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Care Opinion

Uncaring Nurse

Posted By Star2

"Uncaring Nurse"

About: Newman Hospital / Emergency Department

(as a parent/guardian),

So upset. Was in hospital with my child and wanting to know updates on what’s going on. Would like some simple reassurance. I felt ED nurse so uncaring and then I hear them shooting their mouth off to others telling them they were going to write in the notes about how rude someone else is and how rude I am. 

So what? Anyone who is worried gets a horrible threat that they get written up as rude and then they tell everyone, I believe to embarrass them. Got round the corner and this angel male nurse just reassured me I was ok and made me a cup of tea. He then took the time to tell me what was going on and let me ask questions till I understood.

He started to annoy me because I wanted him to make the other nurse accountable and then he just focused on me and making sure I was ok. I was ok with that. He wanted  to make sure I was ok and focusing on my health. So he was good really as he distracted me and was professional even though he worked with that very unkind and rude nurse.

But afterwards I feel upset that a nurse has to be so mean and then accuses me of being rude when I was just worried. Thank God for the good nurse because he made up for the horrible experience. I believe the other patient probably won’t even complain because they don’t have a phone and I didn’t know you could complain here until someone told me so it’s out there. I’m glad it’s anonymous because who knows what the mean ones would write in your notes. It’s not right. It needs to be safe especially when you’re worried. 

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Responses

Response from Sarah Hennings, Operations Manager, Inland Pilbara, WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Pilbara 4 months ago
Sarah Hennings
Operations Manager, Inland Pilbara,
WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Pilbara

Manages the operations of health services located in Inland Pilbara

Submitted on 29/08/2024 at 9:02 PM
Published on Care Opinion on 2/09/2024 at 10:26 AM

Dear Star2,

I sincerely apologise for the experience you had during your visit to Newman Health Service. It is important to us that every patient and their family feels supported and cared for, and I am truly sorry this was not the case for you. I encourage you to call me on 0499 525 088, as I would appreciate the opportunity to hear from you directly, I am unsure as to whether you attended the hospital for yourself or your child and would like to ensure that the appropriate care was received and to discuss any further concerns you may have.

I am sorry to hear that you were worried as you felt you were not getting updates, we certainly encourage staff to keep patients, and their family, informed of their care and processes. If you are ever in a hospital and concerned for the care of a patient or loved one, please know that you can escalate to senior staff in the area, and if you still feel unheard you can use the Aishwarya Care Call to contact a senior member of staff to assist you. In the Pilbara, this number is 1800 143 431.

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I can appreciate how hearing that a person’s behaviour may be noted may cause them to feel worried, or embarrassed, as you have described. While it may be necessary to record instances of abusive behaviour for the safety of both patients and staff, I want to reassure you that the nursing staff understand that patients and families may be under considerable stress and pain when they attend the Emergency Department, and heightened emotional responses are managed with care, compassion and are not recorded unless clinically relevant. I apologise that your experience made you feel otherwise.

We share all feedback with the nursing staff; in this case, the Clinical Nurse Manager of the Emergency Department has used your story to reinforce with them the importance of effective and thoughtful communication to support patients and their families to feel heard, and safe, while they access healthcare. It is heartening also to know that in sharing the feedback with all staff as a learning opportunity, we have shared your kind recognition to the nurse who provided you support.

Your feedback, and that of all other patients or community members who access services at Newman Hospital, is welcomed and valued as it helps to improve our services. In order to make sure that people of all backgrounds can provide feedback we provide paper feedback forms, and staff are always willing to support scribing for those who prefer providing verbal feedback.

Thank you for bringing this to my attention, please do not hesitate to give me a call.

Regards,

Sarah Hennings

Operational Manager Inland Pilbara - WACHS

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