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Case ref:201508595
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Date:January 2017
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Body:Lothian NHS Board
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Sector:Health
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Outcome:Not upheld, recommendations
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Subject:nurses / nursing care
Summary
Mr C complained about the care and treatment provided to his wife (Mrs A) when she was admitted to the Western General Hospital for radiotherapy to treat a spinal condition. Mr C said that nursing staff failed to provide reasonable care in relation to the taking of blood samples, pressure ulcers and use of a pressure-relieving mattress, and said that the failings caused Mrs A pain and distress.
We took independent advice from a nursing adviser. We found that the standard of nursing care in relation to blood sampling and pressure ulcer care was reasonable, but that there were shortcomings in relation to record-keeping and the explanation about the mattress and we made recommendations in relation to this. However, on balance we were satisfied that the standard of nursing care and treatment on the whole was reasonable and we did not uphold Mrs C's complaint.
Recommendations
We recommended that the board:
- take steps to ensure the record-keeping shortcomings are addressed including that they are raised with relevant staff; and
- inform this office of the safeguards in place to ensure that mattresses requiring inflation do not deflate inadvertently.