I thought I should share my horrific experience with nurses at Mulbarton Hospital.
From 6am on May 8, 2017, the admission was swiftly done and by 6.15am I was dressed and ready for theatre for a procedure on my left knee, which left me unable to walk.
The anaesthetist and doctor came and the process from the ward to the theatre and back was done professionally. I was in section E, third floor, Room 7.1 on May 9, 2017.
Just after 7am the doctor came to consult me in the company of a female nurse. The doctor left and I asked the nurse if she was going to remove the drip or if it was still going be used, and she said she would remove it.
I also asked for some water to wash, as I had not washed since the previous day, but she never returned.
Another nurse came to me and removed the drip. I asked for water again but she told me to wait for the physiotherapist to get me mobile and then I could go to the bathroom myself.
I ended up going to the bathroom myself to wash with great difficulty, alone and unassisted, after the physiotherapist had left because while I was in physiotherapy I felt uncomfortable as I had not brushed my teeth or had a bath. I also was not able to fully engage in the session because of this.
At around 10am a nurse came around taking complaints from patients and I explained the above to her. At around 11am they brought a trolley with a water basin around for me to wash but I turned it back as it was already too late.
At around 12.15pm my wife came to pick me up. When I requested to be discharged I was told that a nurse had gone to section B and I should wait for her.
When she arrived I requested a wheelchair, which was provided, and I wheeled myself out of the ward unassisted. I passed the nurses’ station. Only when I got to the lift did somebody offer to assist.
I am still stunned, traumatised and baffled. I am not sure what motivated the kind of treatment and still not sure what to make of this. I shall not set foot in Mulbarton Hospital ever again. I do regret moving from Milpark to Mulbarton. Whatever I need to attend to there, please move it back to Milpark.
Jerome Kgaole
Mulbarton Hospital Manager Nellie Koen responds:
On behalf of the staff and management of Netcare Mulbarton Hospital, we wish to convey our most sincere apologies to Mr Kgaole for our failure to meet his expectations and that our service was on occasion slower than what is acceptable.
After careful investigation of Mr Kgaole’s complaints we have ascertained the following:
Mr Kgaole was seen and discharged by his doctor at 7am on the morning after his procedure. Soon thereafter he apparently asked a student nurse to remove his drip. However, the student nurse was busy with the doctors’ rounds and therefore delegated the task to the enrolled nursing assistant (ENA).
Mr Kgaole later also asked for a basin to wash but because the physiotherapist arrived at the same time for his physiotherapy session it was suggested that he ring the bell once he had completed his physiotherapy session so that the basin could be brought to him then. At around 10am, Mr Kgaole indicated that he had been waiting for a basin of water so that he could wash himself. When the basin was taken to Mr Kgaole by the ENA at approximately 10.45am he indicated that he had already gone to the bathroom on his own.
Mr Kgaole’s discharge was handled by the ENA. There was a wheelchair in the room, and the ENA was busy arranging for a porter to come and collect the patient when she noticed that the patient’s wife was already wheeling him out. Mr and Mrs Kgaole were met at the lifts by the porter who then further assisted in wheeling him out of the hospital.
I appreciate the concerns raised by Mr Kgoale and wish to offer my absolute assurance that the management and staff of Netcare Mulbarton Hospital have only the best interests of our patients at heart and that they are committed to caring for our patients with compassion, dignity, respect and appreciation. We continuously endeavour to improve on our service where possible. Our unit manager had accordingly been in contact with Mr Kgoale on May 10, 2017 as well as on May 16, 2017 to discuss his concerns and to provide him with feedback, for which he thanked her.
We sincerely hope that Mr Kgaole has recovered from his procedure. Netcare views every complaint received seriously and will always provide feedback to the person concerned as soon as possible.
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