I went to the A&E dept at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee recently, with a severe pain in the upper arm (I had fainted at home in the morning after getting up and going to the toilet). I was triaged, seen by a doctor who was quite thorough in his questioning, and then X-rayed. The X-ray showed no fractures but the doctor was concerned enough to make me wait until his superior saw me.
I had to wait some time, which is to be expected in A&E, but when the doctor came, his manner was very bombastic, patronising and dismissive of everything I was trying to explain. He had his own ideas about what it was (firstly thinking I had a problem with my shoulder, because he clearly hadn't listened to the doctor either) and told me to take painkillers (like I hadn't thought of that!).
When I suggested it might be a problem with my heart (because I'm in my 60s & it runs in the family) he said it wasn't that because it wasn't the left arm (even although I understand women often present with atypical symptoms). He spent less than five minutes with me and made me feel as if I was wasting his time, like I just love to hang around A&E just before Christmas when I have a thousand other more pressing things to do!
By the way, at the time of writing I still have severe pain in my arm. Maybe his diagnosis is right but he didn't have to make me feel like a complete fraud and a time-waster.
"Manner of consultant during A&E visit"
About: Ninewells Hospital / Accident & Emergency Ninewells Hospital Accident & Emergency DD1 9SY
Posted by Sore Arm Lady (as ),
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