My older child had a mountain bike accident which required them to be taken by ambulance to the emergency’s dept at Maroondah Hospital in Melbourne. They had a severe fracture of their wrist and naturally was in a great deal of pain. The entire experience was made traumatic for them due to the following:
1. My child was told by ED they would need to return to the hospital at a later date for surgery so would require a light bedside anaesthetic in order for the wrist to be straightened for a cast to be applied before going home. My child awoke yelling in pain as they were straightening their wrist. Why wasn’t the anaesthetic dose adequate to keep them asleep during this?
2. As soon as the plaster cast was applied my child was in absolute agony, more than when they fell off their bike. My child rang me so distressed saying the nurses and ED Dr wouldn’t listen to their concerns about the cast being too tight. The dr finally came back to see my child and stated what did my child want them to do as they were finishing their shift in 5 minutes!. The nurse then told my child they were panicking and did they want a valium! My child was in pain not panicking. My poor child suffered with the tight cast all night and finally it was cut the following morning. They said it was instant relief of pain once they loosened it.
3. As my child had been riding strenuously prior to the fall they were already very dehydrated. My child’s nurse gave them a small amount of water and spoke harshly to them when they asked for another. Why wouldn’t my child be allowed fluids if no surgery was happening?
4. The BP machine cuff had been placed on their upper arm for regular automatic inflating. When it inflated to take a reading it would stay inflated compressing their upper arm painfully for minutes on end. My child kept telling their nurse it was faulty and to take it off. Again ignored. They were left with blood type blister/bruising in the area.
We realise ED is a very busy area and the staff are working under difficult conditions but based on my experience I feel the need to improve in the following:
Listen to the patient concerns
Believe the patient if they say they are in pain
Involve the patient in the care
Give compassion and act kindly
Employ staff who have respect for the patient
"My child’s recent ED experience"
About: Maroondah Hospital / Emergency Department Maroondah Hospital Emergency Department Ringwood East 3135
Posted by Pain3043 (as ),
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