the results to AMS - I don't go to AMS, I go to CMC. I feel it was assumed that I went to AMS because I was Aboriginal. If I had not told the nurse to change it, my information would have went to a practice that I don't want my information going to and my normal doctor wouldn't have gotten a copy I imagine. I already told ED the first night that I go to CMC and my regular doctor's name.

After the bloods were done the following day, I asked would the doctor be coming to see me at 11am and one of the nurses said yes but hopefully sooner than that. 11am came around and there was no doctor and no update of how far away they were, 11:30am came around there was no doctor and no update. I rang the nurse bell and nobody came. By this time I was frustrated and was busting to go to the toilet once again, the same experience as the day before. I then left the ward with such a bad experience and I thought in my mind 'I hope I don't come back here anytime soon'. If they had in mind there was a slight chance I had problem with my pregnancy, shouldn't I have been treated with a bit more haste? 

I then went to ED reception to ask for the Care Call number, the receptionist called someone and asked for it and the person on the line told them they would come out to see me. I received no care call number and had to google it in the car on the way home. I told the receptionist I didn't have time to wait around and I left.

I did call Care Call that day, they informed me it wasn't a Care Call but they would put in a complaint for me and someone would call me - well at the time of writing this it's been several days and I've received no follow up call about my complaint.

Also, whilst ED was very thorough when I first presented the first day, I found the attitude I received from 'pressing the call button' more than once to be ridiculous. The nurse said 'you only need to press it once and besides those people were before you'... no hello or anything.. I thought what was the point in explaining to them that I pressed the button and my partner didn't think I pressed it properly so they pressed it again, and how were we to know that people in the waiting room were before us if they weren't in the triage and were just sitting in the waiting room? This attitude almost made me leave the hospital before I was seen. I believe a sick person doesn't want to hear attitude from someone.

As an Aboriginal person being seen at Carnarvon Hospital I am deeply disappointed in the care I received, whilst there was no life-threatening or dramatic thing that happened in relation to my care, I felt ignored, like everyone was too busy and I was running on their schedule and I'm just thankful I didn't have to stay on the ward for any longer. If I had my choice I wouldn't go back there again. Being someone in their first pregnancy you would think I would have been reassured and communicated with a bit better. If people are running late, then let me know. 

One thing I will say is I appreciated the care of the doctor in the ED when I first presented, I felt he was thorough in his work.