All Night in The Hospital At My Girlfriend's Bedside

[oryx]

Could just have been a bad night, you build a bit of slack into the system and every now and again that slack isn't enough.

That's all still completely unacceptable.

Luckily, it looks just as if yelkcub's g/f had a severe bug, but I've known two people who've had peritonitis & been close to dying. I think the early symptoms are similar (severe abdominal pain & vomiting) but a six hour wait to see a doctor could be life or death.

 

[baldrick]

i witnessed people walked out of A&E themselves instead after waiting for more than 4 hours.

i'm quite aware i'm being a complete bitch, but maybe if they were capable of leaving under their own steam, perhaps they should have called the out-of-hours dr service instead or maybe waited to see their gp in the morning.

i fail to see the problem with making people wait for 4 hours with a broken finger if there's people having heart attacks and children who aren't breathing who need to be seen.

ETA: i should have just waited to see Trashy's post

 

[ovaltina]

My gf was in state for far longer than need be and I can afford to go private.

Sorry for what you've been through, that's horrible.

But, there's no such thing as a private A&E. Emergency treatment is always delivered by the NHS.

 

[baldrick]

You think you have a broken arm, say?

you're not going to die from it.

 

[panpete]

I'm against private health care, but if I were in your girlfriends position, not knowing what was wrong, I may fear the worst. When it comes to it, life or death, and the private man can save your life, whereas you have to wait for the nash, and you may die in the meantime, I may take the private option, the problem is - what if I haven't enough money?

Not that I am tempting fate of death on your girlfriend, but if it were a hypothetical life or death case then I can honestly say I would consider the private one.

When I say private, I mean a private consultant.
If you decide to go private, and your girl is referred, sorry to be cynical, but showing the wad will get her a consultation and treatment quicker.
See the post above on ovarian cysts.
I do hate the idea of healthcare equating to money, as it seems immmoral and unethical, but if you wanna live....?

health to all those affected on this thread.

 

[kabbes]

you're not going to die from it.

That's my point. You're not going to die from it, but you'll still want to go to A&E.

 

[ethel]

But then clearly they're not ill enough to be at A&E surely? That's what I don't get. Why would you go unless you thought it was something that was life-threatening?

becuase people use it as a drop in centre.


ambulances are also used as a taxi service as they can't refuse to send one out.

 

[pseudonarcissus]

a six hour wait to see a doctor could be life or death.

it appears withing that 6 hours she had been assessed by paramedics and handed over to a nurse, has a drip installed and was given painkillers and had slept for a while. The doctor came later but the poor girl hadn't been left in a cubical for 6 hours without anything.

 

[baldrick]

That's my point. You're not going to die from it, but you'll still want to go to A&E.

absolutely. but i'd still be prepared to wait for hours to get seen.

these people who go to A&E and then walk out because they're not seen quick enough - clearly they're not that ill

 

[ethel]

it appears withing that 6 hours she had been assessed by paramedics and handed over to a nurse, has a drip installed and was given painkillers and had slept for a while. The doctor came later but the poor girl hadn't been left in a cubical for 6 hours without anything.

indeed. prompt assessment and triage.

the nhs A+E staff have to put up with so much and waiting times are in general much better than in the past.

 

[kabbes]

absolutely. but i'd still be prepared to wait for hours to get seen.

these people who go to A&E and then walk out because they're not seen quick enough - clearly they're not that ill

If I had waited for four hours in that horrible waiting room and still had no prospect of being seen, I might also decide that I might as well endure the pain at home instead and wait until a quieter time. The fact that such a horrible choice had been enforced upon me doesn't make it right though.

 

[aylee]

Sorry to hear about all that Yelkcub, it must have been a frightening experience for you both.

You shouldn't hesitate to complain if you feel that the delays were unacceptable.

 

[middle C]

If I had waited for four hours in that horrible waiting room and still had no prospect of being seen, I might also decide that I might as well endure the pain at home instead and wait until a quieter time. The fact that such a horrible choice had been enforced upon me doesn't make it right though.

yes. this. and it doesn't mean those people aren't ill enough

 

[trashpony]

If I had waited for four hours in that horrible waiting room and still had no prospect of being seen, I might also decide that I might as well endure the pain at home instead and wait until a quieter time. The fact that such a horrible choice had been enforced upon me doesn't make it right though.

No it doesn't but it's a cash strapped NHS and they have to see everyone - even the people that use it as a drop in centre. I don't see a way round it.

 

[Yelkcub]

Sorry to hear about all that Yelkcub, it must have been a frightening experience for you both.

You shouldn't hesitate to complain if you feel that the delays were unacceptable.

The delays were clearly the result of under-resourcing. I can't think a complaint is going to change that.

 

[baldrick]

yes. this. and it doesn't mean those people aren't ill enough

what's the solution though? more doctors = costs more money = smaller waiting times = even more people go to A&E with minor ailments which their gp could treat.

 

[oryx]

it appears withing that 6 hours she had been assessed by paramedics and handed over to a nurse, has a drip installed and was given painkillers and had slept for a while. The doctor came later but the poor girl hadn't been left in a cubical for 6 hours without anything.

I don't think anyone's suggested she was just left for 6 hours. But could paramedics and nursing staff differentiate between say, a bug and peritonitis?

I would say not.

 

[Jasef]

what's the solution though? more doctors = costs more money = smaller waiting times = even more people go to A&E with minor ailments which their gp could treat.

Knowing this Govt, they would fine us if your ailment wasnt life-threatening enough... And then be on your record as a time-waster...

 

[Yelkcub]

it appears withing that 6 hours she had been assessed by paramedics and handed over to a nurse, has a drip installed and was given painkillers and had slept for a while. The doctor came later but the poor girl hadn't been left in a cubical for 6 hours without anything.

Agreed. It was prolly 3 hours or so between calling the ambulance and getting the drip installed.

They were so busy though that when the drip ran out, even with me saying 'she's starting to really suffer again since the drip ran out, it took 20-25mins for someone to come and change it'. If hadn't been there I believe it would have been considerably longer.

I can see how (in more than likely isolated incidents that the tabloids would like to pretend are a trend) someone could get completely forgetten in a hospital that chaotic.

 

[wiskey]

ambulances are also used as a taxi service as they can't refuse to send one out.

not entirely true.

it appears withing that 6 hours she had been assessed by paramedics and handed over to a nurse, has a drip installed and was given painkillers and had slept for a while. The doctor came later but the poor girl hadn't been left in a cubical for 6 hours without anything.

Exactly what I was thinking. And she got her own room.

I don't think anyone's suggested she was just left for 6 hours. But could paramedics and nursing staff differentiate between say, a bug and peritonitis?

I would say not.

they don't have x-ray vision but abdo pain is one of those things that can hurt like fuck but not be very serious in most cases. Identifying the cases where it might be is skill, and they learn do their best to identify them.

And if you break a bone a minor injuries unit is the best place for quick treatment rather than a&e most of the time.

 

[ethel]

not entirely true.

depends on the nhs trust, but afaik the vast majority cannot. if you deem your stubbed toe to be an emergency, then they have to send one.

 

[ethel]

this is scary http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/med/research/hsri/emergencycare/research/ambulance/inapp999_nopics.ppt

oh and http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/feb/01/health.politics

 

[ovaltina]

what's the solution though? more doctors = costs more money = smaller waiting times = even more people go to A&E with minor ailments which their gp could treat.

That's why a lot of London A&Es have NHS walk in centres attached, so if you go in with a headache you're sent packing to see a GP or nurse. If there's no space for a walk in they sometimes have GPs in A&E to see non emergency patients.

 

[middle C]

No it doesn't but it's a cash strapped NHS and they have to see everyone - even the people that use it as a drop in centre. I don't see a way round it.

no they don't have to see everyone.

from my experience, the nurse gave those who wanted to leave (included me) a piece of paper to sign stating they'd leave without seeing doctor voluntarily

 

[Ceej]

I've had far more experience of A & E than I'd like, but IME they get it right the vast majority of the time. The staff are very skilled at seeing who is and isn't in danger and reacting accordingly. In a life-threatening situation, we had drips, doctors, nurses and consultants on the scene almost immediately and there was a four hour waiting list. In the main, if they're not rushing around you, you're not going to die in the next couple of hours.

Precious little comfort if a loved one is in pain, I know. Must have been terrifying.

 

[middle C]

also walkin service closes by 6pm don't they? unlike A&E which is 24 hours

 

[wiskey]

also walkin service closes by 6pm don't they? unlike A&E which is 24 hours

depends on where it is. A lot of them are in places that have a high workforce, so they go home at half 5 and the WIC isn't needed.

 

[wiskey]

depends on the nhs trust, but afaik the vast majority cannot. if you deem your stubbed toe to be an emergency, then they have to send one.

There are certain instances that invoke the No Send policy but they are very specific, you have to be absolutely sure before you refuse someone an ambulance, I believe stubbed toes is one.

Also my trust has various alternatives to sending an ambulance, like arranging GP's/District Nurses/CPN's, telephone advice, sending Emergency Care Practitioners (paramedics who can do advanced stuff like suture, arrange follow up treatment etc), take people to walk in centres rather than a&e or if possible just treat them at home.

 

[Yelkcub]

perhaps they should have called the out-of-hours dr service instead

I didn't think it was that relevant so I didn't mention it, but I rang her GP, got an answerphone that eventually put me through the the emergency doctor who said staright 'If she's vomitted and fainted - call an ambulance!'

 

[ethel]

There are certain instances that invoke the No Send policy but they are very specific, you have to be absolutely sure before you refuse someone an ambulance, I believe stubbed toes is one.

.

they do still get sent out for such trivial things. i used to be a 999 operator and some of the reasons were ridiculous.