I was scheduled to have a surgery and arrived into the shortstay unit at 7.30am to be prepped. At 8am I was given 2 panadol and was told someone would see me soon. No one came back.
At about 11am I needed to use the call button for a nurse to help me to the toilet and to inform them of my exacerbating pain. 15 minutes response time, and I was given non slip socks and the way to the toilet was pointed out, but no assistance with donning the socks or visiting the toilet. No response to the pain. By around 12.30 pm no one had been to see me, and other patients had come and gone again, so we queried the situation, to be told that my surgery had been cancelled due to an emergency.
That's fair enough, but the lack of communication was stressful, the lack of contact from staff all of that morning was stressful and concerning. I was advised that the morning emergency resulted in the surgical team chossing only a few other quick surgeries for the day, but I would have to reschedule. I was asked if I have private health cover. If I did, would that have secured my surgery?
I'd travelled 800kms to have the surgery, and once cancelled was advised by PATS to go all the way back home. Being in chronic pain with a fractured vertebra is made worse by travel. Perhaps decisions like these in future could factor in a patient's locality, its far easier for a city resident to come back than it is for someone from the regions.
I have a rescheduled date for the surgery for next week and I'm fearful that the same thing might happen again.
"Short Stay Unit for Surgery"
About: Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital / Surgical Services Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital Surgical Services Nedlands 6009
Posted by april22 (as ),
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