Hospital rant!!!!! after a nasty fall......

Ring your hospital PALS department and make a complaint about him. I've had to spend some time in A+E lately (not for me) and some staff really need to remember what they are there for. If everyone puts up with this sort of treatment nothing will ever change.
Hope you feel better soon!
 
I live in Belgium and had a nasty fall out hacking three weeks ago, knocked out and in pouring rain. A lovely couple just drying off in their car after jogging were the only other people about, heard the bang and found me spark out and bleeding like a pig ( the horse had buggered off, found on his way home at the park rangers office, YM went and got him and treated his minor scrapes). They called an ambulance that took me to my local A&E, I had lower back/pelvic Xrays, then a CT scan cos of being knocked out and sick in the ambulance and at the hospital, kept me observed till about 11pm (the accident happened about 4.15pm) then let my husband take me home under strict instructions to come back if I was sick or weird (how could he tell the latter, he asked haha). We only live a couple of minutes away by car, I think that's why they let me go home.
But - I have just had the bill for the ambulance - just under 200 euro. The bills for the rest of the treatment haven't come yet. Luckily I am insured under the yard insurance ( there is a membership fee that includes this, odd situation I know), plus we have private medical insurance that would have covered it anyway up to 90%.
 
I broke my arm very badly one time. A friend took me to hospital. He was working here and OH was out for the day.

Now lets just say the arm was quite obviously broken as i could feel the bone moving. The ulna was snapped near the elbow, this had caused disclocation ar the wrist and elbow of both bones. So just a tad painful.

Got to hospital, by which time I had stopped screaming, and told them I had broken my arm. Got the " Yes dear" with the rolling eyes from the nurse. Anyway, they took me into triage and tried to get my sweatshirt off. I just couldnt let go of my arm due to the pain. I was told it couldnt hurt that much and to stop making a fuss or they would have to cut my sweatshirt off. They kept tutting the whole time.They were quite shocked when i said " watch my lips... Cut it off!"

As soon as they got the sweatshirt off they said, oh, yes, there is a horseshoe dent in your arm...At which point they backtracked a bit!:D

Off to xray very quickly.

Then sitting on the back waiting to see the doctor. he walked in with a needle and just said " Do you want some Morphine!" At which point i said "It is bad isnt it?" "Yes"

The funniest part though was when I asked the nurse if my friend was still outside. She said he was. I asked her to tell him he should go because my husband would be home soon!:eek::eek::D

I meant that he should tell him where i was, but it didnt sound like that.

LOL!

But the classic was from the consultant " Horses are dangerous unpredictable animals, you must not go near them" Like i didnt know that they were unpredictable LOL!
 
Then there was the time I refused to go to hospital, crushed sciatic nerve, because they had brought the van and not the helicopter!:D

I knew nothing was broken though.;)
 
I.m a staff nurse who works in A&E. There's never any need for rudeness, it is completely unprofessional. However when people come in they are, rightly so, just concerned with their injury, what they don't always appreciate is that the dr/nurse will have maybe 10 other patients to deal with at anyone time. Last night I got blasted by an intoxicated teenager's mother to know why I hadn't given her son anything to stop her being sick, I just politely said 'I will do it next', when I really wanted to say 'I personally would just let your vile, drunk son feel like **** and suffer an almighty hangover. He's not ill - he's drunk. The lady in the cubicle next to your precious son is dying of cancer and is in tremendous pain, she needs morphine now. The 97 year old lady in the next cubicle has dementia and has fallen over at home and has just dirtied herself and is now crying for her mother to clean her up, in order to calm her down I need time to talk to her so she can trust me and then I can clean her up. The man in the other cubicle can hardly breathe and needs a chest x-ray organising, steriods and nebulizers immediately. I also have 4 other patients who all need attention. Now, what should I do first?'
 
I completely understand monkeymad, I waited very patiently for 5 hours strapped to the bed, there was someone there who had been in a car crash and a gentleman near me almost died(I could hear family screaming) I knew there were people who were worse off than me and I was happy to wait my turn. The thing that bothered me was the attitude of the doctor who first told me off for not ringing the ambulance then told me off for wasting hospital time, to top it all he didnt tell me what was actually wrong with me, didnt give me painkillers, no advice, nothing, just said nothing was broken?????

Dozzie- that sounds incredibly painful!!!!!

Actually after hearing some of your horror stories im quite glad I was virtually ignored lol
 
Three trips to hospital in the last year (oops, making up for almost none before then!):

First - cracked and chipped a forearm bone. Didn't realise for a week. All at A&E were fine, other than the x-ray man who pulled it straight. I screamed. Refused to let him touch it again. I'd told him it wouldn't straighten!

Second - bleed on brain. Everyone was lovely, apart from the paramedics getting a bit stroppy with me when I 'wouldn't' move from the trolley to the bed - I wasn't being a pain on purpose, I just couldn't get myself organized to do it! Plus even moving my eyes made the sickness a thousand times worse :(. Other than that, lovely at A&E.

Third - broken back. Did it Saturday morning, went to A&E Sunday evening at Friend's insistance. Waited for ages, even though I was 'Priority', but never mind, they kindly found me a trolley to lie on as I could not sit down. Doctor nearly didn't send me for an x-ray, but decided at the last minute that I might as well go.... Everyone kind. Even the specialist on the spinal ward at half past four in the morning. Interesting thing though, they knew my back was broken, and that I had landed on my feet, then back/neck/head, but I was walking around for two days without any support. The Consultant wasn't too happy abut that, or the lack of x-rays on my neck et al. Still, it was soon rectified with an MRI scan :)

So, overall, and all in all, I have found everyone nice, kind, helpful, overworked and trying hard. No rudeness at all. No nasty comments about horse riders, other than saying we're barking mad lol.
 
Monkeymad I do have friends who work in A&E and I'll agree it's very stressful, but at the end of the day there is no excuse for a little thought before speaking, and perhaps refraining (as you did with the drunk lad) from saying what you actually think.

Not broken any bones yet (that I know of) but my worst experience of poor bedside manner was following a miscarriage, a young female doctor less than 2/3 my age asked me what contraception was I going to use! I have to say, unusually for me, this left me speachless.
 
Dubsie said:
Monkeymad I do have friends who work in A&E and I'll agree it's very stressful, but at the end of the day there is no excuse for a little thought before speaking, and perhaps refraining (as you did with the drunk lad) from saying what you actually think.

Not broken any bones yet (that I know of) but my worst experience of poor bedside manner was following a miscarriage, a young female doctor less than 2/3 my age asked me what contraception was I going to use! I have to say, unusually for me, this left me speachless.
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Dubsie im so sorry that is a rotten thing to happen. I had a miscarriage 2 yrs ago and I must say docs were all fantastic, even giving me a hug. She sounds seriously inconsiderate at one of the most painful times a woman can have, as a woman herself she should of realised that
 
I think you have been majorily unlucky. I have, courtesey of my horses spent an inordinate amount of time in A&E - and in various hospitals. Not once has a docter or nurse ever suggested that I was wasting their time because it was a horse related injury. I have had some funnies - turning up concussed with black eyes and blood everywhere (horse chucked his head and head butted me) BIL (6.4") drove me in. Receptionist taking details "how did you do this" before looking pointedly at BIL. I have never been disowned so quickly in my life. Or the time I had concussion and broken collar bone - lovely army nurse looked after me but I was on a mixed geriatric ward and not able to move. Lets just say I made an old man very happy as I kept losing my sheet and had to wait for the (male) nurse to retrieve me. He put me in private room the next day!. So hate being in hospitals but can honestly say have never been treated badly..
 
There are times I should have gone to A+E like when I knocked myself out, hitting the ground - but at the time when I came round and saw my horse tangled in barbed wire, bleeding and sheep loose everywhere my own injuries were at the back of my mind! I had blood on my hands and face and bruising over my leg and hip and I felt rough for a good few days and stupidly, didn't go to hospital - luckily it must have just been concussion.
You have every right to go to the hospital whether there turns out to be anything wrong or not - its your right to be checked out by the professionals!
K x
 
4faults said:
Dubsie im so sorry that is a rotten thing to happen. I had a miscarriage 2 yrs ago and I must say docs were all fantastic, even giving me a hug. She sounds seriously inconsiderate at one of the most painful times a woman can have, as a woman herself she should of realised that
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I think she was so young and focussed on her career, it hadn't occured to her to consider how other women might feel about pregnancy/miscarriages.
 
KellysHeroes said:
There are times I should have gone to A+E like when I knocked myself out, hitting the ground - but at the time when I came round and saw my horse tangled in barbed wire, bleeding and sheep loose everywhere my own injuries were at the back of my mind! I had blood on my hands and face and bruising over my leg and hip and I felt rough for a good few days and stupidly, didn't go to hospital - luckily it must have just been concussion.
You have every right to go to the hospital whether there turns out to be anything wrong or not - its your right to be checked out by the professionals!
K x
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I do think us horsey people are gluttons for punishment lol, I managed to get up catch horse, do jobs and get home through an inordinate amount of pain because lets face it, he couldnt do his own jobs could he haha
 
If you fall off a horse - don't go to Gloucester A&E!

They sent my friend home with barely a cursory exam after a fall from her horse "you're just bruised." 3 weeks later she went to the GP with pins and needles and numbness in her legs. GP sent her for x ray - compression fracture of one of her vertebrae, spinal consultant was amazed she was walking!
 
lauraandjack said:
If you fall off a horse - don't go to Gloucester A&E!

They sent my friend home with barely a cursory exam after a fall from her horse "you're just bruised." 3 weeks later she went to the GP with pins and needles and numbness in her legs. GP sent her for x ray - compression fracture of one of her vertebrae, spinal consultant was amazed she was walking!
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Haha I went to Hartpury so heard some horror stories mainly form the Rugby lot though
 
I was in A&E last weekend (fractured wrist after horse bolted and fell) I was amazed by the way some chavas treat the service. 2 seperate people turned up by ambulance then left as there was a 90 min wait to see a doctor and they had better thing to do....
To me if you are ill enough to require an ambulance, there is no way you should be wanting to leave without seeing a doctor. If you don't need to see the doctor maybe you should pay for the ambulance that you used. One girl came in an ambulance accompanied by a friend, she was sat next to us and was discussing whether they had enough cigarettes for the wait, she saw the nurse and was complaining that she needed to see a doctor sooner - not due to pain or concern for the baby but because she was meeting people at the pub, she then had a loud argument with somone on her mobile and it appeared that she was saying that she was having a miscarriage, she still left in a taxi. No wonder the staff get short tempered dealing with people like that.
 
i'm forever in a and e. Been in for unexplained "funny turn" or concious fit, broken toes, dislocated shoulders, broken collar bone, split open head, broken ribs, trench foot. Not once have I been told by doctors i'm wasting their time.

However getting throug the receptionists is a battle and a half. Once they've finally stopped chatting and decided they might actually see you when you've collapsed on the floor ( I had a hospital superbug with major vomitting and diahorrea!) they then make you feel tiny for coming in late at night when they're short staffed. Um sorry I can't help suddenly becoming ill i'll remember to tell my body next time to be ill at 2pm not 8! Then huff and puff when you've changed address and can't remember your doctors telephone off by heart.
 
4faults said:
I completely understand monkeymad, I waited very patiently for 5 hours strapped to the bed, there was someone there who had been in a car crash and a gentleman near me almost died(I could hear family screaming) I knew there were people who were worse off than me and I was happy to wait my turn. The thing that bothered me was the attitude of the doctor who first told me off for not ringing the ambulance then told me off for wasting hospital time, to top it all he didnt tell me what was actually wrong with me, didnt give me painkillers, no advice, nothing, just said nothing was broken?????

Dozzie- that sounds incredibly painful!!!!!

Actually after hearing some of your horror stories im quite glad I was virtually ignored lol
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I have more!:D

Agree with Monkeymad though, it must be very difficult. There are people who present at the slightest hint of a cold and people who present with a broken neck three days later.
 
Hope you feel better soon - your PM did make me laugh though. Just the way you wrote it. Remember - red wine and ibuprofen make 4faults a pain free girl!
 
Vodkagirly said:
I was in A&E last weekend (fractured wrist after horse bolted and fell) I was amazed by the way some chavas treat the service. 2 seperate people turned up by ambulance then left as there was a 90 min wait to see a doctor and they had better thing to do....
To me if you are ill enough to require an ambulance, there is no way you should be wanting to leave without seeing a doctor. If you don't need to see the doctor maybe you should pay for the ambulance that you used. One girl came in an ambulance accompanied by a friend, she was sat next to us and was discussing whether they had enough cigarettes for the wait, she saw the nurse and was complaining that she needed to see a doctor sooner - not due to pain or concern for the baby but because she was meeting people at the pub, she then had a loud argument with somone on her mobile and it appeared that she was saying that she was having a miscarriage, she still left in a taxi. No wonder the staff get short tempered dealing with people like that.
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See my post - if theses 'chavs' had to pay £200 for an ambulance they wouldn't call one at the drop of a hat!
 
Gosh a lot of difference in the standards of care around the country! I remember my son hurting his hand playing rugby and I relectantly taking him to A&E (it is probably only a bruise) only to find that he had knock the top joint off and was in arm plaster for 6 weeks.
In fact he has had more serious injuries from rugby than daughter falling from pony. The last time I took her the doctor was really nice and said his mother used to take him to Pony Club (he didn't ride) so he was used to seeing riders with injuries. And she had an X ray but was fine.
 
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