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Care Opinion

Prescription for HG

Posted By yellowgn73

"Prescription for HG"

About: King Edward Memorial Hospital / Emergency Department

(as the patient),

I believe I just had the absolute rudest experience in ED at KEMH. I’ve been experiencing NVG since week 4 of my pregnancy (at the time of writing, I'm several weeks past that). I have had to drop down to part time work because I can no longer manage full-time work. I haven’t been able to socialise or exercise because I’ve been so sick. Most of my days are spent in bed and it’s definitely significantly impacting my mood. 

I’ve just been able to start odanestron (clinical guidelines state safe after around week 10), and it’s really been helping me be able to live a fuller life. Unfortunately at community pharmacies they only give 10 at a time so I’m done within about 5 days. The KEMH pharmacy is able to dispense 60 at a time though so I went to ED to get a script (the pharmacy only accepts scripts from KEMH)  so I’m able to access medication continuously with having weekly GP appointments. 

I was at triage and a nurse asked me what I was there for, I said a script. I felt they were so rude and said condescendingly, you came to ED for a script? You know you’re at an ED? The nurse didn’t ask any questions about why I was there or what the script was for (even though I was holding a vomit bag). I started crying because I’m trying to manage my health in the best way possible without needing an admission for IV. The nurse really did not need to treat me like I was an idiot - I feel some clinical empathy really needs to be taught around NVP/HG and the impact it has on someone’s life. Just because I look physically well doesn’t mean I’m not suffering. 
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Responses

Response from Delaney Gibbons, Director, Safety Quality and Performance, Safety, Quality and Performance, Women and Newborn Health Service 10 months ago
Delaney Gibbons
Director, Safety Quality and Performance, Safety, Quality and Performance,
Women and Newborn Health Service

Submitted on 14/06/2023 at 5:02 PM
Published on Care Opinion on 15/06/2023 at 9:04 AM

picture of Delaney Gibbons

Dear yellowgn73

I am so very sorry to hear about your experience attending our Emergency Centre and would like to thank you for reaching out to share your story. I would like to acknowledge how debilitating hyperemesis during pregnancy and your experience at the Emergency Centre would have further added to your distress. The Clinical Nurse Midwife Manager in EC has shared your story with the entire Emergency Centre triage team as a reminder of the importance of communicating with all patients in line with the WNHS values of care and respect. I am so sorry that this was not your experience, and I thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention.

I am advised that the Emergency Centre is unable to issue prescriptions without the patient being triaged and undergoing a full assessment. This is because the issuing of a prescription is a medical decision based on an assessment and treatment plan. I am sorry if this was not explained to you in a more compassionate way. I have been advised by my Pharmacy colleagues here at KEMH that GPs do have the capacity to prescribe quantities greater than 10, should they see this as clinically appropriate. I am so sorry that you were not informed of this prior to presenting to the EC.

We are currently working on a Clinical Service Improvement project on the Management of Hyperemesis Gravidarum in collaboration with the Dietetics department in order to improve service provision for our antenatal patients. If and when you’re feeling up to it, we would be happy to share more details about the project with you. Our Consumer Liaison Service can be contacted on 6458 1444 or by email at wnhscls@health.wa.gov.au who can put you in touch with the project lead.

Once again, I am so sorry to hear about your experience in our EC and I am wishing you the best for the remainder of your pregnancy.

Kind regards

Delaney

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