Have you got any suggestions about how staff training can improve those things that you've mentioned?
Oh yes. I think they must as I've said, they must be taught that each patient is an individual. They're very vulnerable. They're very sensitive and what they want is kindness. They don't want to hear, “Oh I'm too busy to bring you a bed pan”. Or, “Get up and go you'll be alright”. I mean they kept saying, “You can go to the toilet”. And I said, “Well look, I can hardly walk, I will wet myself by the time I get there”. Well you shouldn't have to say this. I mean patients know whether they can get out of bed and get to the toilet in time, but to be told, “Get up and go”. And having to explain, well I'm afraid I can't. They should know this; they should know each patient and their capabilities.
You also put a lot of stress on the importance of being listened to.
Oh yes, yes. They don't listen at all they just tell you what to do, they just dictate really. You're not a person, you have no points of view, you don't seem to have any feelings as far as they're concerned. You've just got cancer and they'll do this and they'll do that and that's it.
So really what you're saying is apart from paying attention to the physical treatment and consequences of that, to look at the person as an individual with emotions and needs.
Absolutely, absolutely. We... although in the old days nurses did, and so did doctors, I mean they'd sit by your bed. I mean, I remember when I had my appendix out when I was a teenager and they sat by the bed and told you what was going to happen and chattered away but now they don't and I've seen, oh masses of doctors during this year's illness and I don't think one of them has sat and talked to me as a person. |
