Hospital admissions
On Friday morning my wife was taken by blue lights to resus and was given treatment at our local accident and emergency department where she was given steroids and some stronger antibiotics and although she has had numerous hospital admissions I have got to say that the manner that she was treated and the quality of care that she was given was excellent and outstanding from the onset I find it difficult to understand why emergency services and associated staff take such a‘look down your nose’ approach to every COPD sufferer that we are in contact with and does anyone here have the same concerns because if my wife was a drug addict or a alcoholic I know that she would be treated in a very different way and I can say this because I have seen for myself due to family members and friends who have chosen that path in life and to me it couldn’t be more disrespectful if they tried please could any of you out there advise or help me so that the next time my wife gets blue lighted to hospital I might have some kind of way to help make it that bit easier on my wife
Hi there, it's good to see you posting here again -- though I'm very sorry to hear your wife has had a flare and had to go into the hospital for treatment. While we wait for others to chime in, I do have a suggestion. Does your wife have a GP or other doctor that she sees regularly? For patients who often need emergency care, it can be useful for the doctor to write a letter explaining their condition and typical treatment. You would keep this letter and bring it along with you whenever she goes into the hospital or emergency department. Another option, if it is possible where you live, is to have her doctor call ahead to inform the emergency team that she will be arriving soon, along with their recommendations. Both of these strategies have worked well in the past for people with other chronic respiratory conditions, such as asthma, here in the US where I live. Sometimes, having a doctor to lend support can really benefit.
I wish all the best to your wife. We are here for both of you! -Melissa, copd.net team
I'm so sorry the two of you had to go through this! I'm very glad you feel she got quality care because obviously that's very important. However, it's also extremely important that every patient be treated with empathy, kindness, and compassion.
I'm a Respiratory Therapist whose spent a good share of my career in the emergency department. What you describe is thankfully the exception, not the rule. But, it should never happen.
One of my suggestions is to confront it head-on. If the healthcare workers have any pride and compassion, they'll immediately change their attitude. You could say something like "my wife has suffered with COPD for xxx years, please treat her with the compassion you'd want your family to be treated with". or something similar.
I also agree with Melissa, if you have a regular doctor that could write something up for you to have when she needs to be taken to the hospital by ambulance, this may help.
In the meantime, I hope she's feeling better.
Best,
Lyn (COPD site moderator)
Hi
, and thanks for your post, comments and question - they are good ones! I see my colleagues, and , have each made good suggestions and I agree with what they've said, completely.
I also have something to contribute. In each hospital (large or small), there are nursing supervisors on duty. Sometimes, there are also administrative supervisors and often times, head nurses and assistant head nurses for each individual nursing unit, like the emergency department (ED).
If you encounter the situation you described above (indifference, condescension, and/or lack of compassion on the part of the health care practitioners), in the future, my suggestion would be to reach out for any of the clinical / administrative professionals who are on duty. If you were to bring this to their attention, I am certain they would intervene on your behalf.
I am also glad to hear this was not your experience this time around. How is your wife feeling now? Is she home again?
Wishing you well,
Leon (site moderator COPD.net)
