"Endoscopy"

I did not receive a confirmation letter so would not have known what preparation was required if I had no knowledge.

The staff member at reception was very pleasant but from her comments to patients you could tell who was having what procedure - not good confidentiality.

I was told to arrive at 9am but didn't have my procedure till after 11am, I was very scared and the wait did not help!

The nurse who cannulated.me was caring, considerate and extremely proficient.

The doctor and nurses in the endoscopy room were lovely and tried to help me relax.

In recovery, as soon as I was woken up I was asked if I wanted a cup of tea. When I said yes, I was told to get up and go and sit in a chair. I wasn't given any time to come to or wake up properly. It felt very like a conveyor belt with no care.

Before I was discharged the nurse told me they had found nothing wrong and that I needed no follow up.

When I read my procedure notes/discharge summary it said that I had tolerated the procedure poorly, that I was in significant discomfort and that I had been distressed. At no point did the nurse ask me if I was OK, how I felt, what I remembered or anything. They did not know if I was traumatised or stressed by the procedure, didn't know and felt like they didn't care! Surely if that is written in the notes some care should be taken to ensure you are OK.

The information sheet said that it was common to have a sore throat following the procedure. It said nothing about runny nose and constant cough but when I looked it up, these are also usual side effects. Should you update your leaflet?

All in all I felt there was no care at all except from the nurse who cannulated me.

I am a nurse, but this has left me ashamed of my profession