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What'S Happening To Our Emergency Services?


suzeanna

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I can't beleive this topic was even started, I am totally shocked.

The reason we have to wait for the emergency services is becaues they are called out continually, do we hear praise for the 1000s of times they save someone......................no.....................only the odd occasion when things go wrong make the headlines.

I have nothing but toal respect and admiration for everyone involved in all these serices and before we start slaggig them off think about how you would respond in a similar situation, you may not be paid to do the job but could you put yourself in serious danger to save a life if you were first on the scene, and remember that even as a private indivudual you can still be sued and probably will

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I think that, as with everything in life, there is a minority who spoils it for the rest of us. Disrespectful patients in hospitals as well as rude staff who can't be asked doing the job that they were meant to be doing.

I once had to go to A&E - don't remember how it happened, but I had a massive headache and there was concern for a concussion so off I went. The waiting room was full of incredibly obnoxious ''youffs'', a few alcoholics and one or two people with obviously serious mental health problems. Two of the chavs were escorted out of the building, despite this one guy bleeding n all, because they just terrorised the other people, who couldn't speak up for themselves. I didn't want to add anymore to the trouble and stress the staff were obviously having, so I quietle sat in the room, waiting to be called. After a couple of hours I thought it not unreasonable to politely enquire if they would have any idea how long it would be before I'd get seen. Turns out that a doctor had come out of one of the treatment rooms and whispered my name, because I never heard him. I did get to see the same doctor, got a right telling off for not having heard him and he was the rudest, most unpleasant "health care professional" I ever had the displeasure to meet.

I'm sure that both the chavs and the doctor were part of a minority that spoils it for everyone else.

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I think initially, the fast response paramedic unit was a good idea, but with the changes in peoples attitude, the tendancy to sue, the risk factor of going it alone into a pub or any other dangerous situation, its probalby not such a viable service anymore.

 

Very sad that the day has come where our emergency services have to travel in 2's. The minority have brought this about and ruined it for most. I have total admiration for a high percentage of our emergency services, doctors and health professionals but like the small percentage of knobheads who feck up the public side, there are some in those services who feck it up for us too.

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Your sentiments are fine Ian.

I shall remind myself of that when facing a disciplinary-or when i cant pay the mortgage.

As a nurse i have met some very difficult and challenging situations-today i was dealing with a man who is currently cutting and/or biting lumps out of himself and eating them.

 

I accept that dealing with these situations is something I choose to deal with.

 

I dont choose to be then prosecuted because you as the Customer/client/patient dont like what I have done and because i did not follow my trusts agreed proceeduresI am therefore solely responsible.

 

have i taken risks? Yes

But the older i get the less willing I am to lose my job/ability to put food on my table/pension

 

Fee

 

I don't think it's mere sentiment - just my opinion & perhaps the need for common sense - including from your Managers & unions - there comes a time when they must back the staff providing that the staff can show they exercised sound & reasonable judgement in the circumstances they were in.

 

Eg if you turn up at a pub where some nutter has just run in & stabbed some random customer then I'd think it reasonable for them to expect the police to escort you in.

 

If two guys known to each other were fighting & one got stabbed then I fail to see why it should be assumed he would also stab the emergency services.

 

Firemen getting stoned by kids for example escapes me - I'd say forget being PC & turn the hoses on the little "blighters" :glare:

 

The nurse doesn't necessarily expect to face their own injury / death each day, but the policeman, fireman, soldier etc probably does / should reasonably know there is that possible risk when they sign up - harsh as that may be.

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The nurse doesn't necessarily expect to face their own injury / death each day, but the policeman, fireman, soldier etc probably does / should reasonably know there is that possible risk when they sign up - harsh as that may be.

 

Statistically nursing is far more dangerous these days than policing.

 

People think we don't get much abuse but if you'd heard the gobful I got today it would probably shock you.We are certainly more at risk of both verbal and physical assault than police officers and I am also aware that assaults on nurses are sadly very much under reported.Certainly verbal abuse is very under reported in the NHS.

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Statistically nursing is far more dangerous these days than policing.

 

People think we don't get much abuse but if you'd heard the gobful I got today it would probably shock you.We are certainly more at risk of both verbal and physical assault than police officers and I am also aware that assaults on nurses are sadly very much under reported.Certainly verbal abuse is very under reported in the NHS.

 

recent research has shown that nurses are one of The most At Risk professions.

 

Much as i would like to think positively when dealing with the general public-my experience is to assume the worst.

i was assaulted by a patients husband-who hit me over the head with a chair when i asked his wife if she was taking any medication.

i was badly bitten by a drug addict (my colleague lost his grip during a restraint) my HIV testing /counselling was great fun

i have had a drug user stab me with a used needle-my second round of HIV and hepatitis counselling was even more fun the second time

today-i helped break up a fight-the abuse went as follows " f*** you, you f****** fat c***-im going to f****** kill you-im going to rip your tits off and rape your f****** children" Joyous

 

wheni worked in inner city acute/intensive care psychiatry-serious danger was and is a daily occurance.

 

i came into the profession -niave though it may now sound-because i genuinely believed i could make a difference to peoples lives.

Do you know what? i still believe that i can and i do.

 

But I never, never underestimate the risk that we as the emergency services take in just trying to do our jobs.

 

fee

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Again though I'd say common sense & management are at fault in some of these examples.

 

Verbal abuse, wrong as it may be I would sadly not be surprised by, nor so worried by.

 

Working in psychiatric wards I would expect may involve some danger - but would have to revert to my argument that this is your chosen field & surely a rather more specialised field than "general nursing" alone.

 

Stabbing with needles by druggies I'd have a lot more sympathy for you for - as you can't choose who & who not to treat (rightly or wrongly - personally I don't believe that they should just be allowed to get away with that / come back to do it again)& I would hope it's not a daily occurance - though I may well sadly be naieve in this hope / belief.

 

Although I'm aware that it does happen nurses breaking up fights however isn't something I expect to be allowed to happen at all - policemen, security guards, whatever but it's upto the Management to ensure that Dr's & nurses are free & safely able to do what they are trained to do, not act as bouncers to morons.

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Much as i would like to think positively when dealing with the general public-my experience is to assume the worst.

i was assaulted by a patients husband-who hit me over the head with a chair when i asked his wife if she was taking any medication.

i was badly bitten by a drug addict (my colleague lost his grip during a restraint) my HIV testing /counselling was great fun

i have had a drug user stab me with a used needle-my second round of HIV and hepatitis counselling was even more fun the second time

today-i helped break up a fight-the abuse went as follows " f*** you, you f****** fat c***-im going to f****** kill you-im going to rip your tits off and rape your f****** children" Joyous

 

I really sympathise with you for having to deal with this. I worked in a prison for 4 years, started when I was 18 years old, and like most people, thought I could make a difference. I quickly learnt that completely unprovoked verbal and physical abuse were an every day occurrence. I've lost count of the amount of times that I have been threatened with rape and violence, and just ridiculed in general. But despite being used to dealing with this from the general prison population, and to some degree desensitised to it, I still always got a feeling of dread whenever I had to work on the healthcare unit. It has given me such an appreciation and respect for people that work within the field of mental health, I know that I certainly wouldn't be emotionally strong enough to deal with it on a long term basis.

 

Anyone that can get up everyday and go to work knowing that they are going to be dealing with unpredictable, violent and volatile individuals, deserves a medal in my opinion. I'm obviously talking about a small hardcore group of people, but you only need one or two of them on a unit with 30 other mentally ill people to send everything into disarray. In the whole four years that I worked in the prison I was only seconded to healthcare on a handful of occasions, but thats where I picked up all of my injuries! laugh.gif

 

Sorry, I didn't mean to hijack this thread by going off topic, just wanted to say well done to Fee for sticking with what I have seen first hand to be a very difficult and often frustrating job (I hope that didn't sound patronising unsure.gif ).

Edited by Laura_E
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Ian I've been assaulted too both as a general nurse and as a health visitor.In A&E I was grabbed and shaken,in a general medical ward we got cornered by a guy with a scalpel who waved it in our face for 20 minutes,I've been kicked in the shins by a patient,whacked with a walking stick,had sh*t thrown at me too.As a health visitor I've been grabbed around the throat,threatened to be shot,whacked on the head with a phone,had a fist in my face and told 'you f*** with me and I'll f*** with you back', been followed home and had to go to the nearest police station,called a f***ing bitch etc more times than I can recall.I have even been assaulted and shut in an office by a blooming colleague.

 

Accept that nurses in all types of nursing do get abused regularly and it is now one of the most dangerous professions in this country.I work alone,no one is there to protect me.Forget your idea of Nerys Hughes as the District Nurse as per the TV drama,it ain't like that any more.I wish it was but it isn't.

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Please do not try to patronise me - nowhere have I ever mentioned Nerys Hughes etc!

 

I didn't say that it doesn't happen - though hopefully not daily to the average nurse - which I still believe is true and also that it is upto your Management & Unions to ensure your protection & safety when appropriate - 20 minutes for a nurse to be cornered by anyone is just ridiculous & unacceptable - if your unions & Management have not addressed this then you ought to have called the HSE!

 

In this area I believe that has included extra security & police in Hull Royal Infirmary -but (as you appear to confirm yourselves)you are unlikely to achieve safety merely by having some H & S policy alone - as I also suggested I believe Police, security or whatever - eg perhaps enhanced punishments & deterrants from the Courts for those convicted, always working in pairs "externally", self defence classes if necessary would be more effective.

 

I don't expect you to be at risk totally without any concern / support but nevertheless I believe that you do still have to do the job you have chosen to do - in certain circumstances despite knowing the risks

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ian-when i worked in hackney-the hospital had its own beat officer.

i have been trained in breakaway technique/restraint-and previosuly riot control

we have some security

we have alarm bells.

 

you keep saying it Shouldnt happen-& unions etc should stop "it" happening does not affect the reality-that violence is meeted out daily to Emergency workers in this country.

 

I choose to work in mental health-i did not choose to be the punching bag for societys ills.

yes-i accept a certain level of abuse comes with my job-but the levels of voilence are now at the stage where we are struggling to find nurses/social workers who Will work in the worst areas.

The attitude that you chose to do the job-so get on with it hardly attracts people to work in these areas: you then end up in a viscious spiral of low staffing/too many agency staff-and increase of violence so even more regular staff leave.

 

the levels of abuse that i find acceptable to work within (and lets be honest-i have largely worked in inner city acute/intensive care/prisons-so im no delicate flower_!) is now the norm-not the exception-

 

if people like me leave the profession-who precisely is going to care for the psychotic drug user running down bexleyheath high street tomorrow?

 

fee

 

ps the man who was eating himself-has curently stopped.....and the chap that gave me the tirade of abuse is now beginning to calm down on his medication-will luck and a following wind he will be returning home to his wife in the next few weeks......

Edited by fee4
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I'm not patronising you Ian but it does feel like you are patronising us nurses with your 'just get on with it,it's your choice to do that job' attitude as Fee has already said.

 

Ok I chose to do child protection,I accept I'm going to get some flak.I'm not going to walk in and tell someone they are a bad parent and they're going to roll over and accept that.But I face an almost daily level of verbal abuse and complaint that people seem to think is acceptable for us to take.This week I'm being complained about because I accesed someone's medical records.I'm a nurse ffs.But I will still have to go through the hassle of being interviewed by my manager and making a statement,I've already been yelled at by 3 adults who then stormed out of a meeting calling me all the names under the sun.All because they know they are facing more serious child protection issues.Suddenly it's my fault and I face the backlash.Why should this be acceptable?

 

How are the unions going to change the way the public treat us? Are they going to send us out with a security guard when we visit? There is already a huge campaign throughout the UK regarding Zero Tolerance to violence and abuse towards NHS staff.The reality is the public now think it's ok to be verbally abusive,threatening and violent towards staff.Sad really.

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Casualty has a lot to answer for.

 

Two friends are paramedics - one on a rapid response team trained to deal with major disasters.

Plane crash, sinking ship, train derailment etc, she and her colleagues will be there - and not drinking tea either.

Not only that, she has been a lifeboat volunteer in her spare time. Got in trouble at work once when she turned out for a rescue when she was off work recovering from an injury and had the bad luck to be televised. (Injury still not totally healed and never will be.)

Even the other friend who is a "normal" paramedic has to deal with total s**t a lot of the time.

Anyone criticising want to swap places?

No - thought not.

 

Pam

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The emergency services save lives..every day of the year. I would not be here if it wasn't for them, the police who took over the scene, the firecrew who cut me free and the medical proffesionals who put me back together, people shouldn't waste time laying into people with a very difficult job..do you really think these people are paid enough for the risk they take? yes they know what they are signing up for but realistically do you think the 18k salary or whatever it is firecrew get these days is much comfort to a family who lost someone to the job? yet train drivers can bleet and whinge about working sundays and get paid a fortune..how is that fair?

Yes mistakes happen..ambulances get delayed, police can be..less than helpful at times and sometimes medical staff have had a really bad day and don't have the resources to deal with what you need, but more than anything else they save lives, and I for one wouldn't want a country without them.

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In the 6 days I was in a ward last week, this is a general ward, 5 nurses were assaulted, 2 we didnt see again. These 2 women had to have a nurse with them 24/7, so that was 1 less for the other 15 patients.they shouldnt have been on the ward, but just a urine infection had gone to their brains, and made them act like that. The nurses didnt deserve it, they dont get paid for it, who should in the caring proffession have to put up with it, they are human, we saw their faces as they are only allowed to restrain the patient, not defend themselves.

To see this happen right next to me, while the nurses are trying to stop a woman pull someones drip out of their arm, I thought to myself this isnt a job that nurse should be doing. My 19 year old son gets more than that a year as a bookie.

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