This is Care Opinion [siteRegion]. Did you want Care Opinion [usersRegionBasedOnIP]?
Care Opinion

Mistreated Patient

Posted By Mistreated80

"Mistreated Patient"

About: Nickol Bay Regional hospital

(as the patient),

Having attended the hospital to have stitches on the back of my hand after being cut, a short time later I was admitted to the Nickol Bay Regional Hospital with a blood infection requiring IV antibiotics. During the time of receiving the treatment and being admitted I attended a work function and managed to bust the stitches.

Upon admission, it was written that I was suffering from alcohol withdrawal. This was just the start. 

With a past in illicit IV drug use, I have scarred and damaged veins making it hard to insert a cannula. This was attempted multiple times proving very painful and I have been left with scarring on my veins with physically visible lumps. 

I feel the staff were not impolite, but quite the opposite. They were treating me as though I was not responsive, so therefore did not discuss anything with me. I am a smoker and I would go out the front to have a cigarette as there is no smoking in the hospital and after 4 or 5 days of treatment and sedation by medication, I was told I would be going home. At this point, the doctor, who I felt had a coy smile said, make sure that's all you are doing. I questioned what that meant? With a direct question and a half laugh - what do you think I'm going to go do drugs or something? To which the doctor replied, well yes, that is why you have been going outside so much. 

Seriously? I then read and took copies of the medical journal for this stay, which I feel has so many anomalies. The doctor took it on them-self to state I refused blood work and that I was going to use drugs out the front of the hospital regularly, amongst other things! Totally and utterly disgusting. I have never felt so angry at one staff member for making what I believe are fantasy conclusions of a patients well being. I am more than willing to send you copies of the notes taken and release papers to follow up on if you wish. 

More about:
Do you have a similar story to tell? Tell your story & make a difference ››

Responses

Response from Penny Curtis, Clinical Risk Manager, Patient Safety & Quality, WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Pilbara 6 years ago
Penny Curtis
Clinical Risk Manager, Patient Safety & Quality,
WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Pilbara

Submitted on 14/02/2018 at 10:28 AM
Published on Care Opinion at 12:09 PM

Dear Mistreated80,

Thanks very much for taking the time to post on Patient Opinion and provide feedback about your recent experience at Nickol Bay Hospital. I’m sorry to hear that you felt judged during your admission to Nickol Bay Hospital for a hand injury.

I’m writing to acknowledge your feedback and to ask if you would like to get in contact with A/Operations Manager Samantha Perkinson on (08) 9143 2441 Samantha.Perkinson@health.wa.gov.au so that we can have the Senior Medical Officer at the Hospital review your notes to be able to provide feedback to the staff involved at the time of discharge. I appreciate you have posted anonymously but would really like to take you up on your offer of getting in contact so your notes can be reviewed.

In the meantime your feedback has been forwarded on to the A/Operations Manager and the Senior Medical Officer at Nickol Bay Hospital.

Kind Regards,

Penny

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by Mistreated80 (the patient)

Penny,

Thank you for your time to reply and for acknowledging that my situation is and was confronting. I will accept your offer and I will proceed ahead with contacting Samantha to discuss the matter.

Unless patients like myself take the time to confront these instances, the staff and the professionalism used when dealing with each admission is compromised. Personally, I want to be able to trust the nursing and doctor staff when I am placing myself and my family in their care. Unfortunately, Nickol Bay Hospital has lost this from me and mine, and that is disappointing.

Let's hope this can be a lesson on complacency and casting aspersions for your doctors.

Kind regards

Mistreated80

Response from Penny Curtis, Clinical Risk Manager, Patient Safety & Quality, WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Pilbara 6 years ago
Penny Curtis
Clinical Risk Manager, Patient Safety & Quality,
WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Pilbara

Submitted on 15/02/2018 at 1:33 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 2:31 PM

Dear Mistreated80,

Thank you so much for replying. We would really appreciate if you could get in contact with Samantha and that way we can provide specific feedback to the Drs and Nurses involved, as well as providing you individual feedback on your medical notes.

I’m really sorry that you have lost trust with the service provided at Nickol Bay Hospital. Thanks for being honest though, this does give us the opportunity to improve. It is so important that members of the public feel comfortable to come in and receive treatment when needed. Thanks again for speaking up, I appreciate you are busy with work and have taken time out to respond.

Kind regards,

Penny

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Response from Penny Curtis, Clinical Risk Manager, Patient Safety & Quality, WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Pilbara 6 years ago
Penny Curtis
Clinical Risk Manager, Patient Safety & Quality,
WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Pilbara

Submitted on 28/02/2018 at 4:14 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 4:40 PM

Dear Mistreated80,

I wanted to get in contact to let you know of the actions we have undertaken in relation to your feedback. The Operations Manager at Nickol Bay Hospital had senior staff speak to newer staff at handover about the importance of not judging patients and the importance of listening to what a patient is saying and documenting accurately.

If you still did want to get in touch, Matthew Ravenscroft the Operations Manager at Nickol Bay Hospital is back from leave and his contact details are Matthew.Ravenscroft@health.wa.gov.au or by phone (08) 9143 2441. I appreciate you are busy. The reason we do like to hear from consumers is it allows us to give feedback to the specific staff members involved but I completely respect if you wish to remain anonymous.

Kind regards

Penny

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Opinions
Next Response j
Previous Response k