I presented to the ED recently one afternoon on the advice from my GP who was concerned that I needed an abscess drained and the infection seemed to be resistant to the antibiotics I was taking, continuing to spread and causing extreme pain. The doctor's recommendation was to have the abscess drained (they did an ultrasound in their office and could see there was an abscess) and for me to go on IV antibiotics.
Took over 4 hours to be seen by a Dr in the emergency department.
The Dr did no follow up observations (temp which I believe nurses were concerned about as it was low, BP etc) when the doctor in the ED saw me and literally just looked at the infection site (which is a rash as the abscess is under the skin) and told me I don't need IV antibiotics and to keep taking oral antibiotics, apparently, there was nothing more they could do but give me another script for more of the same antibiotics that weren't working and pain relief, as there is no one at the hospital to do an ultrasound until the next business day for it to be drained.
It was not even 12 hours later and the infection is clearly spreading and I am in so much pain. After the way I was treated that night, I'd rather sit at home and get sicker or potentially let the abscess burst to the point I need an ambulance than to go and sit in the waiting room in so much pain for over 4 hours and just get sent home again straight away.
I ended up back at the hospital recently at night as the abscess (the one that the Dr in the ED the night before said was not that bad) burst when I rolled over in bed and I had to have emergency surgery over the weekend to have it drained and cleaned.
The Dr I saw in ED that night was really unhappy that I had been turned away, along with every nurse I spoke to about it.
"Emergency Department treatment"
About: Geraldton Hospital / Emergency Department Geraldton Hospital Emergency Department Geraldton 6530
Posted by rhinoem55 (as ),
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Update posted by rhinoem55 (a service user) 3 years ago
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