What to expect at first post-op consult?

Posted , 6 users are following.

I had my op almost two weeks ago. I didn't have a THR, but a plate and pin repair. I have my first hopsital consult tomorrow and have been wondering what, if anything, to expect.

Background: I never met the surgeon before the op, despite being told I would and that all would be explained then. I never saw a doctor in the hospital during the next few days and was sent home on day three with no advice, no exercises or even any instructions on how to manage safely with the crutches I already had at home.

While instinct says the surgeon did a good job, I'm underwhelmed by the whole hospital care overall, including on the ward. On the evening of the day of my op, I asked for a bedpan. The nurse did changeover and then went home without telling anyone I needed one. Rang the help bell for 15 mins before anyone came. It was too late by then and I'd been lying in a wet bed for more than five mins. The next day, I had a very brief, but very excrutiating short walk with a walker. When I got back into bed, another patient tried to get into my room. He fought with a nurse at the door for 15 mins trying to get in while I lay there in pain wondering what the heck I was going to do if he did get in. The nurse shrugged it off later as nothing. They gave me narcotics without telling me they were narcotics: "it's just a painkiller; everyone on the ward is taking it". They also came in at night, grabbed my stomach and shoved needles in without asking or telling me what was in the injection (have since learned it was an anti-coagulent; would it have been hard to tell me that?).

I hate the idea of going back into this hospital, so am keen to ensure I get well and fit and strong.

What should I be asking at this consult tomorrow that could help me get there?

2 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • Posted

    I would be writing a letter to the managment of the hospital stating what happened, I hope to god this wasn't a private hospital, but to be honest even some of them leave alot to be desired, example, when my Mum was very ill towards the end of her life, and in a private hospital, mgmt assured she was being checked on every two hours maximum, day and night, she was telling me otherwise, and Mum didn't lie, but even we were unsure as her memory wasn't very good. So I sneaked into her room through the laundry door one night, at dinner time, she was surprised to see me there, and I said, ignore me, and go to bed as usual, which she did, and off she went to sleep, at about 8pm, I sat there till about 1am, and nobody checked on her, I left the hospital, and nobody even pinged me on being there, they were never aware I had been. I brought it to the hospitals attention, not explaining how I knew, and Mum said checks improved for a while, but then just slipped back into old habits, never trusted them after that, did what I could, travelling long distance to check without warning, but not alot i could do.

    If it was a public hospital, I suspect the nurses were pushed to the limit with about 20 patients to one nurse. Not even a save level, let alone getting any quality or quantity of care, again if it was public hospital ask if they have a patient bill of rights, or a policy on of the correct treatment of patients. Ask for a copy. You may be able to use their policy document to guide you letter on this is what your policy says and this is what I received.

    I have had many hospital stays over the years both for myself and my children, as well as my husband and parents, and I have witnessed shocking poor level of care to falling over themselves to be friendly and helpful. Have also watched demanding patients being ignored, if they consider them well enough to be safe, nurses get to the stage of just being worn out by some patients constant demands, not suggesting you are one of those, I'm sure you are not, probably a quiet on if the truth be known, if you watch you can see the same patients constantly being seen to and the quiet one, might even be less well being completely ignored, also if they have a ward full of very ill patients the semi well, but need bed rest miss out.

    Have noticed in most hospitals they seem to have a system the very ill are closer to the nurses station and the bed rest only are further away, good way to judge just how ill a family member is by the placement of them on the wards, and even then they don't always get it right.

    I don't think I could have been a nurse, just not tough enough, to walk away and not care.

    Re your lack of physio, I would mention to Dr, and also write him a letter saying thankyou for hip repair, but a little follow-up of some kind, even too the level of how did he even know if you were alive or dead. also mention manners, and more information would have been most helpful. 

    I have met with my daughter when she was very ill, one of the rudest specialist/men I have every met in my life, he was completly silent, even when you asked a question he ignored you, he was totally fixated on his patient, to the point of at first I tought this can't be the Dr, he was and is seriously weird, so I went back to my GP, and said can you send us to another specialist, he said NO, apparently he when to medical school with him, and admitted to me even then he was weird, but a genius, and he wouldn't go the anyone else if it was his family that was being treated.

    My daughter who is still under his care tells me he has become quiet friendly, as the years have gone past. I stay away, I do not like the man

    • Posted

      It was a public hospital. I think what horrified me the most was that they treated me like that as a relatively young patient (turned 54 the day before the op). I shudder to think of how older patients are treated.

      I was actually quite near the nurses station, which is how I knew they were doing changeover after I asked for the bedpan (and stressed the urgency; I was on a drip and drinking water so was peeing oceans for about 24 hours).

      Many of the nurses in the ward were actually very kind. However, the one who was assigned to me in the afternoons/evenings seemed to have quite a sadistic streak. She was the one who would grab me and shove needles in. She laughed at me the first time when I was trying to ask about it and told me she didn't know what I was getting bothered about as I'd been given one the previous night in my sleep (so that's what woke me up). She then made a nasty remark on her way out of the room. I'd complain, but have no witnesses.

      I guess I will have to wait until tomorrow morning to find out about the surgeon. Will be getting the dressings ripped off, so will at the very least get a look at his handiwork...

    • Posted

      Lee - if she gave you needles without your permission, and expecially if you were asleep, that is assault, no gray area there. The biggest problem you have is you word against hers. But even so, I would be inclined to go to the police to see what they have to say.  Then a written complaint to the hospital and don't forget to tell them you have lodged a complaint with the police. It may not come to anything, proabably won't our you will never know, but give somebody a real shake up.
    • Posted

      I did actually tell one of the other nurses at length that I considered it assault. Will look out for rights info at the hospital tomorrow. Thanks.
    • Posted

      you will laugh at this, I was in a dedicated heart hospital for my THR, it has a small otheopedic section. The heart unit, as my husband is a patient beats us up about eating well, and keeping our salt intake under control, exercises to stay healthy, which we follow religiously especially for my husbands condition. One night on the ortheopedic unit dinner arrived and soup was so salty you could stand a spoon in it. I took one sip and spat it back out. Daughter was there, and I asked her if I was imagining it, she checked with her finger tip, and spat that in the sink. I wrote to the hopsital after my discharge quoting them their own words about salt intake, and wasting public funds on inedible dish served, and observing instuctions for heart patients, and asking them that I hope and pray they didn't serve the same dish to heart patients. Months later received a letter in return thanking me for my feedback, and telling me their supplier of product had been changed.
  • Posted

    I would use the PALS system to complain, you were not treated well. Also go on the website, find the name of the CEO and write to them

    make your list of questions for the appointment, after getting suitable replies, or not, complain to the medical staff in the clinic.

    • Posted

      Had to look up PALS. I'm in Australia, not UK, so will have to see what's available here...
    • Posted

      In Australia its called patient bill of rights, if I remember correctly. Hospitals have hand out available.
  • Posted

    Dear Lee, 

    That sound horrible darling - Was not there anyone with you ?  familymember or friend or how about your GP ? 

    How did you get on at home ? wound care, or something ?

    Can someone come with you to your appointment ?  

    Sending you blessings and please let us know 

    big warm hug

    renee

    • Posted

      My daughters came to visit when they could, but one works two jobs and the other has a baby, so their time to visit was limited. The daughter with two jobs lives with me. She took a few days off work when I got home and helped out a lot.

      Wound care? Was told not to touch the dressing until the surgeon takes it off tomorrow. Had to cover it in plastic to wash...

      I'll be going alone tomorrow (by taxi). I am by no means timid and am no longer immobilised with pain (or "tied" to a bed by a drip at one end and electric compression at the other), so I won't be tolerating any crap.

      Thanks for the hug and the blessings! 

  • Posted

    Home at last. Only at the hospital for two hours, which is pretty good for the public system. Dressing off, stitches out without any drama and the scar looks nice and thin and neat...

    I still didn't see my surgeon; saw one of his underlings instead. He was extremely pleasant and helpful with questions.

    I mentioned that two days ago the GP asked me if I was supposed to be weight-bearing on the right leg and I told her yes (they hadn't told me otherwise on discharge so I just assumed...). The hospital doc just about jumped out of his chair and yelled: "Absolutely NOT!". He told me that for at least the next month I am not to put more than 5kg of weight on it and he showed me how to work that out using bathroom scales. 

    So I've been clomping around the house on it for a week and a half now, increasingly often just waddling without the crutches. He was appalled and said I am to use them at all times, even if I am only going a few metres.

    I picked up a brochure on health care rights while I was waiting and it will be very helpful when I am writing my complaint about the other stuff...

  • Posted

    Another reason to point out to the idots of Dr's that you had no follow up after surgery, no follow up care or intructions, so if you have done damage will know who to blame. I am still shaking my head in amazement, and digust at the treatment meted out to you.

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