hatzi

Hey, I have been injured at work, blah blah blah! I now have to see an orthopaedic surgeon after 5 months on light duties. I told my GP about this particular pain in the very beginning and he told me I was "worrying too much". I asked for an x-ray, he said the same again. Finally at work one night, I was doubled over in pain, felt like I couldnt breath, this band of pain was incredible. It eased and I put heat on it and completed my 4 hours. Woke up the next day feeling disgusting, saw another GP (mine wasnt available) he sent me for an x-ray showing a compression fracture of the T7. I was kinda releived that it wasnt all in my head. I saw my own GP who then did the referal, saying not much at all about the fracture, I asked if I should be doing anything different, he sadi just stick to your surrent stage 2 of the RTW program and see the Ortho. I cant get an appt until March 26th. Im feeling a little peeved off right now and frustrated. Wht dont doctors just shut-up and listen to the person instead of reaching for the anti=depressants, which by the way he ofered me again on Friday! Not impressed. Will I ever be able to return to my medical ward? I ask him and he says "you'll have good days and bad days", whats all that about? Dont they have ANY idea???

Well, I agree that the patient is the most import consumer, but I do agree that we all work collaborativley to ensure they are happy with the service, thats what we all do isnt it?.......provide a service to consumers, just that our customers are in need of medical intervention in one way or another. Where I work, we all work together, if we have concerns about a particular treatment or drug regime, we simply ask about it, our consultants and inturns are always oblidging. We work in a very large public (privatley run) hospital. We treat them with respect and we receive the same in return. Obviously there are exceptions to this rule, there always will be, maybe thats why all new inturns get a pretty confronting lecture before they leave university, " remember, treat the nursing staff with respect, they are neither your slave or scapegoat, get on the wrong side of them and they can make your life a living hell". I kinda like to believe that we all try to get along and hope and strive for the best outcome. Call me stupid, but I still believe that I treat others as I would have them treat me!! I often find new inturns asking nursing staff "what do you think I should do now?". It doesnt mean they are stupid, it means they are extremely smart and not too "full of themsleves" to ask for assisstance. Isnt that what we are there for anyway??? To assist? Very interesting topic I must say, gets the words flowing. Cheers HB "Life is what happens when your busy making other plans" John Lennon.

Yes I have had a few "strange experiences" on my ward, especially since I only normally do night duty. Although I did have a weird thing happen on day shift, one end of the ward was closed, nothing unusual, but this darn call bell kept going off far down the end room. I kept turning it off, I was on my own as my colleague had gone to lunch. I went down ther, quite dark, to turn it off again, but the bed light had been turned on this time, I turned them both off, not thinking anything, but then the cleaners came and they alerted me to the bell once more. I returned to the room, but with the cleaners in toe this time, I fear my bravery was running out. We opened the door and the light and bell were both on again, the room was icy cold this time. The cleaners then thoguth it an opportune time to tell me of all the ghostly experiences they had observed in their 20 years at the hospital. Suffice to say I did not listen intently, as I was having trouble believing what happened next. We returned to my end of the ward, and we had only had the ladies bay open at the time and the side rooms, as we were low on admissions. So we have two bays of 6 beds, one empty and in darkness, but when I returned I found all the lights above the beds in the empty bay ahd been turned on! Not only that, when my colleague returned from lunch, she asked " who turned the radio over to this crap?" It had been changed from a "cool" station to a "classical music" station!! Weird huh?I have heard very weird things about night shift too, but obviously someone wanted mya ttention this particular day and they got it, albeit eventually!! Cheers

Thanks sjoe, I do like the phrase about taking crap, very true I think! I have read the dsicussion forum, thankyou, nice to know Im not the only one on this workcover roundabout. Very frustrating I must say. I dont know how it works for you over there, but here in Oz, its very peculiar indeed!! Well, off to the Doc to get MRI reviewed, see what interesting news I can tell my overworked, underpid Claims Manager(ha ha) Bye

Hi, Nurstig, I started in Medical ward, and I found it, and still do very interesting. I have done surgical,, but feel more relaxed and at home on the medical ward. I love the fact that we get sooo many patients with sooo many different presentations from cardiac to asthma, to uncontrolled diabetes, CVA, Lupus, RA,OP,COAD,and usually alot of patients from teh ICU on the road to recovery. But I guess it depands on where you feel comfortable and I guess thats what the Graduate Nurse Program is all about, you get to go to different rotations to see where you feel you might want to end up. Bye, hope this helps

I have recently injured myslef at work on night duty, when I say "myself" it was actually with the help of an alderly, dmented patient, of the fairly strong origin, that helped me over the cotside of his bed from a standing position because he wanted to kiss me! The result of this affection is herniated disc and buldging disc in the lower lumber- L5-S1 and L4-L5. I am still on,light duties and wondered if anyone else eventually went back to full duties? How long did it take? It has been just over 4 mnths now, and Im getting pretty frustrated, I have only been nursing for 3 years since graduating in 2000.