I brought a family member, suffering shortness of breath & chest tightness, to ED for a second time in two days. I recall at the initial external interrogation, were directed to an alternative entrance. My family member was swabbed for a Covid test (despite being negative two days earlier, not having been to any hotspots & having a positive D-dimer on previous visit), then made to wait in a chair for over 3 hours.
I expressed my concerns to the triage nurse that I felt a Covid diagnosis (less likely to be positive) seemed more concerning than cardiac event (I believe more likely to have taken place), given my family member’s previous history. I recall the nurse told me they would address the nurse in the other entrance point. I believe they never did.
I re-expressed my concerns to the nurse attending to my family member. I was also dismayed that they seemed to make my elderly family member with a cardiac history wait (with unknown turn-around-time for Covid result) in a chair, next to a patient who I recall was admitted for fighting & another projectile vomiting.
A bed was finally found. Several hours after arriving in ED, it was found that my family member had in fact had a heart attack! I believe this delay in diagnosis could well have impacted on their wellbeing & survival. Thankfully, it was mild.
Based on my experience, please don't let a Covid diagnosis overshadow something I feel is more likely & more sinister & consider previous medical history to guide patient management.
"Don't get blindsided by COVID"
About: Royal Perth Hospital / Emergency Department Royal Perth Hospital Emergency Department Perth 6000
Posted by indiafn87 (as ),
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