Can I ask anyone in the group please .
When you have your Dexa Scan do they expect you to be able bodied and able to get on the table , lay down and get off again totally unaided ?
My reason for asking is I had the most awful experience today .
No empathy at all no don’t worry take your time . Plus when I asked for assistance I was told NO .
Sorry very upset by the whole experience and to top it all she acted as if i was a nuisance as I couldn’t move very quickly .
Complaint time - all healthcare professionals are expected to be just that, professional. And that includes accommodating patients with difficulties, whatever they are.
I can get onto the bed but I'm pretty sure I was asked if I could manage OK,
I think no assisting maybe a Covid knock on…..but there’s no excuse for bad manners!
That's why they are meant to wear PPE ...
When I had MRI scan I had plenty of assistance as I cannot lay flat easily . To pullMyself up was awful .
Sorry but it’s part of the NHS I was really shocked but more importantly her attitude .
Quite agree. .. definitely out of order!
Recently I had a test that required laying down. Nurse helped me up at the end. No question.
That's unacceptable and quite unprofessional. I'm not surprised you're very upset. When it's obvious someone is struggling and requires help, there should always be a protocol in place that allows for help to be offered. They must know that a percentage of patients may require some sort of assistance and therefore should have PPE easily accessible for such eventualities. I was a nurse back in the late 70s early 80s, and sympathetic and intuitive 'patient care' was absolutely one of the most important aspects of good nursing practice. That work ethic should be evident across the board with all medical practitioners.
I feel so sorry that you were treated in this way, and as a Sister of a ward back in the day, behaviour like that would have incurred disciplinary action.
I really think that if you feel up to it, you should familiarise yourself with the complaints procedure and make an official complaint.
Whatever you decide, I wish you well and hope you experience a 'kinder' and more helpful response in future.
Hospitals in the UK have a PALS
Follow this link and make that complaint.
I have always and assistance when having x-rays from when I step over the door.
Even to the extent that they went and got a pillow because I cannot lie flat.
Totally unacceptable and they were very lucky it was not me.
I am always surprised how I have been expected to have Dexascans, xrays and just lying on a couch for checks with no help. I always dread trying to get up again. It seems they are not allowed to help you sit up, health and safety or somesuch.
What has happened to compassion and caring in the NHS. No person in the street or hospital situation watches people struggle. Covid or no Covid
I can’t agree with this . I’m sorry you don’t get assistance but this is the first time I have experienced this . X ray assisted me as did nurses with MRI scan . IMight add that this place wasn’t in the hospital but another building . Closed doors met me with no way of me being able to open them . Same on the way out . Had to phone my husband to let me out . Maybe it’s me but was this woman blind ? How did she expect me to get out . Basically didn’t care , just shut her door and that was it .oh but she informed me there is disabled parking if you have a blue badge . Not much point in that if they won’t assist a disabled person . So sorry rant over and thank you for all kindly responding .. Empathy much appreciated lol 💖
In my experience PALS have very few teeth. I would make a complaint to the CEO of the hospital trust. If you need any help ,please send me a private message , as I am coming to the end of a very protracted complaint against a cardiologist last October. So I can give you some tips.
Terrible.
Thank you all so much . I’m more angry now than upset . Still find it hard to believe this woman watched me struggle whilst I was apologising for taking so long as it was so painful for me . I will be contacting pals in the first instance but also compiling my letter of complaint .
I appreciate your support .
Awh Looby l’m so sorry you’ve experienced this kind of behaviour from someone who should be aware that very many patients coming for this kind of test may be challenged in moving easily. As the others have said please complain & they have explained how. Just wanted to say how sorry l am 💐
How uncaring. They should be ashamed. They could wear gloves and PPE.
Oh complaint time for sure.
I had a minor incident when I went for my MRI having fast tapered but I gave good back! I had a quite a lot of pain in my groin particularly and they asked me to lift my legs up (both together) like a Pilates move. Clearly I couldn't on 5mg pred - today no problem.
No patience at all until I told them clearly the reason I am here is to find out why I have so much pain. Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not significant. Swift turn around after that.
It's just not good enough. If someone is clearly struggling them the right thing to do is find a solution in a kind way.
I had a dexa scan the nurses were helpful and technicians all helped plus they provided me with aids if I needed them M sorry u had a bad experience
I think help is what should happen. When I have my injection for my macular oedema I am helped and the nurse will even hold my hand. So I think a complaint is certainly in order.
I think you need to complain. I had one last week and I had recently broken my ankle. Complete with boot, I was given as much assistance as needed. Whilst still being COVID aware.
Complain! I had Dexa at local hospital and there was a nurse there to help as well as the lady doing the scan. Was treated with respect and dignity. You should not have been treated that way. Feel so sorry for you xxx
So sorry to hear this, similar happened to me last year. I was sent for a ct scan on my stomach and chest and explained on the phone I could not lay flat, she was very understanding and said that's fine we'll work around it and help you get in a comfortable position. That did not happen on the day I had no help, three nurses stood and watched me struggling to get as low as I could, which was still not low enough. I felt like a nuisance too while they stood there tutting and rolling their eyes to each other. I left without the scan feeling so low with myself because I couldn't do it.
Aww that is awful . I hope you complained . None of us should be made to feel like that
I didn't have the energy to complain I felt so deflated. They have no idea how hard it is for some people. But your right none of us should be made to feel that way it's terrible. Did they not offer you a dexa scan on your arm instead? I had to cancel one a few years back because they told me I would have to lay flat and then my gp rescheduled it and said they should have offered to do one on my arm instead, I didn't have to lay at all for that just place my arm on the bed.
No they didn’t but am not sure if that’s to do with the fact that I have 4 fractured vertebrae and a host of other problems so needed to scan my hip also . I might add that 1st MRI was bad enough with findings in March but 2nd one done last month was a lot worse in such a short space of time I was shocked 😳
I think they do prefer to do the hip if possible, is that down to the prednisolone or did you have problems before that?
I had no problems at all until last November . Then I twisted my back reaching into the oven . Things went from bad to worse until I actually got admitted . They are saying pred plus early menopause but as I had only been on pred for a year and a bit and 20 was the max . I find this hard to believe but I could be wrong .
That sounds painful I suffer with back pain it can be awful can't it, I know it can be bad for the bones but I suppose it is easy for them to blame the prednisolone when you're on it. Do you take any supplements for the bones? I just take vitamin D and added more calcium to my diet for now.
How thoroughly inhumane and unprofessional. Kindness and help should be part of the nursing ethos and this is usually adhered to. Well, this is what the complaints procedure is for, because the DEXA lady had ignored or forgotten the cardinal rules of her profession.
Many people have physical difficulties of some sort and normally these should be catered for as a matter of course.
I'm so sorry that you had such a bad experience, I would have been furious if I had witnessed somebody treated in this way.
Similar experience a month ago. Very painful to lay on that hard surface and out arms up. I was a mess fir 2 days following this. There should be a foam mat and help to get in and off table. No ex use for this. I would not do it again!
Same here although I still don’t understand what makes them so different in that department in comparison to the other departments who will help
Totally unacceptable and yet that's how I was treated. (I'm in the US)
Mine was very helpful in GRH. She gently helped me up and off the trolley and even did my bra up for me. I'm sorry you had such an uncaring person.
Dexa scan refusal 
Dexa scan 
dexa scan results?
Alendronic acid & DEXA scan
DEXA Scan Outcome
