"My experience as a patient"

I attended the Emergency Department with severe chest pain two weeks after having had CPR for a respiratory arrest. The evening staff were wonderful but the next day I was experiencing severe agitation post having taken off a 15mg Buprenorphine patch as my spouse and I believed that it was the main cause of having arrested and my subsequent ongoing chest pain as a result of the CPR. This had already caused distress for myself and my family as they were the ones who had to perform the CPR. I asked if I could have further diazepam to help with the agitation. The staff treated me with such disdain and refused to treat my agitation unless I spoke to a Psychiatric Liaison Nurse. I told them that I was already seeing a psychologist but they still refused. I agreed to see the PLN but was still not provided with medication to relieve the agitation. After speaking via Telehealth to the PLN I was then given diazepam 5mg. I was also provided with four tablets to take home on discharge. I still have these. 

I was so upset to be treated like that, in particular as the staff there know me as I used to work there. The only nurse to treat me with respect and support was Donna. She explained everything in detail to me regarding why I had had such an extreme response after taking the patch off. She explained that the agitation would have been a direct response. Also, she strongly encouraged me to speak to my psychologist about the whole experience. 

I am a clinical nurse and have also worked in the mental health field for ten years before coming to work in emergency as a clinical nurse. The people working in ED now know me well and are fully aware that I am not addicted to drugs, nor do I abuse prescribed medications. For this reason I was shocked, embarrassed and very upset about my treatment.

Based on my experience, I will now never go to the Narrogin hospital again.