"Disappointed and disillusioned"

I would like to make a number of complaints about my experience as an outpatient and patient at the KEMH in Subiaco, Perth.

My first complaint comes from being an outpatient at the East Wing Clinic as part of the Gold Team. I had appointments with three or four different obstetricians and doctors but all gave me the same advice, which was to have an early induction of labour at 39 weeks. I asked specifically about my chances of needing an emergency c-section and they all said my chances were low. I was actively considering an elective c-section but they said I had good chances of having a successful induction and delivering vaginally. This advice strongly influenced my decision to have an induction. I feel I was mislead because I did end up needing a c-section after an over 50 hour period of labour. 

A midwife convinced me to have a balloon catheter even though my stated preference was gel. I believe this was because they wanted to show a student midwife the process of inserting a balloon catheter, not because it was necessarily the best choice for me. The student midwife said that they've never seen this procedure so they're going to watch while it's inserted into me. This left me feeling like an experiment for the benefit of the student midwife. The balloon catheter was extremely painful, particularly when I used the toilet. Pain relief was not offered to me and when I mentioned my pain the midwives said that it's meant to hurt, if it doesn't then it's not working. I found this response quite cold and uncaring. 

Another complaint is that the process of artificially rupturing membranes was not explained to me in sufficient detail. I was told a small hook resembling a crochet would be used during a vaginal examination to break my waters. This was described as a delicate and quick process which would be over in a few minutes. What occurred on the night of my induction was vastly different. The doctor who performed the procedure put my legs in stirrups and I felt they violently and brutally assaulted my vagina with both their full hands for an extended period of time. This was so painful that my legs were shaking and I had to use gas to mentally escape. The doctor had both hands inside me and before the procedure had described the process as "uncomfortable". Well it wasn't uncomfortable, it was extremely painful and I felt violated and I felt abused. 

My third complaint is that a midwife told me I was fully dilated after performing a vaginal exam and instructed me to begin pushing. After close to an hour of pushing a senior staff member and doctor came into the room and performed another vaginal exam. They then told me that I was not fully dilated and that my pushing had damaged my cervix and put my baby in distress, seriously compromising my ability to deliver vaginally. The doctor recommended a c-section but because I was so upset, gave me the option of continuing with labour. I found this quite devastating as by this time I had been in hospital for over 50 hours and felt like this stumble at the finishing line was essentially due to the midwife's error of judgement and incorrect assessment of my cervix.

My next complaint is that while in the operating theatre, the staff created a party-like atmosphere with music of their own choosing. I was trying my best not to burst into tears and they were happily chatting, completely oblivious to my emotional distress.

My final complaint is that I requested a senior doctor to provide a debrief summary of my experience to explain what happened and why the outcome was so vastly different to what had been suggested and recommended by the doctors and obstetricians on the Gold Team. No doctor came to see me in the 3 nights I spent at hospital and there was no opportunity for me to raise these questions with a doctor before I was discharged.

I was also sent home with inadequate pain relief. After a 50 hour plus labour and c-section they think panadol will be enough. What a joke. 

I am left disappointed and disempowered after my last baby's arrival. I will never see KEMH in the same way again and this experience has left me so upset, sad and angry with basically every staff member I came into contact with. I know a response from the hospital will be "we take this seriously" but I feel that is not true. Nothing will change and I believe I will continue to be treated this way.