I presented to the Emergency Department of Bankstown Hospital with an allergic reaction.
I was given a red banded ID bracelet to indicate allergy.
I was placed in the room with the armchairs where medication is administered to those who don't need a bed. Here, a nurse collected my bloods for testing.
About 5 - 10 minutes later, a doctor approached me with a kidney tray full of phlebotomy paraphernalia (collection tubes, needles etc) and a bag to hang on a drip.
I informed this doctor politely that I had just had my blood collected by a nurse. This doctor clearly did not believe me, they queried it. When it was obvious I had some idea of pathology, I believe this doctor then decided to outright lie to me and say that the bloods had haemolysed. I'm guessing that the samples wouldn't have even reached the lab, and even if they had, they take 5 minutes to spin down in a centrifuge.
They started to set up the drip bag when the nurse that collected my bloods approached the doctor and asked what they were doing and proceeded to inform this doctor that they had just collected my blood not long ago.
It is only at this point, that the doctor thought to check my identification band. The look that ran across their face clearly said, Oh $**t!
They quickly packed up the stuff, and proceeded to the patient beside me. As someone who has worked in blood bank, I am beyond horrified that such a basic and necessary procedure was not performed before administering anything, this after a genuine query from a patient. For all that doctor knew, I might have had a severe allergic reaction to whatever was in that bag they were going to hang up, not to mention other possible complications.
I believe Bankstown Hospital has had it's share of failures publicised. This is one that just barely missed being reported. How many other near misses have happened that were never documented?
"Not following basic procedures"
About: Bankstown Lidcombe Hospital / Accident & emergency Bankstown Lidcombe Hospital Accident & emergency Bankstown 2200
Posted by undecidedcrafter (as ),
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