"Communication"

After a duration of time at Fiona Stanley SSRU, I was about to be discharged, when the Orthopaedic Surgeon decided I needed an operation to remove all metal from my Trimalleolar fracture as my ankle wasn't healing. After Surgery, I was not allowed to weight bear for two weeks. My Surgery occurred earlier this month. I was then told I still be at Fiona Stanley SRU under an Orthopaedic Bed Card. After the Operation, everyone was attentive as per usual and I certainly can no complain about the care there. 

3 days later, I was informed that that there was evidence of a Bacterial Infection, so I was placed on IV Antibiotics every 6 hours. 

3 days after that, I was informed by a CNS and Physio that I would be going to the Medi Hotel when a bed came up. They were very good at explaining about it and let me know that there would be Nurses there and some Physio, although not as much as at the SRU (understandable) and I would be able to recuperate over the two weeks until my cast came off and i could graduate to a Cam boot, whereby then I could hopefully go home. This was on a Thursday, so I could adjust and in the meantime I was still participating in whatever Physio I could. 

The next day, a Nurse came to me and asked if I was going to Fremantle. I said I wasn't and I was very confused. Nursing Coordinators asked me again and they also appeared confused. I asked them to ring Orthopaedics as I thought they had made the plan for me to be discharged to the Medi hotel. 

A Junior Doctor from the Orthopaedic Team then came to see me. By then I was in a heightened state of anxiety and asked them what was going on? Why were plans changing without them being discussed with me and then I find out second hand at the last minute?

The Junior Orthopaedic Dr told me that they had never planned to discharge me to the Medi Hotel, but they planned to discharge me to a Rehab Ward at Fremantle Hospital where I would still get the medical assistance I needed as well as physio for the two weeks until I would hopefully have a Camboot and could be more mobile at home. The SRU was for the more acute and I wasn't at that stage anymore ( which I appreciate). There had also been talk of me needing further Surgery somewhere down the line, but I would be home before then. I was, and still am, still on IV Antibiotics. 

I asked the Orthopaedic Dr when I would leave SRU and they said they needed to get Patient Transport to take me immediately, otherwise I could miss out on the bed. 

So, at about 7:30pm, I was transferred into an old ward with empty beds.

The next morning, a Nurse was asking me questions about my mobility that I thought they would have known if they had read my file. 

I then asked the Nurse what ward I was in and it turned out I was in Post Surgical?? The Nurse knew nothing about me being transferred to a Rehab Ward at Fremantle Hospital. I became emotional as I felt I had been lied to buy the Orthopaedic Team at FSH and they had just dumped me here to get me out of the way. To add further insult, apparently the Ward Coordinator here asked the Physiotherapist here to clear me for discharge home (I can't walk up stairs and live alone), which was certainly not the plan I had been told.

The Physiotherapist was good and sympathetic and said he would definitely not clear me. 

I then spoke to two Orthopaedic drs who were doing rounds and they reassured me that I would be looked after and there would be continuity of care and they did make me feel a bit better, but I have lost trust and can't believe anything because plans keep changing. Even my first day here,  I've had a Registered Nurse ask me if I'm going home today????? I am still on IV antibiotics and am waiting for Infectious Diseases to give me an update.

I can never complain about the Care I received, but the lack of Communication has caused me to feel distrustful and as if I don't matter as a Patient.