"Covid testing"

I attended to have a Covid test because I had a fever, body aches, nausea and fatigue and wanted to make sure that I am not spreading Covid.

I felt we waited over 3 hours to get tested, arriving about before midday and getting swabbed at around mid-afternoon.

It seemed to me there was poor communication during that time frame, and it wasn’t until we were getting registered a couple hours from arriving, that we were advised that as I understand it, they were understaffed leading to significant delays. By this point we had been at the hospital for nearly 2 hours while I was severely unwell in the queue. My partner would stand and wait and I would have to go and lie down on a bench because I was feeling so sick.

After we registered, we were near the swabbing window and my partner was watching with interest the process, trying to calculate when we would be seen and they could get me back home to rest.

I recall when the nurse that took my swab they asked if the person next to me was my partner and indicated while my partner was looking in the window, that my partner had tapped their own wrist and the nurse told me my partner is a d***head, before proceeding to give me what I felt was an extremely rough test in my nose and throat. I’ve had several tests before, that were uncomfortable but not painful. I felt that the nurse was purposefully rough and I continued to feel pain deep in my nose for hours afterwards.

I didn’t see my partner do that, nor do I excuse that behaviour as I am sure the nurses were working beyond their capacity however telling me that the person looking after me was a d***head and then seemingly aggressively swabbing me I believe was completely inappropriate. I felt violated and hurt. It seemed as though they were abusing me as vengeance for something my partner apparently did. I didn’t see it, nor would I condone it, but I certainly felt I faced the consequences and can’t get the exchange out of my head.

Immediately after, I asked for the name of the nurse, as I thought that the behaviour should be made known to supervisors. I would be unhappy if the nurse was able to go on acting inappropriately. However, the person I asked went to ask the nurse directly. Given their actions, I was worried the nurse would further retaliate for example by not sending my sample away for testing. I ended up leaving, wanting to get straight home to rest but my recollection of the nurse leaning over me, telling me my partner is a d***head before being extremely rough with me will not leave my mind.

I note that I had recently had a test about not too long ago and found the process quick and friendly. As requested by the community, when I’ve had any symptoms I have had a test to make sure that I am clear before I continue to move about in the community.

After this experience, I feel I am unlikely to bother with this again.