"Not listening to my concerns"

My spouse and I took our baby to the Maroondah Emergency Department (ED) recently due to a high fever which wasn't dropping. The service we received was amazing, in my opinion. They sent us home explaining it was most likely viral, at the time, offering us a COVID test if we wanted for our baby. Our baby was so upset at the time and due to the small number of cases in Melbourne, decided against this. They said if they still aren't right and we have any concerns to come back (the GP would not accept our baby due to the symptoms and said to go to ED).

My baby seemed worse a few days later, the temp was 39 and they were uncontrollably crying. Mum gut feeling, this wasn't like our baby, so went by the Dr's advice from a few nights prior and took them back into the emergency dept.

They tested our baby's temp which had gone down to 36 (after having Panadol and Nurofen that morning). The nurse at the door called through to a nurse at the desk who said to go to the GP. I explained the above. The nurse came into the children's room, standing a few metres away from my baby and me, advising they were alert and seemed fine to go home. I was confused about how this nurse could say this without checking my baby's breathing, heart rate etc. The nurse said they had many years of experience and could tell my baby was fine, that I was putting them at a higher risk being in the department.

I explained how sick my baby had been and I was concerned. The nurse said to me that there is no way the Dr on would do a COVID test on such a young child, it would be torture in their words. I explained how that was interesting considering the Drs 2 nights prior offered this to us (not that this was the reason I came back in). They never made us feel stupid for bringing our baby in that night. This nurse went on to ask if I had given my baby any medication. I told them 3 times, yes, panadol and Nurofen and had to repeat the time numerous times to this nurse too.

The nurse was so patronising, in my opinion, I asked them if they won't look at my baby and GP won't, what do I do? They said, go home. I said to them, don't you have a duty of care when a patient comes into the department to at least examine them? The nurse said they were very concerned for me and my baby for my other reasons which I don't understand when they wouldn't do anything to help me. The nurse said they would get a dr to see us due to me being a concerned mum. 

The nurse eventually went and got the equipment to examine my baby. Putting the clip on my baby's foot to check the heart rate, they asked if I could distract my baby, who was clearly not feeling well and getting distressed. The nurse asked if my baby was hungry. I said they've gone off food since being sick. I offered them a bottle as they weren't interested in playing with toys... my baby took a few sips and the nurse turned around and said: see they're hungry. The nurse also asked if my baby had teeth coming through. I explained yes, currently teething... The nurse went on to tell me, well there's your answer too. I told them I know my baby, they had quite a few teeth already and I am very aware of how my baby reacts when teething and this is not normal behaviour for them.

It was quite busy in the department, I've worked at another hospital for 10 years, so I'm very aware of how busy the public system can be but I believe there is also a way to treat a patient. I left that department without seeing a Dr. after the way I was treated by the nurse and called my GP who said I needed to go to an Emergency Department. I also understand the risks of seizures in babies too with really high temperatures. 

I have always been told you know your baby best and to go with your gut. I tried to do this and feel I was told essentially that I was putting my child at risk being there.

I will make sure not to go back to the Maroondah Emergency Department with my baby in the future.