"Visiting my sister and her new baby"

Today while visiting my sister and my new niece in neonatal, I was disappointed by staff within ward 8. 

My sister had an elective c section with sterilisation 24 hours prior to my visit. She delivered her baby girl 4 weeks early who required additional support within the neonatal unit. 

Whilst taking my sister round to the neonatal unit in a bariatric wheelchair chair which was the only wheelchair available at the time we passed the desk on the corner of the ward. Sitting on the corridor side of the desk there was a staff member who continued to sit there while I tried to awkwardly manoeuvre the wheel chair past them and equipment on the other side of the corridor. No offer to move and allow us past, let alone even an acknowledgment that we had approached. 

Following a successful visit to the neonatal unit I returned with my sister still in the wheelchair. A few doors along from her room stood a support worker with a square trolley and parallel there was a midwife who was having a conversation in the corridor. On approaching, again neither saw fit to change position and allow the bariatric wheelchair through without being awkward and unnecessary.  We did manage to squeeze through and continue on to her room. 

On leaving my sisters room after my visit she asked that I alert a member of staff to a urine sample within the room and that she requested analgesia. When leaving the unit the only staff visible were a nurse at the main desk and the ward clerk. I asked if I could pass my sisters message on to which I was told by the nurse that this was not their patient and I should go and get the midwife round the corner. I advised the nurse that no other member of staff was visible, which is why I had come to them. I asked if they could relay the message to the colleague I was being directed to when available, rather than me wandering around a maternity unit. I advised that my sister had a urine sample in her room and has asked for analgesia. They just reiterated that I would need to speak to the other staff member.

While I appreciate this was not the person primarily responsible for my sister's care, it was a nurse all the same, and perfectly within their skill set to listen to the information and then inform the primary carer on my sister's behalf. 

I did at this point advise the nurse again that I was not asking them to primarily deal with these things but only to let the relevant colleague know. Only at this point did the ward clerk step in and lift the phone advising that they could let the midwife responsible know. I thanked them and advised this was appreciated. 

I appreciate that all staff are extremely busy but as a qualified nurse myself, I would never speak to a family member and dismiss them as I was. The information could have been received and easily been communicated to the right colleague, without being made to feel that I was being a complete inconvenience.