Why nurses don't complain

I'm working an agency shift, first time in new ward, in a new hospital. The hospital is Swindon hospital, a hospital in England. It's brand new (well, it was at the time) and looks impressive, seems well staffed. I'm about to begin my first night shift.

Handover - The nurse who is to hand over me doesn't do this. She goes through a list of names saying - 'Joe bloggs is fine' and 'Mr Smith shows no change' and leaves. I know nothing about my patients.

I stop her from leaving the ward, asking about my handover, "Joe blogss in room 1 is unwell, we nursed him on the floor." She then exits the building.

I go to room 1 and find a man unconscious, naked, on the floor. Call the doctor to come and see him, but he's busy in the emergency room. I call the head nurse on duty for the shift. She's about ten years younger than me, and probably been out of college only one, maybe two years at most. She doesn't come to see my patient.

I go back to patient and eventually wake him with a very strong sternal rub. He's obviously a man off the street, the sores, the smell, the large doses of benzodiazepams prescribed in his chart give it away.

What about the other patients I know nothing about.

The first 6 bedded women's bay, I can see an infusion, oops, it's an insulin infustion. Patient won't wake up. Blood sugar reading says 'lo'. I turn off infusion and slowly open the dextrose saline while calling doctor again. Doctor still won't come, just gives me verbal orders to open up the dextrose a bit. I do an ECG, I do this for all unconsious patients, regardless of what we think may be the cause. Rapid AF. Check her notes, this is something new. Get on phone to doctor and yell at him. He comes to see the patient.

It's now one hour into my shift, haven't finished a round of my patients yet. Don't know what is wrong with anyone. Haven't started my evening drug rounds, let alone the IV meds.

Why didn't I walk out then? Why didn't I lay a complaint?

The answer is simple.

1. If I do walk out, I'm in big shit. How could I leave people in a life threatening situation. I should have walked out, but weighing up the pro's and cons is not simple.

2. If I complain, they will find lots of things I did wrong eg Meds not given, or given at the right time. IV fluids behind. Fluid balances not complete. There are so many things I just couldn't do because of the situation I was in, but if it comes to a court case, they will crucify me.

Conclusion

I may be taking a risk naming the hospital, but this story is only the beginning of a series of horrendous things I witnessed at this place. I want someone to take notice. Nothing will happen of course, but then that's the conclusion I've drawn. Nothing will change.