I have a heart arrythmia which needs to be captured on further ECG recordings to enable my treatment. When I have an attack I have to present at A&E for an ECG and/or to manage my symptoms as they sometimes do not self-limit. My symptoms are often accompanied by chest pain. I visited the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary recently with a high heart rate and chest pain. The receptionist put me straight to triage. However, I was not triaged straight away and was made to wait my "turn in a very long queue (quote from the triage nurse).
Once triaged I was taken to a bed for an ECG. The ECG was presented to the doctor in the resuscitation ward who seemed more interested in talking about Facebook and talking to the nurses. I was eventually treated by a lovely doctor. If I had been triaged sooner and had the ECG sooner, it may have caught the episode. However by the time I had been through this process, my symptoms had gone.
In my opinion this experience was unacceptable. I am an employee of the NHS and I was disgusted by my experience.
"Delay in triage meant my heart arrythmia couldn't be captured on ECG"
About: Royal Albert Edward Infirmary / Accident and emergency Royal Albert Edward Infirmary Accident and emergency Wigan WN1 2NN Royal Albert Edward Infirmary / Cardiology Royal Albert Edward Infirmary Cardiology WN1 2NN
Posted by Bud2013 (as ),
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