Terrible and unprofessional

I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding the unprofessional and disrespectful conduct of a nurse on duty at the reception area of Cardiac Ward 2 at Ethekwini Hospital at approximately 20:15.

For identification purposes, the nurse appeared to be Indian, had a dark complexion, and was wearing a large red dot on her forehead.

My mother is a heart failure patient, and given the seriousness of her condition, this is already an extremely stressful and emotional time for my family. Following my visit, I was instructed to collect some of her soiled clothing to take home. While waiting near the automated entrance with my children, the nurse shouted at me to move away from the door. I acknowledged her instruction and explained that I was simply waiting. Despite this, she continued addressing me in an aggressive and unnecessarily loud manner. I comp**** with her instructions, which can be verified through the hospital's CCTV footage.

While the door remained open, my younger child ran inside after seeing his grandmother enter. I immediately went to retrieve him. Although I understand that children may not be permitted in certain areas of the hospital and that my child's actions were inappropriate, this does not justify the nurse's hostile and disrespectful manner of communication. Instead of addressing the situation calmly and professionally, she continued making remarks and arguing with me in front of other people, including raising her eyes at me in a dismissive manner.

I eventually asked her why she had not simply closed the door and requested that she stop arguing with me. I also reminded her that her role was not to engage in arguments with patients or their visitors, but to communicate respectfully and professionally. As I was leaving, she made a further remark, stating that children were not allowed there in the first place, using an unnecessarily confrontational tone.

What made this incident particularly distressing was the impact it had on my mother. She became upset, started crying, and blamed herself, even going as far as saying that she would rather die. Given her serious medical condition, this confrontation caused unnecessary emotional distress to a patient who should be receiving care and compassion.

I am already dealing with the emotional burden of having a seriously ill mother in hospital. The last thing I should have to endure is being spoken to in a demeaning and disrespectful manner by a member of staff. I fully acknowledge the importance of hospital rules and patient safety; however, these rules should be enforced with courtesy, patience, and professionalism.

I requested that the nurse call a senior staff member to address the matter. Her response was to tell me to wait because someone was coming. I subsequently waited approximately 20 minutes and eventually had to go downstairs to ask another staff member for assistance in obtaining the attention of a matron.

When the matron arrived, she apologised on behalf of the nurse, which I acknowledged. However, while I appreciate the apology, it does not undo the distress and humiliation caused by the incident, nor does it address the need to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

I am requesting that hospital management formally investigate this incident, including reviewing the CCTV footage from the reception area at approximately 20:15, and take the appropriate steps to address the nurse's conduct. I would also appreciate feedback on the outcome of the investigation and what measures will be implemented to ensure that patients and their families are treated with dignity and respect.

Healthcare environments are already emotionally challenging, particularly for families with critically ill loved ones. Staff members are expected to uphold professional standards, communicate appropriately, and demonstrate empathy, even when enforcing hospital rules. No family should have to experience additional distress because of the manner in which a staff member chooses to communicate.

I trust that this complaint will be taken seriously and addressed appropriately.