When my daughter Jasmine was given Methylprednisolone unsafely in 2011, when she was already Hypertensive before being given the drug, unbeknownst to me, safety guidelines for giving the drug (to monitor BP) were not followed.
She developed symptoms that were very alarming to me. I was certain she was in distress and as time went on she developed a facial palsy (as I described as 'a strange shaped mouth' ) strange movement of her limbs and slurred speech.
She was in the care of a nursing team and a very junior doctor who mistook her initial distress as 'hyperactivity' in response to steroids. This initial misdiagnosis then 'remained' despite her progressing symptoms, and my repeated attempts to get somebody to 'do something' to alleviate her distress. Conversations with a senior on call clinician described a hyperactive child whose mother is asking for sedation due to the Childs distress. This did not convey a sense of urgency for a review.
By the time the senior clinician arrived Jasmine was seizing. At that time, once it was established BP had not been monitored and the current BP was measured, a Methyl Prednisolone induced Hypertensive Crisis was suspected. Jasmine had to be transferred to PICU.
There are many stories, like mine, where parents are on a ward with a deteriorating child, who are alarmed, and frightened, but have no power to escalate their own Childs care. Was I at home and Jasmine presented like that, I am certain I would have rushed her to A&E myself or called an ambulance. On the ward, I had to rely on the nurses and junior doctor to do this for me. For whatever the reasons were, and there were many (I do no blame them as individuals for what happened) their judgement that day was wrong.
I firmly believe Patient Activated Call4Concern should be provided in every trust. Why should parents / patients be disempowered from escalating care themselves once their child / they become an inpatient.
I am aware that what evidence there is on this subject demonstrates it is not abused or used inappropriately, it has avoided serious incidents that likely would have otherwise occurred, and every call provides the trust with insight of some sort to help with patient safety improvement.
Call 4 Concern
in Keeping patients safe
Posted
When my daughter Jasmine was given Methylprednisolone unsafely in 2011, when she was already Hypertensive before being given the drug, unbeknownst to me, safety guidelines for giving the drug (to monitor BP) were not followed.
She developed symptoms that were very alarming to me. I was certain she was in distress and as time went on she developed a facial palsy (as I described as 'a strange shaped mouth' ) strange movement of her limbs and slurred speech.
She was in the care of a nursing team and a very junior doctor who mistook her initial distress as 'hyperactivity' in response to steroids. This initial misdiagnosis then 'remained' despite her progressing symptoms, and my repeated attempts to get somebody to 'do something' to alleviate her distress. Conversations with a senior on call clinician described a hyperactive child whose mother is asking for sedation due to the Childs distress. This did not convey a sense of urgency for a review.
By the time the senior clinician arrived Jasmine was seizing. At that time, once it was established BP had not been monitored and the current BP was measured, a Methyl Prednisolone induced Hypertensive Crisis was suspected. Jasmine had to be transferred to PICU.
There are many stories, like mine, where parents are on a ward with a deteriorating child, who are alarmed, and frightened, but have no power to escalate their own Childs care. Was I at home and Jasmine presented like that, I am certain I would have rushed her to A&E myself or called an ambulance. On the ward, I had to rely on the nurses and junior doctor to do this for me. For whatever the reasons were, and there were many (I do no blame them as individuals for what happened) their judgement that day was wrong.
I firmly believe Patient Activated Call4Concern should be provided in every trust. Why should parents / patients be disempowered from escalating care themselves once their child / they become an inpatient.
I am aware that what evidence there is on this subject demonstrates it is not abused or used inappropriately, it has avoided serious incidents that likely would have otherwise occurred, and every call provides the trust with insight of some sort to help with patient safety improvement.
https://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/call-4-concern.htm