"Disappointing ED experience"

Arriving at ED in the evening with major breathing issues and shortness of breath I was directed to the waiting room. After waiting almost 3 hours struggling to breathe, I re-presented to triage to advise that due to being heavily pregnant I was unable to keep waiting and would like to leave.

Post-chat with the doctor, the triage nurse advised the doctor wasn’t happy with me leaving, I was seen by the doctor whom I can’t fault, however, was then returned to the waiting room until the early hours of the morning (7 hours after my arrival) - I was told this was to await my covid result, however, I had one completed 48 hours prior at the same ED, and I believe waiting in the waiting room would expose more people had it been covid.

I was disappointed in what I feel was the lack of care in my situation, not only due to how heavily pregnant I am but because of my presentation which I believe could be a life or death situation. I ended up needing to be transferred to a larger hospital due to worrying blood results- I believe this could have been done so much sooner.

I felt there was no communication from staff, no compassion and no offers of basic things such as water. I was advised by the doctor I still wouldn’t have been seen for hours based on how I was triaged despite, in my opinion, being the sickest person currently in the ED. This is so worrying. I’m lucky my situation wasn’t worse but the outcome of what I believe to be a wrong triage like this could have proved detrimental in my opinion.