"Presenting at hospital with open fracture"

After consult with ambulance then sent to 24 hour clinic whose Dr sent me straight to hospital and also said the ambulance should have taken me as I had an open fracture.

Presented at Robina ED triaged to fracture clinic ED and waiting hours finally a nurse came took my blood pressure and one look at my toe and took me straight through for X-ray.

It had been approx 4 hours or more by this stage.

Definite fracture and complete tear of the nail bed. 

This requires stitches cleaning and pinning the toe fracture.

They offered cleaning and stitching in the ED which I was not happy with and asked what option I had as I wanted it pinned as it’s important being the big toe. Another couple of hours go by and after I mentioned I had private cover as well they organised for a private surgeon to ring and fix it I a few days time.

They stitched it roughly to hold it together and let me walk out of there.

I have since had it repaired and a pin to the fracture and cannot drive for 6 weeks.

Should not be weight bearing unless necessary.  Why didn’t this happen in the public hospital as I had a surgeon that operated in the same public hospital anyway.

There was not enough information, in my opinion,  and the inability to admit and operate was not good enough. 

It was easier to send me home to wait for private operation and no help leaving and I should not have been walking on it still. 

This has further made me determined to keep private cover as you are at the mercy of junior drs  and a system that is not prepared to fund urgent care well. Bad decisions also made that can affect your future health.

My surgeon said I would have had to return to ED with more problems if I had have just had it stitched in ED.  It would not be good.