Moorfields - Observation Day

[Sweet]

Thanks! Hehe of course i reported back! As if i wouldn't!!

I think i have gained a lot. I was shown how to take a proper visual acuity test and a Ph test as well as getting loads of info on assessing eye problems. I now have some very nice sheets which list the questions we should be asking in assessing red eyes, pain, discharge etc so this will be very useful for me!

I am going to put a folder together with some information on main eye conditions which i am hoping will help those new to 'A & E' and indeed eye problems.

I had loads of fun and yes it was lovely to be on the other side of the counter!!

Sweet X x X

[Andrew MacLean]

Sweet

Now that Tuesday has lapsed into memory, are there any aspects of the day that you think will live with you longer, and inform your work better?

As an AandE nurse you will be well used to dealing with people who have waited a long time to be seen, and as a patient you know the frustration of the wait.

But is there anything that stands out for you?

Andrew

[Sweet]

Hhmm yea ... sorry to say this but it seemed to take a very long time to me for eyes to be irrigated in Moorfields. To us in a general 'A & E' we treat this as a true emergency and get eyes flushed with saline as soon as we can. However i did seem to hang around and wait for ages for the same to be done last Tuesday. Maybe it was just one of those days? But to me eye casualities do run a hell of a lot slower in general than we do!

I know they told me that they were very busy and had roughly 160 patients in a day but i had to refrain from saying anything as we have close on 600 a day with far less staff! If you have a major trauma then everything gets even worse and staff are busy there. But i guess unless you have worked in a few places it is hard to compare

Sweet X x X

[John Smith]

That's very interesting... perhaps you could suggest an "exchange scheme" so one of your Moorfields colleagues joins you in "regular A&E" for a day.

It could be genuinely useful!