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"Fast track delay"

About: Rockingham General Hospital / Emergency Department

(as a service user),

I presented to the emergency department recently due to wound injury on foot between the 3rd and 4th phalanges caused by breakage of serving plate dropping from height onto foot on same day.

Injury observed by triage nurse and asked when I had last tetanus.

I was admitted into the Fast Track area in a corridor heavily used by staff was seen by ED nurse for take primarily tests (BP and O2 stats). 

Fast track area signage states: 

The fast track area is used for patients who can be assessed and treated in one step.

You will be seen by a doctor or a specialist emergency nurse. Please feel free to ask questions if you do not understand anything that they discuss with you.

You may be asked to move from this treatment bay (chair) to allow us to appropriately care for you and other patients.

At the time of writing this, I had not been spoken to or approached since the initial interaction with ED Nurse over 2 hours before.

There are no buzzers to call nurses or doctors if required but left to manage alone with continuing disturbance from fellow patients in fast track area, no privacy, and staff trampling backwards and forwards.

I feel this is not the fast track area. I thought my wound had probably sealed over due to wait time and even if it required stitches or glue it would be extremely painful.

Understanding priority cases take precedent however why have a fast track area that’s seemingly not used as one  

In my opinion, not good enough RGH ED.

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Responses

Response from Kath Smith, Executive Director, Rockingham Peel Group, South Metropolitan Health Service 15 months ago
Kath Smith
Executive Director, Rockingham Peel Group,
South Metropolitan Health Service
Submitted on 10/01/2023 at 7:27 PM
Published on Care Opinion on 11/01/2023 at 9:39 AM


picture of Kath Smith

Dear Overnight care,

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience in the Emergency Department (ED) at Rockingham General Hospital.

I am sorry for the wait you experienced in the Fast Track area. Patients in our ED are seen according to the severity of their medical condition, based on symptoms on presentation to triage. Every patient is given a triage category from 1 to 5 according to their urgency, as set by the Australian Government Triage Guidelines, to be seen by a doctor. Patients that are categorised as more serious will be seen first. Currently we are experiencing long wait times due to the volume of patients presenting to the ED.

Patients allocated to the Fast Track area are seen by Nurse Practitioners and considered able to sit in order to be assessed and receive treatment. This area is in the heart of the ED, which is a very busy place with many patients and staff. Unfortunately due to the nature of the Fast Track area there are no call bells available and patients are required to escalate their concerns or questions directly to staff.

The Emergency Department is committed to providing compassionate, quality care and so I am very sorry if you felt this was not the case on this occasion.

Once again, thank you for providing feedback and I hope that you are recovering well.

Kind regards

Kath Smith

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