"Emergency Department service"

I took my infant child to emergency due to some very abnormal signs. They won’t eat, had trouble staying conscious and alert, very lethargic, and spent a day crying and screaming. We went there on a weekday around lunchtime, I recall 1 person was in there waiting. We were triaged and then told to take a seat, within our time there was at least 20 people that came in, multiple being very elderly and in wheelchairs, we spoke to the nurse about letting the others sit and waiting outside for a bit.

About four and a half hours later, nearing the evening after my child fell asleep on the concrete in what I believe was the disgusting outdoor area, I went in to ask how much longer it may be. The nurse in there was different to the one we dealt with (it seemed to me this one obviously couldn’t give two rats) they said they'll find out, they then told us, oh they called for me and I didn’t come so they assumed I left, I’ll have to wait until an iso room is available now. I recall they also stated that how are they supposed to know if we go outside or leave, in which I replied, I spoke to the staff member sitting where you are now beforehand as I felt it was too full in here. They said there’s nothing they can do and we just have to wait. I stood at the door, waiting the whole time, and every time they called someone I made sure, there was an instance where they called a patient who seemed to have left. My child was never called nor checked upon.

I also asked why we needed an iso room, and they said it’s because my child has a cold and the employee's health is important so my child needs an iso room. After saying how often will it be available, I was told only 1 was free in that whole 5 hour span- and we missed it by not coming to a call, and we may have to wait that long again. My partner said that my child isn’t eating and struggling to stay awake and they're not well and that we can’t wait that long again, we might have to go home. As I understand it, the staff member said that’s okay then and smiled. 

I believe this was an absolutely disgraceful display of professionalism and empathy for an infant child that they don’t even know what’s wrong or how bad. I have heard it’s getting worse there, but after seeing and experiencing this first hand, I am disgusted with CGHS and absolutely livid. We stayed friendly and polite, but we did show our dissatisfaction and disappointment to the staff member at the triage desk, and I felt they made it worse by not having the slightest care in the world, in my opinion.