"ED triage & waiting time for children"

Our toddler had an accident at daycare which resulted in a split top lip and a trip to the ED. Due to the time of the accident (late in the afternoon) we were unable to get into any GP before they closed their doors so needed to get to someone medically trained to see if it required any stitches/glue. 

Whilst triage was relatively quick (although the desk was unmanned upon arrival and many times during our wait), we had to wait over 3hrs to be seen by a dr. Whilst the accident was not-life-threatening, and I appreciate there were a number of ambulances that arrived during the course of this time, waiting for over 3hrs with a bleeding, hungry and tired toddler is not fun for any parent.

We did not leave the hospital until over 4 hours later - 20 minutes of which was the total time required for treatment and glue.

Sadly this is not the first incident where we have had an extensive wait with a bleeding toddler in this ED. We have had to previously wait for 4hrs with a bleeding toddler after another accident that saw them bite through their bottom lip.  Again, not life-threatening, but as we couldn't get into any GP for medical treatment, we had to head to the ED to be seen. 

There was also another patient who I believe waited for 3-4hrs to be seen with a heavily bleeding and badly wrapped foot. Surely, in my opinion, it would serve the hospital well to train current nurses to attend to, clean, stitch, staple, or glue bleeding children and adults, this way those bleeding, but not necessarily with life-threatening injuries (especially children), can be attended to immediately. 

I believe this will provide peace of mind for the patient and parent - allowing one parent to return to work or home - whilst the patient can wait to be cleared for discharge by a dr.  Waiting 3-4hrs with a bleeding, upset and hungry child or toddler, in my opinion, is WAY too long for an Emergency Department.