"Outpatient Care Royal Perth Hospital"

After being told I had cancer and was requiring surgery in a week, I was also told it was happening in Royal Perth Hospital. This made me fairly nervous because I imagined the size of the hospital would mean I am just a number needing to be dealt with.

However from the moment that I arrived in the outpatient area I was approached by a staff member and asked if I needed help. They directed me and demonstrated so much respect I started to feel less anxious.

The nurse who went through the paperwork with me, seemed to go out of her way to make me feel like an individual person, rather than a random stranger who she had to deal with. My anxiety level once again decreased as she spoke with me about the upcoming surgery from her perspective as a nurse. As I left the room she even asked me if I was hungry and went to get me a whole lunch serving, which included sandwiches, drinks, cheese and crackers. It sounds so small but it was so kind of her to take that extra step in regards to caring for my wellbeing.

Next the anaesthetist demonstrated similar attributes in the way he dealt with his perspective of my care and explained the incoming process so well. I’m now feeling so much more relaxed and at ease about the surgery.