"What is going on and who is listening"

I am a Snr Healthcare worker in Anaesthetics, Trauma and Cardiac science with 40 years experience. Just recently my parent in law was found unconscious and severely dehydrated on their floor with pressure areas on areas of their body indicating an extensive period of immobility. On arrival at Geraldton Regional Hospital my parent in law was taken to Trauma where they lay unresponsive for an unreasonable period before a medical assessment.

On arrival it was documented that they were responsive and had tripped, I believe this was a miscommunication. As we were at the bedside I performed a mental GCS and at best I felt it was 5. I am clinically certain my parent in law had a syncopal event and/or associated orthostatic hypotension, and due to no evidence of trauma to their hands knees elbows or extremities, other than a haematoma to their head, the likely precipitating cause to the loss of consciousness is a hypotensive response to toileting with or without Af as they were exiting the bathroom.

I feel it was only with significant prompting did we get any action, my parent potentially could have expired in the trauma bay while the attending nurse watched. I had to prompt for an IV to be inserted and fluid resuscitation to take place.  I looked in disbelief at what I felt was the incompetence, negligence and both clinical and administrative mismanagement transpiring around me where comments of understaffing and my parent in law’s veins look difficult has no place in that room, first principle you triage appropriately. IV access on arrival or by the Ambo first principles, I guarantee I could have put a 14 gauge in by feel and they were pranging 20s with a ultrasound. We were then questioned by multiple Doctors with seemingly various skill sets and levels of english regarding the events surrounding my parent in law’s admission, to which I felt it was obvious there was questionable assumptions being formulated. As it stands my parent in law was admitted under the medical team and investigations surrounding their back pain and other co-morbidities took place. However even after multiple requests they failed to investigate or action the actual cause of the fall and or the associated mental health deterioration.

It has now transitioned to discharge where false or misleading information was communicated to the out of hospital transition team and the family, which indicated my parent in law was fit for selfcare and would be discharged on a certain day after we had already indicated we would not be available until the following week due to commitments. On the following week the transition team was actively involved at which point the case manager indicated my parent in law is not fit for self care and would need to be placed in our care for the transition period.

On receiving my parent in law into our care at home it is now apparent they are highcare with an IDC and uncontrolled diabetes, pressure sores, faecal incontinence and limited mobility my parent in law is unable to dress toilet or shower without assistance and is belligerent to request. My parent in law has severe chronic pain likely from PMR statin effects and drug dependence with associated mental health issues including PTSD... they require round the clock care as they are non compliant and has indications of memory loss and will self/over medicate if allowed.

From a very experienced view point I feel this was a catastrophe from start to finish and a case of outsourcing care to the family with no concern for the welfare of the patient or the family or providing adequate tools to facilitate that care.

I can not tell you how traumatic this has been for all involved including the transition team. My personal opinion of WACHS will remain my own due in part to I wish not to offend the good work of staff who strive and complain but I believe are silenced and not to be heard.

I am sorry for the staff doing their best but with no guidance and I feel sorry for everyone who I feel is picking up the pieces.