04.16.08
Trying the NHS from the other end
Today I decided to become a patient. Well I say decided, actually just as I was walking from my car to the office my heart somehow decided to beat in a kind of rapid Supraventicular Tacycardic way. This has happened to me before, a couple of times when pregnant and once or twice since, but on each of those occasions it has lasted a few minutes and being a nursey type I have never sought medical treatment or advice. Today was different. After an hour at my desk it was getting increasingly difficult to get on with any work. 20 minutes later I had consulted with a colleague (well my director) and got myself driven to the local hospital by her PA.
So followed my first experience of resus as a patient and a two hour engagement with a trolley, ECG machine and associated other monitoring equipment and a very good but unpleasant drug which needed to be administered twice for effect. I had a great nurse and a wonderful doctor, who got on with the job efficiently, cheerfully and who made me feel like I was no trouble at all (of course all in a days work).
Now I feel fine, if weary. Have some tablets to take if it happens again and I am to await a cardiology appointment. I am toying with a day off tomorrow to recuperate, but we’ll see.
So there you have it, Julie experiencing life in the NHS from the other end of things!
smudge said,
April 16, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Hey Julie
Sounds really scary - hope you soon feel better and don’t have to wait too long for your cardiology appointment. Take care of yourself
smudge
Julie said,
April 17, 2008 at 7:08 am
Thanks Smudge!
Jobbing Doctor said,
April 17, 2008 at 7:15 am
‘A great nurse and a wonderful doctor.’
That is great to hear. Get well quickly.
Another NHS Manager said,
April 17, 2008 at 11:12 am
Glad to hear it went well. I don’t know if you’ve read NHS Blog doctor on ECGs today. Dr Crippen appears to have turned into Dr Rant. I do hope dopey doris wasn’t involved with her 5 GCSEs.
Julie said,
April 17, 2008 at 1:01 pm
I suspect that Dr Crippen and Dr Rant are never actually seen in the same room together!!
Jobbing Doctor said,
April 17, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Dr Crippen and Dr Rant are, to be fair, the angry end of the profession. I certainly don’t agree with them on all their postings.
But, actually, their ramblings are making some sense to me…….help, I’m turning into Dr Rant…………Nurse,……….nurse, please help!!
Julie said,
April 17, 2008 at 7:05 pm
LOL, well at times I can be a bit Dr Crippen like and at other times Dr Rant like. Having said that, I don’t like the naming and shaming of individuals by their real names or the displaying of real people’s letters on the internet (even with the names blacked out).
Sometimes we have to step back and wonder exactly what is going on for the other people. Yesterday in A&E I heard loud and clear some of the irritations that people in the acute sector have for those of us in the PCT. Does this make me rant? Well no. Because actually I agree with some of what they say - the whole tick box, lets take all power away from secondary care thing is mad. What is more, while I work for the PCT I am not the PCT.
Braden said,
April 17, 2008 at 8:03 pm
As we give medications/treatments that are uncomfortable or unpleasant, we seldem pause to really imagine what it would be like to be on the receiving end of these treatments. That probably wouldn’t change the fact that we still need to give/do it, but sometimes we (I) forget empathy a little.
We should all be required to be a patient for a day once in a while. Perhaps then our understanding would go up.
-Braden-
20 out of 10 Blog
Kim said,
April 18, 2008 at 12:57 am
Whoa - you must have gotten Adenosine!!
A little, shall we say, pause before the pacer resets?
I’m glad you’re better - why is it we nurses always think things are “nothing” or “normal”? Yet if someone told us they were having the same thing, we’d tell them to go get it checked!
No SVT allowed - you’re coming here for a visit, no excuse! : D
Julie said,
April 18, 2008 at 7:07 am
Thats exactly what I got, twice.
Don’t worry Kim, nothing will prevent my visit!!