"Great care, but some suggestions"

I recently stayed at Sydney Hospital. I was a hand and arm surgery patient.

My experience through the outpatient clinic was fine. I was an emergency referral so I added to the wait time for everyone. All I'd suggest there is perhaps explain the process of treatment at reception. The leaflet helps but I feel you should consider adding:

- there are x number of treatment bays

- if you need tests these will be done at x location, etc.  

- you'll be seen by a junior doctor and reviewed by a supervisor (that was my experience anyway, and it was fine) 

I feel senior docs need to be careful if their advice differs to what the junior has told the patient. Please don't damage our confidence or that of the junior doctors. 

Amy in the hand clinic did my splint and she was terrific. She took a few minutes to talk about my circumstances, not just my injury. It meant she was able to leave my fingers free which really helped me. That's great clinical care and my splint was super comfortable. She also gave me clear, simple care instructions and an info sheet. 

I was admitted for surgery and taken to the ward to wait. A friend rang and was told I'd been discharged from ED, but not that I was admitted. My phone was off and they were really worried about what was happening to me and where I was. I feel that communication process can be easily fixed.

My anesthetist didn't introduce themselves or even say hello. I had no idea who my surgeon was until the rounds the next morning. They were all pleasant enough, but still... 

The nursing care I received on the ward, and saw others receive, was terrific. Emily, Eddie and Sumalee are standouts. They exemplify patient-centered care being both personable and professional. I believe that with an aging population everyone in health care works in aged care. I feel all staff need to understand, embrace and be trained and supported in caring for aged and cognitively impaired patients (see below). I watched these three nurses engage respectfully, gently and proactively with a patient in the bed opposite me. I'd want them caring for my parent and that's the standard we should all expect.

Similarly, the food service staff. I have never seen anyone in a hospital (and I've been to a few) offer to adjust bed trays or help open meals and cutlery packets. The menu options were amazing and the food was great. Thank you!

My discharge experience was thorough, timely and helpful. Thanks again Emily for my meds, Eddie for my dressing, and also Kay for the coordination.

And for improvement - I feel the heads of Physio and Social Work need to make sure their staff are trained to ask meaningful questions and to listen for answers from elderly, cognitively-impaired patients. I was privy to a conversation between an elderly patient and a social worker and I was shocked at how the interaction panned out - the interaction was extremely brief and did nothing to address the concerns or feelings of the patient. What I observed does not come close to the AASW Standard. Should there be aged care specialists on staff to assist? It's everyone's job but maybe backup roles could assist the front-line staff. I feel it's a management responsibility.