Should I complain about this? (Any nurses especially please) ?

Report it. Their behaviour wasn’t professional. Sounds to me like they didn’t know what they were doing and were trying to cover up.

Yes, you should complain. It’s totally unprofessional.

Thank you.
I haven’t even told my DH about it, for some reason.

You were in a vulnerable situation and what you describe was completely unprofessional, and is still upsetting you. You should complain to prevent this happening to other patients.

Totally unacceptable? FC you should complain

Email PALS; put everything you can remember about the incident, including dates and times and any other identifying details you have. They have 28 days, from receipt of your email, to get back to you with an acknowledgement that they are aware of your complaint and what their next steps will be. If you haven't heard back within that 28 days, phone them and ask for an immediate response confirming that they have received your email and what they're doing to resolve it. Keep details of all communications - dates, who you've spoken to etc. Pm me if you need more advice.

Yes please complain.
When my SiL who was over 80 was in what was then the new hospital in Derby, she had a nurse who was awful to her.
One day when my SiL said something she leant right over and whispered an obscenity into her ear.
This totally freaked her out.
She actually became afraid.
On leaving she was asked to complete a form about her stay .when the nurse dealing with it read it she said she couldn’t “send that upstairs”!
My SiL was an aged widow with no immediate family and it was ages before she told me but she told her nephew she would rather die at home than ever go back to that hospital.

It's very unprofessional, but I doubt you will get anything other than a very general letter to acknowledge that.
Hospitals are adept at smoothing things over and out of sight.

Thank you again, especially Chewbacca
It was a private hospital (The Nuffield)
I can’t help thinking that I can’t imagine it happening in with the NHS.

Oh Ann, that’s absolutely awful.
I know that hospital well.
All of our dealings with it have been great .
So it does happen in the NHS.

It certainly does.

FannyC Nuffield still has the same complaints procedure in place.

Sorry to hear about your experience, FannyCornforth. You should certainly report it, if only to prevent it from happening to someone else who may not have your strength of character (or friends on GN to tell about it).

Thank you again Chewbacca
I will definitely report it.

WhenIwasyourage
Unfortunately I definitely didn’t exhibit anything like strength of character!
I should have dealt with it much better.
But the (first) nurse did seem like a thoroughly nasty piece of work.
The other ‘trainee’ nurse seemed scared of her too. I hope that she wasn’t her mentor.
Yes, it definitely needs reporting

She was a young woman, mid 20s, whereas the other one was around my age.

Of course it happens in the NHS. More now than years ago. The majority of nurses are caring and kind but there are some who, frankly, are in the wrong job.

Please complain.

tickingbird yes, I don’t think that I said that right about the NHS.
It just felt like they we’re ‘doing their own thing’.
In my experience GPs etc are really good about asking permission regarding students and observations etc

Nobody should lay a finger on anyone without asking permission, and explaining why.
It's technically assault.

Definitely (I know from my own awful experiences)

...........It's very unprofessional, but I doubt you will get anything other than a very general letter to acknowledge that. Hospitals are adept at smoothing things over and out of sight..........

Poor you, that’s not acceptable.
As it happens I’ve just put the phone down on my surgery (normally very helpful) as I was about to either start crying or swear.

It sounds like the nurse was just training and the other nurse mentoring her but you should have been told that and had the procedure explained and your permission given. The wires. in ECG machines can get tangled and you need to untangle them before doing the ECG. There is a specific colour coded method of applying the leads. You should have had a blanket protecting your modesty but as the pads go over your chest you can't wear a bra and other clothes might need pulled up. Men tend to not be bothered by being bare chested for it but sometimes they need shaved as the pads don't stick to hairs - you have to ask permission to do that though. Neither behaved professionally though and I would report it FC. Annsixty that is horrendous. Your poor SiL!

I don’t see why they couldn’t have respected your dignity and given you something to cover your private parts. Also I thought you needed to be relaxed as possible to get the right results.

I think I would write and ask for an explanation if nothing else.

You are totally within your rights to complain about the lack of professional behaviour and the disrespect you were subjected to. Yes, an ECG would be correct in your circumstances but it sounds to me like they didn't know what they were doing. You should not have to pull your nightdress up to your chin and that they expected you to do this make me very angry indeed. Please complain, not only for yourself but for any other patients who might be at the mercy of this awful pair. I don't know that PALS (they are excellent) has any remit in the private sector. You are not being unreasonable Fanny, do the letter and while you are at it ask for a fee reduction for loss of dignity and respect!!

So sorry this happened to you, this isn't normal. They should explain what they wanted to do and why? Checking you are happy for it to happen.

Miss A is right in all her commitments.
How long ago was it? Do write to Pals you will just get a letter of apology.

In hindsight you should have told Nurse in charge of the ward, before you were discharge so they could sort ASAP and give you a proper apology.

Those Nurses might have been move now to a different ward if undertraining?
There should be proper training for Nurses to do ECG's on site. Let's hope they do.