The Staff Nurse

FormerMember over 9 years ago

3 replies
13 subscribers
3115 views

Spotted this and felt a need to get it 'out there'

* The Staff Nurse *

Appearances can be deceptive:

What you see: A lack of staff with no one responding to your buzzer
What you don't see: A cardiac arrest happening in the next bay

What you see: Staff attending to another patient and ignoring you
What you don't see: The look of abject horror on that patient's face when they are told they have cancer and will have to face it alone.

What you see: Two nurses chatting at the nurses' station
What you don't see: The drained look on that nurses' face as she asks her colleague for advice on how to tell a relative that her mothers chemotherapy hasn't worked and there's nothing more that can be done.

What you see: The nurse is late with your medication
What you don't see: That nurse has had twelve patients to look after, one respiratory arrest, one terminally ill patient, three social service referrals, one family to care for following their relatives death and that nurse is already an hour late to go home to their family but has stayed to ensure all their patients are as comfortable as possible.

It's not the staffs' fault that the NHS have had massive cutbacks; it's not their fault that they're short staffed; it's not their fault that they only have one pair of hands; it's not their fault that nothing will ever be good enough.

Please try to see the bigger picture before you complain about their lack of attention.

Not that any here would, but it does make you think.... G n' J

Gypsy rover over 3 years ago

I was diagnosed with lymphoma in June & was moved to a hospital 22 miles from where I lived , my ward was part of the Beatson cancer hospital in Glasgow & there was 10 beds in the ward , the 14 weeks I spent in hospital all 10 rooms more or less were always full , nurses were run of their feet , you can buzz for your meds but their dealing with an emergency , you can buzz to go to the toilet , your hooked up to your chemo & short staffed , but would get to you.. your antibiotics the staff nurses make them up to give to you which take time, I don't know how to spell it but my temp spiked to 40.2 , I was freezing , I wanted more covers although the nurses were trying to get my covers of off me , I was shaking from head to my toes , 2 pethadine injections to stop me from almost shaking myself of the bed , violently sick from shaking , In the morning I felt as though I'd been hit by several buses. That night I had most of the staff looking after me cause I was so ill , never stopped them looking after all the other patients , unless you have been in hospital & seen what actually goes on in a ward , then you have no idea , every 1 of my girls/man (nurses) did a fantastic job in looking after me , apparently cause I was in denial & so ill I was murder to treat , nothing wrong with me , let me home , why you keeping me here & on a machine , they did their job and looked after me thank goodness I can't remember the 1st 5 weeks although they can , I left hospital and I can honestly say the Haematology ward has the best staff.. caring compassionate.. patient.. helpful & always with a smile.

GRANNY59 over 3 years ago in reply to Gypsy rover

Hi Gypsy rover. I wondered if you knew that the above post from Dreamthief was 6 years old so a long time ago since it was posted. Just checking that you had seen that. xx

Gypsy rover over 3 years ago in reply to GRANNY59

Hi GRANNY59 , Gail Thank you for pointing that out to me , no I didn't , im still trying to find my way around all the difference sites , and get my head around what's what , just needing help or an ear like all of us from time to time , I hope you had a lovely Christmas & I hope you have an even better New Year , best wishes from me , my son's for 2022 Xx