HeatherB Well guys, heres a thing. My old lady next door phoned me at about 6pm in some distress, she has heart failure (but has never been told so ) with grossly swollen feet and legs. In the last two weeks she has developed abdominal swelling and has become breathless. It doesn't require a medical degree (sorry, as an old but very experienced nurse I couldn't resist saying that!) to work out that her condition is deteriorating. GP called at my request a week ago and was about as much use as a chocolate fireguard. OK - she is in her 95th year and this is a chronic condition and will get worse. He didn't alter her meds but suggested a 'scan' which may take place in two or three weeks, according to him. Today at 5pm I found her struggling to breathe. She had been trying to get up from her bed, where she had gone for an after dinner nap. I stayed with her until she was more settled and one hour later she phoned me, saying that she had been trying to walk from her bedroom to the kitchen, and couldn't get her breath. She had pain in her head and chest and her arms were shaking. I phoned NHS 24, out of hours service, because it is the weekend. Ambulance arrived, and paramedics decided she should go to A and E. Just getting her from the bed to the ambulance chair provoked a dreadful spell of breathlessness. We duly went off in the ambulance up to Emergency Department. Over an hour later she had not been seen by a doctor. OK, there were probably more urgent cases. Eventually a nurse appeared and told her that it would be at least two more hours, maybe three before she would be seen as they were very busy. Well, OK, I can accept that. (Just) Then I was told that they would most probably send her home again because this wasn't really an A and E matter. (!) You will just have to take her home, the nurse said. I informed said nurse that I am not a driver - never have been. OH well, we will have to send her home in a taxi! All this said in front of the patient who was already distressed. Poor old lady (in her 95th year) asked if she could go home in an ambulance. Sorry, was the reply, ambulances are a one way thing and there are no hospital transport cars at the weekend. I have come home (in a taxi!) and have instructed them to phone me when they have made a decision re her care. This lady has no relatives in this town, no care in place, is obviously unwell (wait till they try and get her to get in a taxi, then they will see how breathless she is) I decided to come home just to see if it would put a little more pressure on them to admit her - even if it is to out local community hospital. I feel as if I am manipulating them, but just what do you have to do to get care for people? This lady will be most probably sent home in the middle of the night to try and manage on her own. I wonder how long it will take to get adequate care package in place? I am going away to Denmark on Wednesday. What is going to happen? Watch this space. Sorry for the rant. I am sure that one of you who is calmer than I am at the moment will be able to tell me what I could have done better but right now, I am furious and rather ashamed of my profession.
Well guys, heres a thing. My old lady next door phoned me at about 6pm in some distress, she has heart failure (but has never been told so ) with grossly swollen feet and legs. In the last two weeks she has developed abdominal swelling and has become breathless. It doesn't require a medical degree (sorry, as an old but very experienced nurse I couldn't resist saying that!) to work out that her condition is deteriorating. GP called at my request a week ago and was about as much use as a chocolate fireguard. OK - she is in her 95th year and this is a chronic condition and will get worse. He didn't alter her meds but suggested a 'scan' which may take place in two or three weeks, according to him. Today at 5pm I found her struggling to breathe. She had been trying to get up from her bed, where she had gone for an after dinner nap. I stayed with her until she was more settled and one hour later she phoned me, saying that she had been trying to walk from her bedroom to the kitchen, and couldn't get her breath. She had pain in her head and chest and her arms were shaking. I phoned NHS 24, out of hours service, because it is the weekend. Ambulance arrived, and paramedics decided she should go to A and E. Just getting her from the bed to the ambulance chair provoked a dreadful spell of breathlessness. We duly went off in the ambulance up to Emergency Department. Over an hour later she had not been seen by a doctor. OK, there were probably more urgent cases. Eventually a nurse appeared and told her that it would be at least two more hours, maybe three before she would be seen as they were very busy. Well, OK, I can accept that. (Just) Then I was told that they would most probably send her home again because this wasn't really an A and E matter. (!) You will just have to take her home, the nurse said. I informed said nurse that I am not a driver - never have been. OH well, we will have to send her home in a taxi! All this said in front of the patient who was already distressed. Poor old lady (in her 95th year) asked if she could go home in an ambulance. Sorry, was the reply, ambulances are a one way thing and there are no hospital transport cars at the weekend. I have come home (in a taxi!) and have instructed them to phone me when they have made a decision re her care. This lady has no relatives in this town, no care in place, is obviously unwell (wait till they try and get her to get in a taxi, then they will see how breathless she is) I decided to come home just to see if it would put a little more pressure on them to admit her - even if it is to out local community hospital. I feel as if I am manipulating them, but just what do you have to do to get care for people? This lady will be most probably sent home in the middle of the night to try and manage on her own. I wonder how long it will take to get adequate care package in place? I am going away to Denmark on Wednesday. What is going to happen? Watch this space. Sorry for the rant. I am sure that one of you who is calmer than I am at the moment will be able to tell me what I could have done better but right now, I am furious and rather ashamed of my profession.
Accountants of the world unite!
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