Discussion of the Day
Emergency Room
Elizabeth J 44788820-Mar-23
I do not make a habit of going to the Emergency Department as we call it here in Australia but in this last week while on a short break (the first in years) I noticed that my foot, which had been a bit sore prior to my short break, was becoming progressively worse in that it was becoming more inflamed looking and swollen each day. So I took myself off to Emergency on a Saturday night. I was spoken to very courteously by the Triage Nurse. After sitting there for three hours and observing the wait time, I decided I needed a good night's sleep and I would try again the next morning if the foot was worse. It was indeed worse. Well, I just cannot believe how I was treated. I was basically told to go home to my own community and that I should not be attending an Emergency Room in a small rural community that was understaffed. I was not impressed. I am stewing over it. I think I will have to call the head of the hospital and make a complaint. Would you do the same?
Comments - Page 2
  • Rhonda D 522615
    Filing a complaint about a hospital or treatment is worthless. They will either ignore it or just placate you. Emergency rooms are very poorly run. Hours and hours of waiting time. Should not be.
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    • MacAddict
      Wait times WOULD be less if everyone used the ED for emergencies and emergencies ONLY. A good many use it as a free service Where I live, the GPs are all on campus, so the the staff can say that the issue is a GP one and would the patient like an appointment made for them.
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    • Rhonda D 522615MacAddict
      Since when is the ER free? Not in USA. Very high prices. I agree, though. Many people use the ER as a doctor. But so many people do not have insurance or the doctor will not accept their insurance. Always problems.
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    • Rusty .. (vic)Rhonda D 522615
      in aust Emergency dept are free which is why they get clogged with minor ailments, hence a long wait time...very frustrating
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    • Rhonda D 522615Rusty .. (vic)
      ER is free? Amazing. Wish we had that in the USA. Wait time to be seen in the ER here is about 3 hours.
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  • Amy B 1078427
    I try to avoid all emergency rooms!
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    • Grommie
      What was the problem
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      • POPPA
        THEY ARE GOOD TO HAVE AROUND IF YOU NEED THEM
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        • BLACK LIVES MATTER
          Question(s): Where you in danger of permanently losing use of your foot (trained medical staff at that rural emergency room came to the conclusion you were not)? Are you in danger of losing use of your foot - NOW? You were using a rural emergency room for a non-emergency issue. Rural emergency room are understaffed, and you should have set an appointment with a MD in your community/neighborhood for an initial diagnosis of the severity of your foot problem - which you did not do. I don't see a basis for a complaint - based on the information your provided in your post! Furthermore, I never understood why people use 'emergency rooms' for 'non-emergency ' medical issues which lead to horrendous 'wait" time.
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          • Elizabeth J 447888
            I could very well have been in danger of losing a foot. I am not a doctor. that is why I sought advice. A bacterial infection is a serious thing as I have witnessed many times in my family. My GP put me on antibiotics and antibacterial cream. It was a coastal holiday destination. Places like need holiday makers to spend on small business to survive.
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          • BLACK LIVES MATTERElizabeth J 447888
            Was your foot amputated (NO) - then you should have not visited an understaffed/underfunded emergency room at a rural hospital/clinic. You should have visited an urgent care clinic or locate a Medical Doctor (General Practitioner) with walk-in hours. I am not a doctor - but I know what a life-threatening health issue is - and I still do not see a basis for a complaint against an emergency room at a rural hospital/clinic which is underfunded and understaffed. Wait times are long because people used emergency room medical services for non-emergency medical services - like you DID!
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        • Susan 1265302
          not to be trusted
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          • Holly Cat
            Yes! I would make a complaint.
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            • Lady Flamingo
              My thought on the subject is no matter where you live you will be waiting hours to be seen in the Emergency Dept.. Unless, that is you are having a heart attack, stroke, have been shot/stabbed, or a big gash on your leg!
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              • Pennye R
                Yes! There is no excuse for rudeness. We have something called urgent care that is a little better for non-emergency issues but the wait is still too long!
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                • Marietta M
                  Talk about rude! I don't blame you a bit if you complain. You'd think they'd have a little compassion, not to mention concern.
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                  • 'smee,SWQ!
                    Absolutely! - My Daughter broke her leg in a small country town on a Sunday Night and after 5 hours waiting in emergency dept we were sent home by the Duty Nurse with some Panadol! (we did not even get to see a Doctor and nobody even looked at her leg!) - next day as soon as our Private Doctor opened we got in straight away - her leg was broken in 3 places - our daughter was made to suffer extreme agony and all of us a sleepless night so I wrote to the Hospital and got a reply from the "Department Head" (?) saying he was sorry it was me that this happened to (I held a somewhat high profile position in the town) - I replied again saying it did not matter who I was and that a dog would have gotten better treatment at the local Vet than my Daughter got at his Hospital - to which I never got a reply!
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                    • Liane H
                      Oh your poor girl ,thats absolutely shocking treatment! My mum was an E.R nurse for 20yrs think even she would be horrified to hear about that. I hope your daughter's leg managed to heal properly once they cast it ?
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                    • 'smee,SWQ!Liane H
                      Yes, but she has had trouble with it all of her now 39 years!
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                    • Liane H 'smee,SWQ!
                      🤔I hope u sued em!
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                  • yvonne l 1107206
                    i go only in anemergency or if my dr is on hoidays
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