"Elderly ill patient being ignored by staff"

An elderly patient was in hospital, and was having difficulty breathing. Their oxygen levels were monitored intermittently when a nurse checked them (not ongoing monitoring). I was visiting the patient who said their breathing had become much more difficult.

Two nurses were outside the patient's door studying patient files on a trolley. I asked them for some help and explained the situation. They said they were doing a shift handover and would be there in 15 minutes (!) I felt this was totally inadequate, and felt like saying they should hold their breath for 15 minutes. After I asked a second time, one of the nurses came to the door, and while standing in the corridor, looked at the patient and said that they looked OK. The patient was propped up on pillows and looked to me as if they were in distress. I went to the nurse's station and asked for help but was directed to the patient's nurses (the ones outside their door) because all nurses were doing a shift change.

The patient's condition had worsened, because shortly after this they were put on oxygen.

I did not feel able to complain about this behaviour because I was worried that it would affect their care, and these nurses might "take it out on them" when I was not present.

I was talking to the nurse later on in their new shift (the nurse who had glanced at the patient from the corridor). I had been directed to talk to them as they were the assigned nurse for the patient.  The patient had requested that I bring in  favourite foods for the patient to eat, and I was checking that they would be allowed. While I was mid-sentence, this nurse turned away abruptly and walked in the other direction. This was not in response to any call bells, etc. and I was not saying anything rude (I said something like "can I bring some fizzy drink for them, and can I bring some homemade apple pie").

I feel that the responses in both situations were shocking and unprofessional.