"Intercom in the Emergency Department"

I was only a few weeks pregnant and presented to Narrogin ED one afternoon recently with early pregnancy bleeding. 

When I arrived, I found that the ED waiting area was locked down due to COVID restrictions and I had to ring a very loud intercom bell to get the attention of the registration staff. Once the staff answered the intercom I was asked my reason for the visit and then to describe my symptoms and bleeding. Luckily for me the waiting room was empty at this point and there was no one else behind me waiting to enter, but had there have been they would have heard all of my very personal information. 

Another lady in a similar situation to myself arrived shortly after and I overheard she was asked the same questions only this time there were people in the waiting room and I could all hear her responses. 

Going through the experience of early pregnancy bleeding is traumatic enough without then having to stand in a corridor and describe your experience into an intercom for potentially the whole world to hear. Also with Narrogin being a small town the likelihood of me knowing someone sitting in the waiting room were high. I found this experience extremely uncomfortable and insensitive and felt this added to my stress on the day. 

I appreciate that COVID restrictions are necessary but surely there has to be a better, more private way of doing this, as I feel this is an extremely insensitive way of doing things particularly when it comes to such sensitive issues as potential miscarriage. 

When I was finally seen by the nurse, the care I received from her was great. She was very empathetic given my emotional state and showed a great amount of compassion. I felt the other clinician didn’t seem that interested and was very direct and to the point.