One women a few weeks ago brought her dog into a&e when she came by ambulance. The staff were ripping their hair out at this, one nurse shouting, I'm not a bloody vet. I do some work at the hospital but for what ever reason, the staff are tied down and external pressures means they give preferential treatment to those that are likely to kick up a fuss because the nurses are the ones that will get bollokings if they don't do so. Call it political correctness if you want, but if I were a nurse in A&E, I'd soon lose my temper. That nurse was probably as frustrated as you that she has to be unfair in this way, she's probably on a crap wage thats better that what she will get when the big wigs get on her back when someone screaming and shouting doesn't get there own way. It's a lot easier on a ward, you just look after who is there, you know them and there's none of these preferential problems.
It's not the nurses that are the problem its all this red tape, paper work and positive discrimination that they have to adhere to.
My only visit to hospital recently was on the advice of NHS direct. After having severe stomach cramps for three days, with diarohea and vomiting, along with a rash, bad pins and needles etc. they said I'd better pop in. I obviously wasn't well as my pulse was through the roof so I didn't have to wait that long. I was dehydrated because of the vomiting and had to be treated for gastroenteritis which I'd probably picked up from one of the patients on the ward I visit. I was treated quickly, and the student nurses and doctors were fine. This was a Saturday afternoon. (Incident at top not connected to this visit, I was dropping my sister off who'd done some damage her ankle).
I can understand where Steve is coming from, maybe he see's these things more, but I don't think approaching a nurse on a shift during a busy evening was the best thing to do.  |