"Treatment and communication about my elderly parent"

Lack of communication about my elderly parent's care and treatment plan during their admission. During their 5 week admission they were treated for leg pain and found to have a fractured shoulder from a fall at home. They had an IDC inserted and given oxygen. We decided on direct placement to an aged care facility. We requested an ACAS assessment to start looking for facilities. Instead my parent was assessed and listed for transfer to a public rehab bed. We were then informed we would be charged hundreds of dollars per day for their stay in hospital while waiting for either a rehab bed or aged care bed. Reason given was my parent had no medical reason to remain in an acute hospital bed therefore DVA would not pay their hospital fees.

We couldn't proceed with placement until we had the ACAS assessment we had requested. Finally this occurred and we were ready to have my parent transferred to an aged care facility. We are then told they were being transferred to another private hospital for further tests not available at Freemasons. My parent tells us they had an injection that didn't relieve their pain. They also have no idea what the injection was nor do we.

At Epworth Richmond we are informed my parent was transferred for the convenience of the doctor taking over their care. All tests performed at Richmond were repeats I believe, of tests already done at Freemasons. I also believe no new different types of scans had been done. The only way we got any information was via nursing staff. Even then I had to request the information and until I told the staff I am a registered nurse working in a major public health service was I given any reasonable information.

My parent has also been given an injection that neither I nor they know what was administered and the purpose for it being given. My sibling who has MPOA and was listed as NOK was given minimal information. Hence their stressed calls to me asking me to follow up on our family's behalf. We felt completely in the dark about parent's care resulting in a mix of frustration; anger and disappointment.

Working in the public health service, I personally experienced the huge deficits in communication between the hospital treating team and family in the private sector, as opposed to the complete opposite in the public sector, in my opinion. Open disclosure and informed consent is gold standards in public health. After this experience I more proud than ever that I work in the public sector.