Anti Rant - The Canberra Hospital ER

A couple of months ago, Mr Catty experienced dizziness, nausea, sweating and low pulse rate. Calvary A & E took him straight in (and got a wheelchair under him as he collapsed). The AE staff were fantastic. He was there for about 6 hours and then was transferred to the ward for overnight, with 4 hourly neuro obs. It was at the ward level that the rot set in. He was checked ONCE from about 7 pm to his discharge at 1 pm next day. And that was just a check for BP and temp – no neuro. He was almost given the wrong meds twice – only the fact that he was lucid by then stopped them administering drugs. They did not ever get his name right and he was often confused with someone else. Pressing the buzzer so that the drip could be unhooked to allow him to go to the toilet meant a 15 min wait before someone answered the buzzer. He would get better care at home!

I have also been to Calvary A & E with chest pains and have been seen straight away, even though there proved to be nothing seriously wrong. The staff work to a defined system of triage, and although they probably get it wrong sometimes, by and large they do a great job, often in very difficult circumstances.

Danman said :

I think that the being pedantic in the comments has really gotten away from the intended spirit of this post, as it was my point to highlight the thankless jobs that the ER staff do. Concentrating on correcting my terminology just makes it clear that people are not concentrating on the message I have, rather the words that comprise it. And just to clarify, we were in and out in 7 hours, as it was 2 when we got tur word we will be going. It still took time to get a doctor to write a script and letter for our GP. As to how long we sat in the waiting area, that really is irrelevant, as it would not change the outcome or satisfaction. And to avoid speculation, Mrs Danman is a nurse, but we did not know any nurses staffing the ER/ED/A&E (or your chosen generic term) that day.

+1 and a great story Danman. They deserve all the credit they can get.

+1 I had a bout of mastitis a couple of weeks ago and decided that it wasn’t worth waiting to see a GP the next day because my arm had gone tingly and I couldn’t feel my fingers. I packed up the little family and I was triaged at 12.30am. There were about 7 people ahead of me and I had no resentment as they all were processed ahead of me. Even though my boob was on fire I was an otherwise healthy person and the people ahead of me were in more urgent need for care.

Anyway, we saw a doctor at around 4.30am, they sorted me out with some panadine forte and a breast pump and I was out the door with my antibiotics by 5am. Mr Jessieduck was tired senseless but at least the bubba slept through most of the wait.

It was worth the trip to the ER but I had no right expecting to be seen quickly so I was genuinely happy to have been treated as well as I was.

Re alternatives to A&E – the Walk in Centre can’t treat respiratory illnesses, so can’t treat people with the flu if they have cough/chest infection, and can’t see people if they have already been seen by a GP (eg went to doc last week but I am still sick). Unfortunately, they have a very limited remit.

I was there on Monday, extremely busy, but the poor nurse on the reception desk had to continually ask people what they were presenting with and more than half got sent away as unable to be treated by the nurse practitioners. Some were told to go to A&E and some to a GP (however, if the latter were me, that would mean no treatment until payday).

Yeah, they deserve more recognition. They took great care of me after a nasty motorcycle crash in 2008. Thanks guys!

What’s wrong with going to CALMS, sure it costs, but you get almost 3/4 back from medicare.

We’ve been in there twice in the last two months, and both times they were fantastic.

When my husband realised he couldn’t understand what his workmates were saying, couldn’t speak, felt tingling in his hands and nausea/blinding headache (all of a sudden) on a Friday, I drove him in and they took him straight through. He was observed for about 4 hours, including an hour or so of reflex testing and monitoring his heart etc, provided painkillers and anti nausea meds, and got a brain scan too. All of the staff were lovely and very helpful and reassuring for what was a very stressful afternoon for both of us. Even though it turned out to be a migraine (he’s never had them before) he was never made to feel like he was clogging up the system (he was classed as a 4).

When my GP sent me in for a suspected blood clot (she couldn’t see me until the next day), I only had an hour or so wait and was then advised to come back 90 minutes later for a scan. Again, all of the staff were really friendly and understanding, and they made it very clear that I was doing the right thing by being there rather than just waiting to see what happened.

I think they’re doing a fantastic job and don’t always get the credit they deserve. I’m glad you also had such a positive experience.

Not questioning the central message.

The emergency people do a great job under challenging conditions.

+infinity

Like other people on the front line of the public service nurses and other hospital staff do a fantastic job under often difficult circumstances. Great to see it being recognised.

As to how long we sat in the waiting area, that really is irrelevant, as it would not change the outcome or satisfaction

No, but it would set the scene somewhat. Spending 2h in the waiting area and 5h in the ED is a completely different experience than 5h in the waiting area and 2h in the ED.

I “spent 7 hours” at TCH relatively recently with a paeds head injury that Health Direct told me should be seen by a doctor within 4h. When we did see the doctor after 6h he checked her over and sent us home since “she needs to be under observation for at least 6h, but you’ve done that now”.

Agreed it was the same outcome as if we spent 1h waiting and 6h in the ED, however much of the addional 5h in the waiting room was spent with a sleeping child too big for my lap, who was waking to spew at regular intervals. I alerted triage when the vomiting started (about 3h after a knock to the head) and triage checked her over again so was not alarmed at her condition, nor am I blaming the nurses for the wait time.

Had a family member spend over 36h in the ED a few years back (non paeds) and I know the staff do the best they can all things considered. That was a bed-blocking issue elsewhere in the hospital. Generally my experience has been that the looooong waits are mainly due to number of doctors available, sometimes beds too.