"Doctor's bedside manner"

Recently, I took my unwell parent to the Emergency Department at Swan Hill District Health.

They were triaged in a timely manner by a nurse and was allocated to a bed to wait for the doctor.

This feedback is to bring some attention to what I believe are the treating doctor’s very rude bedside manners.

The doctor came into the room and asked what was happening and why have we come into ED. I then explained my parent’s condition and symptoms on what made me bring them in and gave the doctor a brief on their recent visits there and suggested if my parent could go on high flow oxygen to see if their symptoms improve, because from experience their current symptoms at the time were showing signs that their Co2 was high, and the high flow has helped my parent in the past.

After explaining everything, I recall the doctor’s response/comments to treating my parent felt very abrupt and dismissive. It seemed they didn’t want to put my parent on the high flow and made a comment I believe was something along the lines of 'why would we do that when they’ll just be back in here'. I was very taken back by this comment and disappointed that a health professional that is there to care and help people had just made such a comment.

My parent is at end of care with their COPD. Their last visit to ED resulted in an admission to the ward and having those very tough conversations around their health declining and not knowing how much longer we may have with them. This admission also resulted in a referral to Palliative Care.

We are aware of the position my parent is in with their condition and well aware that they cannot be fixed. But as discussed with the NUM and Doctor at their previous ED visit, my parent is now at a stage of symptom management and treating them in any way to make them feel better/comfortable. Which is exactly why we presented to ED that day and to feel like the doctor had no initial intention on helping my parent was very upsetting and made me emotional that I felt like I had to fight for their treatment.

I do want to express a huge thanks and appreciation to the nurses & admin staff and other doctors that we have dealt with each time we have visited ED, you all have made us feel comfortable and treated my parent with kindness. Especially the nurse who was in the room with me at the time of the discussion with the treating doctor and I thank them for interrupting and making a comment about treating my parent and making them feel better for their birthday which was that day.

After pleading the doctor treat my parent with high flow oxygen and along with the nurse’s comment, the doctor agreed to start them on the high flow oxygen.

I stayed with them the whole time we was in ED and over time being on the high flow my parent started to feel better. They were able to have something to eat and drink before we left ED. They even walked out of ED after being wheeled in on a wheelchair.

The doctor came in before we left ED to check on my parent and see how they were feeling. They allowed my parent to stay on the high flow oxygen for long as they needed to and to let the doctor know when they felt ok to leave ED. Before leaving the doctor made a comment about if my parent needed to come back then they can.

I’m not sure what happened between that initial conversation and those comments before we left but both my parent and I felt better leaving and by the doctor just saying that one comment about coming back if they needed made me feel a little ease and I am grateful that the doctor’s attitude changed.

But unfortunately, I’ve now dealt with this doctor on a few occasions in ED and have now developed a feeling of anxiety every time I see the doctor knowing I need to prepare myself to deal with what I feel are their rude bedside manners.

Based on my experience, I hope this doctor can be made aware of their actions/comments and how I believe it can affect their patient/s and their families, and the doctor makes the effort to improve on their bedside manners.

I wish I had brought this issue to light sooner because I recall it’s now happened to many times and I hope no other families have been in similar position but hopefully by bringing this to attention now, no other families or my family will be put in similar position.

I would like to discuss this feedback further and give more detail on the doctor’s name and the lovely nurse that was also involved.