Casualty 1907

[Kazz]

Do not think this belongs in TV as what I wondered was even though its a TV programme am I wrong in thinking the standard of nursing was more compasionate ..than it is now or the standard of care was better.....the hirachy of Matron - Sister - nurse - probationer. A direct line one patients, visitors and and staff understood.

[Classic Tabby]

I agree think the lines are too blurred now. Need to have matrons back.
Becky

[Steph]

I am not so very sqeamish-but I did``peek between my fingers` at the amputation scene in episode 1

[Kim]

I think this mini-series is excllent. Really enjoyed the one-off last year. More interesting is that it is based on factual information that was written down at the time.

I think nurses must have had such a hard life back then. I mean no gloves fro a start!! They had to clean all the dirty linen and children in last nights episode when they had severe diarrhoea and last week a nurse was told to insert a finger before putting in an enema!! When soemones died they had to hand sew the shrouds. I don't like the idea of calling the probationers 'probationer', so impersonal, as if they didn't have an identity. I started my nurse training in 1980 and the staff nurses, sisters, etc all called us nurse so & so, now it is much more relaxed and friendly. However, I do think some standards have dropped, particularly with regards to hygiene and although I know a lot of excellent nurses, I also know a lot of not so nice ones

[Kazz]

Is it do you think Kim because we now expect so much more and the world is 24/7...............I ask as my Aunt has been in hopital for heart surgery and the intensive care nurses were excellent. On the ward no comaradre...nothing she thinks she is a nusience and so do 2 of the other 3 patients she shares a 4 bed room with... sad really. I took in a jigsaw for her as she cannot read well (she has learning disabilities) and cannot work the telly properly and will not ask as the nurses have tutted at her....I know its hard to understand her sometimes as she has a speech impediment, but fom what I can see they do not try and leave her be they will not read the menu to her even she cannot read well and has to have what they ticked till the lady next to her realised what we were doing and offered to sort the menu out with her (a Godsend) even though we had made it clear to the nurses she had problems reading/writing.

ANyhow the jigsws I took in became quite a "room leveler" ie the other patents joined i n so I brought a couple of 1000 piece ones...but the nurses said they got in the way and removed them as soon as the visitors left....sad...very sad.

So Kim would you recommend someone to become a nurse today.......

[pinklizzy]

When I was in hospital the nurses ignored me most of the time, despite the fact I was on a surgical ward with suspected appendicitis. Our patients are loved and cuddled and interacted with all day long! I know which I'd choose!

[CathyW]

when i was in the heart ward. there was an old lady in the bed next to me. she was 97. game old bird, (dolly was her name) but the staff treated her as a pest. left her on the bedpan for over 1/2 an hour. another time they took her to the loo and left her for 3/4 hour. what we (the other patients used to do .was press our buzzers all at the same time.) the nurses soon came to see what was wrong. the times she wet herself. then the nurses wasnt happy. they treated her terribly. and she only had 1 lot of visitors her bossy daughter, she had stripped dollys home. and put her in a home.
often wonder how she got on. i used to open her butter for her.

[Kazz]

See its scary isn't it. My Auntie Brenda has learning disabilities and has a speech impediment that makes it hard to understand her but it is possible if you listen.
But she has no children, no friends as such apart from the people at Church. And friends of my Nan who have no passed on most of them. But her brother and sisters are elderly and poorly themselves we her nieces and nephews (well 5 of the 19) have made a major efforts to make sure she has a visitor or two early afternoon then later in the visiting 2 - 8.30 is the visiting. Hard when we have full time jobs families etc but what else can we do.....she is out now came out yesterday. When I tried to work out what to complain about how do you complain someone does not say "morning" or "how are you?" or complain about a look they gave her (she said obviousl we never saw this treatment)

Yet intensive care she was treated like a Queen. Same hospital same floor just about 500yds away.

[Kim]

Difficult question Kazz... I have not worked on a ward for many years now. I worked for Marie Curie until recently and we work 1:1 with patients and I can honestly say that all the nurses were fab. However, we were not rushed off our feet, we had time to care, chat, listen, be sympathetic, etc. It is very different working on a ward and you do need the patience of a saint sometimes, however there should be time to say "Good morning" or taking time to help someone choose their meal.

When my mum was in intensive care the nurses were brilliant too, but sadly I had similar expereince to those mentioned, when she was on a ward. Once I aksed a particular nurse a question and she completely ignored me. I witnessed her being horrible to patients and some relatives and patients shared their disgust about her. I did complain, but was completely fobbed off. The 'old fashioned' matron was certainly needed here!

[angieh]

Unfortunately, if someone needs to be in hospital, they are generally at their most vulnerable and need sympathy and kindness to help them get better.

I'm afraid I would try almost anything before going near a hospital; but having said that when I was rushed in by ambulance a few years ago - I really couldn't have been treated better or more efficiently. But that was A&E, and luckily, I didn't have to stay in.

I think most people would agree that bringing matron back would be a good thing.