"Chest pains ignored at Melbourne Womens hospital"

I was experiencing chest pain and palpatations and walked into the Royal Womens Hospital in Melbourne because it was close.

At the desk were three nurses. After telling them I was having chest pains they rudely.. "but are you pregnant? ? ", then explained that they only deal with pregnant patients. I explained I thought they treated females in general for female related conditions, they replied that was incorrect and I needed to be pregnant to be seen. My perception was that they were clearly put out by me interrupting them, they were rude and condescending. They told me Id have to wait.

I repeated again that I was having chest pain (waiting with chest pain didn't seem normal to me)... they made me sit down and wait for an HOUR (there was only one other patient there the entire time). Meanwhile they were chatting behind the desk and it seemed to me not looking terribly busy. They did not examine me at all during that time.

After an hour they pulled me into a room and put an ECG on me. The entire time they kept reminding the that they were REQUIRED to see me because I had presented myself to them with chest pains. I thought they were trying to make me feel guilty for being there.

I wasn't having a heart attack, but did need additional tests. Too bad if I was having a heart attack... to me, they were more concerned about whether I was "supposed" to be there or not and having their, as I perceived, obviously slow night interrupted.