Traumatised grandmother recounts gruelling experience at her local hospital

Disclaimer: This article contains graphic depictions of injuries. Reader discretion is advised.

Hospitals are sanctuaries for recovery and healing.

However, a harrowing incident left a family seeking answers from their local healthcare facility.


Perth local Anne Hibbert found herself in a situation that sounds more like a scene from a suspense thriller than a stay in a hospital.

The 78-year-old great-grandmother was trapped in the railing of her hospital bed for hours.

The distressing event unfolded at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, where Ms Hibbert stayed due to failing kidneys.

On her supposed last night at the hospital, her bed deflated, and her arm wedged next to the bed's railing, restricting any movement from her.


compressed-hospital bed.jpeg
Ms Anne Hibbert was transferred from Joondalup Hospital to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital for further treatment. Image Credit: Pexels/Ivan Samkov


Despite repeatedly pressing the hospital's call button, help was nowhere to be found.

'The nurse said to me, "Look, there's nothing we can do. You'll just have to sit here and wait for the day shift to come on",' Ms Hibbert recounted.

It took four hours before orderlies arrived to help Ms Hibbert.


The Hibbert family described the incident as 'heartbreaking'.

'She's left with this dreadful pain. She cries at night in bed,' Tony Hibbert, Anne's husband, stated.

The incident left a profound impact on Ms Hibbert, who now harbours a fear of beds, including her own.

In the wake of the incident, the Hibberts complained to the hospital.

They were informed that a clinical nurse had started investigating the matter but had not received any updates since.

The lack of response only added to the frustration and distress of the family.


In recent news, another senior Aussie dealt with a similar predicament in the same hospital.

Marianne Molloy, a 68-year-old Perth local, suffered a broken nose and bruising after falling at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.

The injury occurred despite her being on a one-to-one assist ratio.

The Australian Nursing Federation's State Secretary, Romina Raschilla, cited short staffing and the constant rush as contributing factors to such incidents.

'Our nurses are very much under pressure,' Ms Raschilla said, acknowledging the challenging conditions in which healthcare workers work.

Meanwhile, the North Metropolitan Health Service assured the family that they take all complaints seriously and continue investigating their concerns.

However, for Anne and the rest of her family, assurances and investigations only offered little comfort after the experience.
Key Takeaways

  • Perth local Anne Hibbert was left traumatised after being trapped in a hospital bed railing for hours at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.
  • Despite repeated attempts to call for help using the call button, no one came to assist the 78-year-old after four hours when orderlies finally responded.
  • Ms Hibbert has since been fearful of beds, which caused distress to her family.
  • The hospital has started investigating the incident. The Australian Nursing Federation highlighted the pressure and staffing shortages nurses face in the workplace.
Have you or a loved one faced a similar situation? How can such incidents be prevented in the future? Share your thoughts and opinions with us in the comments section below.
 
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Nurses are not under pressure! During my last stay in hospital one man, a nurse I later discovered, walked around all the time, hands in pockets and appeared to be handing out financial advice. I asked if he was a financial advisor and was informed he was a male nurse. The only thing he did involved a trainee to whom he gave verbal advice from time to time. Never did a thing for patients or anything else concerning nursing. One time I rang for some assistance and after an hour and 15 mins, I left my bed and fixed the problem myself! During this period, never saw a nurse unless you count the group chatting down the corridor!
 
Can't understand how a deflated air mattress has trapped her arm. Surely the nurse could have rolled her to one side and lowered the rail.
 
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Nurses are not under pressure! During my last stay in hospital one man, a nurse I later discovered, walked around all the time, hands in pockets and appeared to be handing out financial advice. I asked if he was a financial advisor and was informed he was a male nurse. The only thing he did involved a trainee to whom he gave verbal advice from time to time. Never did a thing for patients or anything else concerning nursing. One time I rang for some assistance and after an hour and 15 mins, I left my bed and fixed the problem myself! During this period, never saw a nurse unless you count the group chatting down the corridor!
Not all hospitals are like that. I personally know a guy who was a patient in a private hospital used almost 100% for orthopaedic surgery. His comment was they don't treat their staff very well. There wasn't enough of them for the number of patients there was. One nurse to at least 10 patients in a surgical ward had them literally sprinting between patients. The guy actually told the nurse she shouldn't be running. She response was similar to "other patients are waiting too" In some hospitals nurses are allocated specific rooms / patients. Not brilliant if your nurse needs to take his / her break so he/she can go to the toilet.......You should have lodged an official complaint. All hospitals have a director of nursing. I know at some public hospitals complaints are definitely investigated.
 

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