UCHG A&E

Shakti

Friend spent 14 hours in A&E last night,
When are Conneely, Crowe et al. going to get up off their arses and do something about this? It's like an episode of MASH in there, stress levels are through the roof, people are suffering and mistakes are being made.

The sheer ignorance of Conneely sighting concerns about Hospital Smokers while its a warzone in A&E.

hondasam

That is a long time, what was the delay? was it really busy?
Was in there a few weeks ago with my nephew, 3 hrs start to finish, I was surprised we were so fast. That was with X ray and stitches.
I heard that going on about the smoking in Merlin park the other day. Patients having to walk out to the main gate to smoke.

Shakti

Busy doesn't really cover it hondasam, the A&E in UCHG needs to be about four times the size it is now,

_Whimsical_

Agreed something needs to be done. I know someone who was recently left on a trolley for 24 hrs when it was obvious they had a late stage terminal illness. They died a week later in hospital. At the very least critically or direly ill people should be prioritised and made comfortable urgently. This person was not elderly but their condition and prognosis was apparent as soon as they presented in hospital.

kevin65

I don't think this situation is unique to Galway, and the way things are going it may get worse. James Reilly needs to get off his arse and do something. Apparently they are planning in closing down A&E facilities in smaller hospitals which will put even more pressure on the larger hospitals.

fishy fishy

that's nothing. Try going in at lunchtime and coming out next morning at breakfast time.

antoobrien

Shakti wrote: »

Friend spent 14 hours in A&E last night,
When are Conneely, Crowe et al. going to get up off their arses and do something about this? It's like an episode of MASH in there, stress levels are through the roof, people are suffering and mistakes are being made.

The sheer ignorance of Conneely sighting concerns about Hospital Smokers while its a warzone in A&E.

Conneely is the HSE forum chairman, and while I don't like the way he operates, in fairness to he is on about the hositpal fairly constantly. If you don't believe me take a look at the google search for "padraig conneely uchg".

fishy fishy

Shakti wrote: »

Friend spent 14 hours in A&E last night,
When are Conneely, Crowe et al. going to get up off their arses and do something about this? It's like an episode of MASH in there, stress levels are through the roof, people are suffering and mistakes are being made.

The sheer ignorance of Conneely sighting concerns about Hospital Smokers while its a warzone in A&E.

you get what you vote for.

scholar007

hondasam wrote: »

Patients having to walk out to the main gate to smoke.

Paddywhackery at its finest! Absolutely Daft! :mad:

fishy fishy

their "snack" selection is terrible also for a hospital. If somebody is going to be waiting for hours or days and the Emergency Unit they could at least make sure there is paper cups etc at the coffee/tea machines.

also I don't think machine full of mars bars, starbursts, and hunky dories would be the best thing to be eating.

antoobrien

hondasam wrote: »

I heard that going on about the smoking in Merlin park the other day. Patients having to walk out to the main gate to smoke.

Define irony - complaining about a ban on something known to be harmful to one's health on hospital grounds.

Shakti

One time when I was there the triage nurse came out and lectured the people in the waiting area about how busy they were and how they would have to wait at least six hours to be seen.

snubbleste

Shakti wrote: »

One time when I was there the triage nurse came out and lectured the people in the waiting area about how busy they were and how they would have to wait at least six hours to be seen.

Well that's a good thing isn't it? At least you know how long you'll be waiting for.

Shakti

snubbleste wrote: »

Well that's a good thing isn't it? At least you know how long you'll be waiting for.

It was a lecture with attitude, not helpful, felt like he was blaming the patients for being sick, gave me a smart assed comment for not being sick enough.

Raging_Ninja

A not insignificant part of the problem is people going to A&E with minor complaints that would be better seen to by a GP.

But a goodly part of the problem is the bloated management that the HSE has in place, with suits going around and nobody knows what they do. My sister (a nurse) used to work in a hospital where a female suit whose only job seemed to be to make sure the fire doors were kept closed.

Fey!

I had put this in the Consumer Issues "Rant & Praise" thread earlier.

me wrote:

Mrs Fey is pregnant, and last night had severe pains. At 2am I had to bring her to the hospital. The receptionist had her sent in to a nurse with a porter within 30 seconds, and the nurse had her in a bed in the gyny unit within 15 minutes. The nurses there were just as efficient and incredibly helpful, and she had been seen by the doctor on duty within about an hour.

They kept her in overnight, and her own doctor was with her within minutes of coming on duty. I had a phone call from her to pick her up before 8:30.

Very efficient, very helpful, and at all times the staff were brilliant at putting her mind at ease.

The frontline staff are excellent, even if the management and politicians let both them and us down.

connemara man

Shakti wrote: »

One time when I was there the triage nurse came out and lectured the people in the waiting area about how busy they were and how they would have to wait at least six hours to be seen.

I have been in there a few times with people over night with varying crowds and emergencies, the only way I could ever see a nurse act in that a forceful manner is if him or other members of staff are being constantly berated by patients family about how long they are waiting and how ill their family member is, (i know this as iv snuck in behind the doors to make sure a family member of mine got a bed, they were in excruciating agony) on a very busy night people doing this should be stamped out quickly so a shoutout wouldn't be all that bad imo

I think the staff there are doing the best job they can in the circumstances the are in

Mrs OBumble

Shakti wrote: »

It was a lecture with attitude, not helpful, felt like he was blaming the patients for being sick, gave me a smart assed comment for not being sick enough.

Were you sent there by your GP?

Raging_Ninja wrote: »

My sister (a nurse) used to work in a hospital where a female suit whose only job seemed to be to make sure the fire doors were kept closed.

I would guess that a very visible part of the safety officer's job in a large hospital would be just that. There are some less visible aspects too. and the job looks totally pointless until there is a fire and someone dies because someone else didn't follow basic safety procedures.

I'm not arguing that the HSE management is perfect, but someomes what people give out about is not what meets the eye.

Zzippy

I know of THREE people in the last 3 months who have gone in there with leg/ankle injuries, and all were x-rayed and told there was nothing wrong, just a bit of ligament damage. Turned out all 3 actually had fractures and spent weeks trying to walk on them, thinking it was just soft tissue damage. I know its not feasible for everyone, but I'd rather spend the money and go to the Galway Clinic...

Fey!

Zzippy wrote: »

I know its not feasible for everyone, but I'd rather spend the money and go to the Galway Clinic...

Isn't that the same price, just shorter opening hours?

I think that you'll hear stories like that about all hospitals, though, public and private.

Robbo

Shakti wrote: »

It was a lecture with attitude, not helpful, felt like he was blaming the patients for being sick, gave me a smart assed comment for not being sick enough.

Not to belittle your suffering here, but isn't one of the central tenets of triage to prioritise patients according the gravity of their condition?

In other news, congratulations Fey.

Shakti

JustMary wrote: »

Were you sent there by your GP?

yes,

connemara man wrote: »

I have been in there a few times with people over night with varying crowds and emergencies, the only way I could ever see a nurse act in that a forceful manner is if him or other members of staff are being constantly berated by patients family about how long they are waiting and how ill their family member is,

Nope, quite the opposite, didn't end well

I think the staff there are doing the best job they can in the circumstances the are in

Quite and I used to be of this opinion but its got to the stage now that everyone just seems to be passing the buck, I'm holding them all responsible from now on until something is done, not listening to any more excuses from management,nurses,admin,cleaners whoever they need to sort it out.

fishy fishy

Shakti wrote: »

yes,



Nope, quite the opposite, didn't end well



Quite and I used to be of this opinion but its got to the stage now that everyone just seems to be passing the buck, I'm holding them all responsible from now on until something is done, not listening to any more excuses from management,nurses,admin,cleaners whoever they need to sort it out.

one day you may be really sick and have to skip the queue or wait until they sort people that come in by ambulance well away from the A and E rubberneckers. Then, you will realise what a great job your nurses do and you will get on your knees and thank them.

Shakti

Robbo wrote: »

Not to belittle your suffering here, but isn't one of the central tenets of triage to prioritise patients according the gravity of their condition?

Of course and because of his smart ass attitude he got it wrong, which led to the cardiologist discharging me 8 or so hours later, got to front door the pain got so bad had to stumble back into A&E collapsed EResque drama ensues in resuss, not pretty.

Shakti

fishy fishy wrote: »

one day you may be really sick and have to skip the queue or wait until they sort people that come in by ambulance well away from the A and E rubberneckers. Then, you will realise what a great job your nurses do and you will get on your knees and thank them.

Are you having a laugh? Unfortunately I've the scars to prove it,

fishy fishy

Shakti wrote: »

Are you having a laugh? Unfortunately I've the scars to prove it,

no, and going by your posts I'd say you were the one with attitude.

Shakti

fishy fishy wrote: »

no, and going by your posts I'd say you were the one with attitude.

Listen I couldn't give two what you think my attitude is you don't know me and its this simple.....Are you happy with UCHG A&E?

neemish

Moved to Dublin a few years ago. Have spent years hearing about A&E in Beaumont, and how it resembles a third world country, avoid like the plague etc etc

Presented myself there in Sept 10 - no GPs letter or ambulance, just a serious situation. Was asked a few questions by the receptionist. Within 3-4 minutes was seen by a triage nurse, within 15 mins i was on a drip and with 45 minutes had seen two doctors and treatment had started. spent 24 very uncomfortable hours on a hard backed chair, but every single staff member was fantastic and couldn't have been nicer despite horrific working conditions.


RE: the Galway Clinic. Its actually as bad as A&E believe it or not.have heard of people left on trolleys for up to a week rather than being admitted to a Ward and then the Hospital billing the Insurance Co. for a room

fishy fishy

Shakti wrote: »

Listen I couldn't give two what you think my attitude is you don't know me and its this simple.....Are you happy with UCHG A&E?

LOL - I can understand the nurses attitude now. :D

Shakti

fishy fishy wrote: »

LOL - I can understand the nurses attitude now. :D

Cant you just contribute something to the thread instead of just trying to wind the OP up, its a little juvenile to say the least.

fishy fishy

Shakti wrote: »

Cant you just contribute something to the thread instead of just trying to wind the OP up, its a little juvenile to say the least.

My contributions are to be read above. But your posts read quite hypocritical - you are upset at a nurses "attitude" but don't realize your own "attitude". Could that be where the fault lies

Also I don't know why you would hold hospital staff who are worked to the bone for peanuts, responsible for what the government are doing? Why would you do that?

don't you know you get the government you deserve.

Fozzie Bear

Zzippy wrote: »

I know its not feasible for everyone, but I'd rather spend the money and go to the Galway Clinic...

I work with a lady in her mid 50's. She had a fall last year and fractured her leg in two places. Thinking similarly to you she went to the A&E in the Galway Clinic paid a Kings ransom, got seen to, X-ray taken etc and sent on her way with a "badly sprained knee". Two days later went back again as she was in agony, they told her the same thing again and gave her more pain killers. That night she went to UCHG got seen to and told she had a double fracture and was put into a cast immediately. Another man here in work got messed around in a similar fashion in the Clinic until he went to the Galvia in Renmore. They diagnosed a hernia and he had an operation the following week there.

Paying more money does not neccessarily always guarantee better service.....

neemish

I'd avoid the Clinic at all costs...just don't hear good stories about it

fishy fishy

Fozzie Bear wrote: »

I work with a lady in her mid 50's. She had a fall last year and fractured her leg in two places. Thinking similarly to you she went to the A&E in the Galway Clinic paid a Kings ransom, got seen to, X-ray taken etc and sent on her way with a "badly sprained knee". Two days later went back again as she was in agony, they told her the same thing again and gave her more pain killers. That night she went to UCHG got seen to and told she had a double fracture and was put into a cast immediately. Another man here in work got messed around in a similar fashion in the Clinic until he went to the Galvia in Renmore. They diagnosed a hernia and he had an operation the following week there.

Paying more money does not neccessarily always guarantee better service.....

bon secours = galvia = calvary (how many remember Calvary) LOL

biko

Shakti

Unless of course biko you actually die while your waiting, or on a trolley while being ignored in a corridor or in a waiting room because the place is so busy nobody notices you, or you're on your own without an advocate. You may note I do not share your sense of 'humour' and is no more than a cheap dig well done you.

biko

I understand your annoyance at your friend having to wait 14 hours but it's not like the nurses and doctors are just drinking tea instead. Each time a new patient arrives the less important cases are bumped down a notch on the triage list.
What did Conneely, Crowe et al. say when you approached them about this issue?

Shakti

biko wrote: »

I understand your annoyance at your friend having to wait 14 hours but it's not like the nurses and doctors are just drinking tea instead. Each time a new patient arrives the less important cases are bumped down a notch on the triage list.
What did Conneely, Crowe et al. say when you approached them about this issue?

Thanks I just felt like it was an important issue that should be being discussed in the Galway City forum. So far its been insinuated that I and patients who raise the issue of the shambles of an A&E this city has are "difficult", "impatient", "lacking empathy" or have an "attitude", these labels are in reality more fitting of the people insinuating than the soft targets they are aimed at.

Believe it or not I have a firm intellectual grasp on what 'triage' means and a personal appreciation of how hard A&E staff work, having said all of this the place is completely inadequate to say the least and it's not the patients fault but its left to them to do something about it, in a word ...outrageous.

At election time it was top of the list for C&C. Bit like it was for Gilmore and Kenny and the promise that Roscommon A&E wouldn't be closed.

_Whimsical_

It's great that some people have good experiences in A&E in UCHG but there are too many having bad experiences.Some of the problem is down to management there. I mentioned earlier a terminally ill person who died one week after being admitted to A&E and was left sleeping the night on a chair and then 12 hours on a trolley, all the time in serious pain. In that case a bed was found for that person only when their relations decided it could wait no longer and made a scene and caused an argument. Minutes after that a bed was got for the person. It should not happen that way. No one should be fighting for the last days of their life in basic comfort (because UCHG does provide basic).

thesandeman

Only had to visit there 3 times in the last 20 years or so. Always treated brilliantly by the medical staff.
Only thing that pissed me off was when I went in with blood pouring out of my wrist (nothing sinister) the reception person asked me 'would you pay now?' If I wasn't in so much pain I would have pulled out a bunch of blood soggan notes and dumped them in her hand.
Think the Admin are definitely the problem up there as opposed to the medical staff.

bagels

No matter how good UCHG A&E is purported to be, the complaints greatly outnumber the compliments.

If the staff there were able to admit patients to the wards in a timely fashion, then perhaps waiting times might be halved.

If the triage nurse could send patients for x-ray without the patient having to be seen by a doctor first, then perhaps the system would be more efficient. I've never had to wait more than a few minutes for the radiologists to do their stuff so they're not contributing to delays. Wouldn't the system be more efficient if the doctor had an x-ray right from the beginning to assist with the diagnosis?

Would it not be better if the triage nurse took blood samples from all patients, and have them ready for analysis, before being seen by the doctor? The triage nurse doesn't seem to be as busy as the other staff so his/her time could be better utilised as suggested.

Drunkards, junkies and travellers far too often are jumped ahead in the queue, not out of medical necessity, but merely because they'll make a nuisance of themselves. So much for triage.

_Whimsical_

bagels wrote: »

No matter how good UCHG A&E is purported to be, the complaints greatly outnumber the compliments.

If the staff there were able to admit patients to the wards in a timely fashion, then perhaps waiting times might be halved.

If the triage nurse could send patients for x-ray without the patient having to be seen by a doctor first, then perhaps the system would be more efficient. I've never had to wait more than a few minutes for the radiologists to do their stuff so they're not contributing to delays. Wouldn't the system be more efficient if the doctor had an x-ray right from the beginning to assist with the diagnosis?

Would it not be better if the triage nurse took blood samples from all patients, and have them ready for analysis, before being seen by the doctor? The triage nurse doesn't seem to be as busy as the other staff so his/her time could be better utilised as suggested.

Drunkards, junkies and travellers far too often are jumped ahead in the queue, not out of medical necessity, but merely because they'll make a nuisance of themselves. So much for triage.

Good points Bagels. This kind of thinking is very much needed in A&E. With better management the system could run much more smoothly.

Rob A. Bank

I really don't know where to start with this ridiculous post...

bagels wrote: »

No matter how good UCHG A&E is purported to be, the complaints greatly outnumber the compliments..

How do you know ? Figures please...

If the staff there were able to admit patients to the wards in a timely fashion, then perhaps waiting times might be halved.

But the beds are all full and do not exist on the ward, that's why people end up on trollies.

If the triage nurse could send patients for x-ray without the patient having to be seen by a doctor first, then perhaps the system would be more efficient. I've never had to wait more than a few minutes for the radiologists to do their stuff so they're not contributing to delays. Wouldn't the system be more efficient if the doctor had an x-ray right from the beginning to assist with the diagnosis?

X-rays are very dangerous to humans and there has to be a risk/benefit analysis done for the potential information gained from the procedure... And that is a doctor's job. Your idea would cause a rise in cancer rates in Galway.

Would it not be better if the triage nurse took blood samples from all patients, and have them ready for analysis, before being seen by the doctor? The triage nurse doesn't seem to be as busy as the other staff so his/her time could be better utilised as suggested.

Not everyone going to A/E needs a blood test, and different types of blood tests need different types of anticoagulants in the tubes. The nurse is to take all possible blood tests from everyone attending A/E ??? Your idea would cause greatly increased costs and a rise in anaemia in Galway.

Drunkards, junkies and travellers far too often are jumped ahead in the queue, not out of medical necessity, but merely because they'll make a nuisance of themselves. So much for triage.

Can you produce any objective evidence to support this accusation ?

I thought not !

_Whimsical_

Rob A. Bank wrote: »

X-rays are very dangerous to humans and there has to be a risk/benefit analysis done for the potential information gained from the procedure... And that is a doctor's job. Your idea would cause a rise in cancer in Galway



Can you produce any objective evidence to support this accusation ?

I thought not !

Speaking of ridiculous posts...:rolleyes:

If you've ever been in A&E you'll see that pretty much everyone arriving with a sprain or soft tissue injury is xrayed to eliminate the possibility of a break. The only reason people arrive at a&e with a sprain/strain is in case its broken or to have it strapped.Nurses are perfectly capable of making a call whether someone needs an X-ray.No Dr is standing around over sore ankles weighing up the possibility of radiation exposure causing cancer in 20 years time.

Nurses are also perfectly capable of taking blood samples yet only a Dr takes blood samples in a&e in UCHG which eats a considerable amount of time that could be better spent seeing patients.I presume that's for insurance reasons but it would make more sense to assign a phlebotomist permanently to A&E rather than waste patient care time.

Its a terrible pity that people are so quick to think any criticism of the health service is an attack. Some of us,particularly those who are forced to uses the services on a regular basis, just want it to improve for ourselves and others.Until people talk about their experiences and call out the bad ones that won't happen.
There should be openess about these things. Instead every conversation ends in an uproar about how great nurses and drs are as if that's all that is in dispute. Sure lots of them are,the ones who aren't should be held to account.

Shakti

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

Its a terrible pity that people are so quick to think any criticism of the health service is an attack. Some of us,particularly those who are forced to uses the services on a regular basis, just want it to improve for ourselves and others.Until people talk about their experiences and call out the bad ones that won't happen.
There should be openess about these things. Instead every conversation ends in an uproar about how great nurses and drs are as if that's all that is in dispute. Sure lots of them are,the ones who aren't should be held to account.

I agree with all of that, I think the place needs to be quadrupled in size, lets face it, as it stands its one L shaped corridor with two treatment rooms one for adults the other for kids and a resuscitation room, a hospital serving counties of people numbering in the hundreds of thousands has an L shaped corridor to provide Emergency healthcare in? its madness.

hondasam

Shakti wrote: »

I agree with all of that, I think the place needs to be quadrupled in size, lets face it, as it stands its one L shaped corridor with two treatment rooms one for adults the other for kids and a resuscitation room, a hospital serving counties of people numbering in the hundreds of thousands has an L shaped corridor to provide Emergency healthcare in? its madness.

Making it bigger is not going to make it any more efficient. I always find it's people who have no real need to be there that complains (not you btw) and these people bring two or three people with them taking up room and chairs.
If they charged more for A&E more people would attend their doctor first before going to A&E,

Rob A. Bank

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

Its a terrible pity that people are so quick to think any criticism of the health service is an attack.

Bagels said and you thanked and defended his post as quoted below:

Drunkards, junkies and travellers far too often are jumped ahead in the queue, not out of medical necessity, but merely because they'll make a nuisance of themselves. So much for triage.

If that is not an attack on the professional competence of the triage nurses, what is ?

I asked for any objective evidence to support this accusation, and I am still waiting...

...

Shakti

Thanks hondasam, I hate complaining and to the point of injury I've put up with some pretty blatant maltreatment in A&E, I could also talk of the excellent treatment and care I received once eventually admitted to a ward in UCHG, or the inadequate prefabricated building that is neurology, but it just isn't getting any better in A&E its getting worse, yes it's G.P's and yes it's people being there that shouldn't be etc. but I don't see how we can do anything about those things in the short term, were as if the place was four times the size with four times the staff at least they would be prepared, look at the excellent 'medical assessment unit' and even though that at it stands doesn't have the heart monitors to go around it still gave G.P's another avenue of referral that otherwise would have been at the Glass Hatch in A&E.

fishy fishy

there's no point having a go at the nurses and doctors that are working in the a and E. Of course it's easy to take tempers out on them if you are upset, but hopefully you will make a very large poster and go to the correct people to protest - YOUR GOVERNMENT.

Some of these posts seem to insinuate that nurses/doctors should "hurry it up, and do whatever job they need to" so you can get out of the hospital quicker. Its the typical "What About Me" syndrome.

In reality you have no idea what is going on with ambulances pulling up, emergencies coming in - this is the way it is - you will have to get used to long lines and waiting your turn depending on your need.

If you have a problem with that, don't attack the nurses - go to your govt and attack them. Or maybe that takes too much effort and the nurses are an easy target.

As I said before, it's only when you are in a real crisis or have to deal with nurses every day that you realise exactly how hard they work and what they have to deal with.

shampoosuicide

lol at the armchair hospital management experts.

i'm sure the people that work in the hospital day-in day-out have never considered methods of making their jobs easier.

Mrs OBumble

shampoosuicide wrote: »

lol at the armchair hospital management experts.

+1

Yes, there are useless doctors and nurses .... just like there are useless bus drivers, shop-assistants, posties, courier drivers, lawyers, bankers, priests, politicians, convenience shop owners etc.

And yes, it's a pain (and possibly fatal) when your treatment is less than desirable because you're unlucky enough to get one of them. (And I'm not talking thru a hole: in another country, I've been with a friend who'd had a seizure - minimal monitoring and released from A&E 4 hours later, even though I knew she was getting worse, seized again in the car half way home. Thankfully she survived and has moved to a city where they have competent neurologists.)

I asked the OP if s/he was there with a GP referral - once the answer was "yes" I have total sympathy.

I'm also sure that the place could be run better - but doubt that randoms on the interwebz have the knowledge to say how.

Things that ordinary people can do, though, include:

• paying all the tax that they're due to pay (no cash jobs, backhanders etc)
• filling out their census forums: I lost count of the number of people who claimed that they weren't going to do it 'cos "the government already knows about me" or "I just don't want to" or similar: if they don't have accurate population stats, there's no way to plan for adequate services.
• lobblying politicians for better funding.