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Julie1962
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Surrey
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29-12-2017, 04:04 PM
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Incompetent practitioners

Rarely meet anyone within the NHS that I can't trust but one nurse at our local GP surgery really makes me nervous.

I had a blood test today and grace had one too, she isn't keen so I said I'd go first and she could see it wasn't painful.

The nurse came in and my heart dropped to my boots it's was the nurse I always dread.

After 5 times of sticking the needle in my arm she told me off for having shy veins ! Right in front of a now traumatised child.

I said have another go or get someone can do it, she took offence and left. No one came so we went to reception and luckily the phlebotomist was on site so she agreed to come and have a go.

First time not so much as a scratch.

Managed to persuade grace to try to be brave and thankfully first time again no pain.

The original nurse can't take blood pressures either I've seven times now had to have the GP come to the treatment room to take my blood pressure because this woman hasn't been able to do it.

Why is she employed ? No one can say, she was retired for twenty years and came back because they had a shortage. But I'd rather wait a few weeks for the test than have this woman playing pin the tail on the donkey with my arm !

Anyway my query is can I complain and how to go about it ? I don't want to cause trouble but this woman isn't competent IMO and I'm afraid she's going to hurt someone if they let her do anything more complicated. She's been banned from doing dressings btw I'm not sure what happened but it was a huge row between the ulcer clinic patients and her.
Nom
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29-12-2017, 04:20 PM
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Re: Incompetent practitioners

Sadly ive bumped into a few of these down the years, even to doctor level after several attempts would just drop the needle and do a runner until a nurse would see me sitting waiting for it to be completed.

Yes complain that nurse needs retraining in both skillset and bedside manner in my opinion.
Julie1962
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29-12-2017, 04:23 PM
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Re: Incompetent practitioners

From what the receptionists say they are scared of her, has a bit of a temper I think. I guess it's surgery manager I need to write to.
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Ffosse
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29-12-2017, 05:11 PM
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Re: Incompetent practitioners

When I was getting regular canulas the rule was that the nurse gets 2 attempts; if she can't do it after 2 then another nurse must try. (This was in hospital, obviously, not a G.P. surgery.)
Julie1962
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29-12-2017, 05:35 PM
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Re: Incompetent practitioners

That seems fair our proper phlebotomist is marvellous you don't even feel the needle.
CeeCee
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29-12-2017, 06:07 PM
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Re: Incompetent practitioners

Julie, I would write a formal letter of complaint to the Nursing and Midwifery Council, copying in your GP Practice Manager and Senior Clinician. If that fails to get a response, then write to your MP enclosing a copy of your letter. This is what I did. It took my MP three attempts before he got a reply. Following that, I changed practices because I was still unhappy.
lovemyboys
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29-12-2017, 08:26 PM
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Re: Incompetent practitioners

Originally Posted by Ffosse ->
When I was getting regular canulas the rule was that the nurse gets 2 attempts; if she can't do it after 2 then another nurse must try. (This was in hospital, obviously, not a G.P. surgery.)
It's the same here - two attempts only.
I have very small veins, and it's always a hassle. No matter how many times I tell them that and ask for a more experienced nurse to do it, they never listen, and I get multiple pokes before there's any success.

I would definitely complain about the nurse - from the sounds of her, I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't have complaints already!

Edited to fix a silly boo-boo
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29-12-2017, 09:25 PM
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Re: Incompetent practitioners

Yipes this thread made me shiver.
I hate needles
Fortunately my veins are fairly visible but even so ..........
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Lindyloo
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isle of wight
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29-12-2017, 10:06 PM
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Re: Incompetent practitioners

Originally Posted by CeeCee ->
Julie, I would write a formal letter of complaint to the Nursing and Midwifery Council, copying in your GP Practice Manager and Senior Clinician. If that fails to get a response, then write to your MP enclosing a copy of your letter. This is what I did. It took my MP three attempts before he got a reply. Following that, I changed practices because I was still unhappy.
That's quite a serious complaint.......... and more usually a follow-up from an initial complaint (to the practice, in this case) which hasn't been dealt with satisfactorily.
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30-12-2017, 07:33 PM
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Re: Incompetent practitioners

Its not a unique problem Julie darlin'. Even in the Haemotology department itself they struggled 5 times to get a cannula in my arm. This is because for 30 years I was a blood donor and the veins in my hands and arms are not very good and collapse if a needle is placed in it.
 
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