Overheard nurses making remarks about me...

[mollykerrane]

Hi everyone. On sunday i had my first ever asthma attack after having well controlled asthma my whole life (i’m nearly 19). It’s now Wednesday and i’m still in hospital. I’ve had nose and throat swabs and multiple bloods taken from me and the early hours of this morning i was moved to a side ward. About 20 minutes ago i heard 2 nurses outside my door, i recognised one of their voices as he had just come into my room to ask me if he needed to change my sheets. Their conversation went something like this:

“why has she been put in a side room?” and the female nurse went “querying flu” and he went “great i’ve probably got it now” to which she very snarkily replied

“there’ll be nothing wrong”

he replied “she’s just being dramatic”

and she went “they usually are”

Now i know this sounds like nothing but it’s made me feel so embarrassed and paranoid now that i am being dramatic or i’m taking up bed space when i could be at home...sorry for the rant but i just feel so upset by it all and don’t know what to do!!

[risabel59]

Hi there,

poor you, There should be a Patient advice and Liaison services officer in your hospital. Ask to get in touch, and they should come and see you. Then you can explain how you feel and they will advocate for you.

I do hope you don't have flu.

Best

R

[QuietChest3]

Not acceptable. Speak to Senior Charge Nurse and Patient Liasion. Get well soon

[Karjade]

I am so sorry you had to go through this. I would definitely say something to a senior nurse as you should not have been spoken about like this. Hope you get well soon xxx

[Crankdingo]

Complain to one of the seniors on that ward about what you heard if they think you are falling you are hardly going to get the best service.

[angievere]

Complain!

[Hidden]

Poor you! How awful! It’s bad enough feeling poorly. Take care xx

[Weeannie]

These two obviously weren’t nurses just people disguised as nurses earning a wage. Just ignore them, you wouldn’t have been moved if they didn’t think you were suffering from something which could potentially be spread about. The NHS does a great job and limits it’s finite resources by only using side rooms for potential medical problems to the hospital as a whole. Stop worrying about these wage earners and listen to what the doctor says. Hope you’re better and get home soon x

[strongmouse]

It is horrible when people don't understand how difficult it is to manage a bad attack. Those nurses were way out of line - unthoughtful and unprofessional and obvoiusly one of them was more interested in their own welfare than their patient's.

Hope you are feeling better and that they realise how wrong they are. A bad asthma attack is no joke - no you are not being dramatic.

[emmasue]

This shouldn't happen, but unfortunately it does. I hope you feel better soon. xxx

[Triggerina]

Sometimes I despair when I hear about experiences like yours in hospital recently still happening.

First of all...well done to you for controlling your asthma well the majority of the time.

I have been in A and E struggling to breathe and overheard the nurse in charge tell another that it was about time that the lady in cubicle 6 (me) went home as she wasn't even wheezing so must be fine and was in the way . At the time I had blue lips ,a terrible peak flow and was coughing fit to burst. I was not wheezing...... I rarely do.I KNEW I was in trouble and hearing this was very scary but I was unable to speak and breathe to do anything.

Fortunately my husband was there to fight my corner and a doctor came and suddenly all was action stations for me.

Sadly,I have heard many similar accounts like yours and mine over the years. I have always had asthma and am now 61 and well controlled the vast majority of the time and not easily panicked!

I hope that any nurses who come to contact with asthma patients will eventually learn that not all asthmatics are the same. Left to a certain nurse ....I would now probably be dead.

You should complain to the hospital.

[mollykerrane in reply to Triggerina]

I’m so sorry to hear about your terrible experience. That sounds terrifying and to have people speak about you in such a way, as though you are just simply wanting attention, is so degrading and presumptuous. Thank you for your response x

[Hidden]

I actually find quite a lot of nurses are negative towards asthmatics. I have never worked out why though. asthma seems to be a condition nurses dislike seeing in hospitals. It has got to the point I dislike going into hospital and being admitted

[1974lovejoy in reply to Hidden]

I was on a respiratory ward in the high dependence unit fir 9 days and was told by my consultant I was quite poorly but still a nurse told me I was just emotional as my husband had just gone home , I’d missed my daughters prom and had struggled at home for 10 days before being admitted after being dismissed by A/E after my 3rd attack in one day ( I’d never had one before ) !!! Those comments are so damaging and leads to increased stress which exacerbate symptoms and prevents me going in for help ....some hospital staff need to be in our shoes some times !!!!!

[Hidden in reply to 1974lovejoy]

i totally agree.

[ANNAmp]

I would not say an asthma attack can be classed as 'nothing wrong'. Please report this before you are discharged, these so called nurses need to learn this is not acceptable from somebody higher up. Please don't take their comments to heart, you are in there for a reason and need to rest up, not stress. Wishing you a speedy recovery x

[Madoug]

I know how you feel. I was told it was "only asthma". But would certainly put in a complaint. I keep a book of meetings,appointments, who said what .

My evidence if needed.I work for nhs and still get rubbish treatment at times. And i have started to name folks when i raise concerns.

Don't be put down by idiots

[joelonsdale]

If you have the breath, shouting out "oi, I can hear you" in such a situation should embarass the ignorant, lazy-minded fools. You could even refuse their care, which will trigger the perfect opportunity to discuss the situation with management. It's their poor behaviour that's at fault and I really hope you can remove any feeling that it's your fault and focus on getting well. We had a similar experience with a couple of midwives and it's horrible to be under the care of people you don't trust.

[meadowbird]

That was really unprofessional of them. Try not to let it bother you - the Dr who admitted you obviously felt you need to be there - maybe they were just having a bad day, and were just venting.