"Acute respiratory condition"

I would just like to share my unhappy personal experience at the ED Esperance hospital. I had just returned from holidays and it was my first opportunity to seek medical help for acute respiratory condition, deep coughing and general difficulty breathing. It was mid-afternoon when I arrived and explained my condition, which I thought was very self-evident (whilst wearing a mask) but was definitely not Covid as I had done RATs test several times. As soon as I said that I had come from overseas, suddenly it went from respiratory problem to a suspected exotic infectious disease despite my repeated declarations that I had it days before disembarking the cruise ship and setting foot on international soil.

My partner and I were asked to move from the waiting room to the outdoor garden. Around an hour later my partner went inside to ask for a blanket for me. The following hour it was getting colder so we asked if we could be found a spot inside to be told there was none and we could leave. The triage nurse then allowed us in the waiting room in the far corner. An hour after the nurse saw me and did a Covid test and 45 minutes later we were ushered into a spare consultation room. Just over an hour later, unable to put up with sitting down in a cold room any longer, we left the hospital.

The triage nurse explained things had happened and I was aware that an ambulance had come in, but in my state, it was of little consolation to me. I was feeling distraught and definitely worse than when I arrived. I went home, had a hot shower and dosed up with cough syrup and Panadol which was more than I got from the hospital. I fully appreciate the work put in by hospital staff and that things can get busy. If I had felt ok and was well, I would not have cared, but I was not feeling well at all. Six hours when you are not feeling well can seem like an eternity.

Please, based on my experience, when you are dealing with sick people share some compassion and keep them informed. Tell them that they may not be seen for 6 or so hours and go home and try to see your GP – if you can.