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A close family friend of ours was admitted to Box Hill Emergency Dept recently. They were elderly and I believe wasn't expected to survive so their spouse was allowed to visit. My parent is their Next of Kin and drove their spouse to the hospital but obviously wasn't allowed in.
The patient's spouse is also elderly and doesn't hear very well and struggles to use their mobile phone. Meanwhile, my parent was at home, concerned about them and wishing they could be there to support the spouse, and a lovely nurse took the time to call my parent and let them know that she was looking after both the patient and their spouse. Such a lovely gesture and such a difference.
When the patient's spouse was leaving the hospital, a lovely security guard helped them call my parent to be picked up.
These little things make such a difference at such a stressful time, made all the more difficult by the pandemic. Thank you, I wish I knew your names!
Our friend is still in hospital in a ward now and their spouse really struggled to understand a nurse over the phone the following day and I believe the nurse wouldn't speak to a friend to get the message across and wasn't very helpful, all leading to so much distress. However, the second time the spouse called, a different nurse was lovely and spoke slowly and clearly so they could understand.
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