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Care Opinion

ED presentation

Posted By Tired1234

"ED presentation"

About: Royal Perth Hospital / Emergency Department

(as a service user),

I presented to ED in the early hours of the morning recently with shortness of breath/ tight chest due to atypical asthma.

I was told my oxygen levels were fine/ chest sounded clear then I was told to ' take a seat.'

As the ED was busy I held off asking for help ( breathing was becoming more difficult) as more important cases came through.

After two hours/ two and a half hours of waiting I went up to ask how long the wait would be just so I had an idea. I was advised seven people were ahead of me.

At this point I realised I wouldn't be believed and that I could keep up ventalin at home. I told the nurse that I can keep up ventalin at home and I felt like I wouldn't be believed as with my atypical asthma my oxygen levels don't go down nor do I wheeze.

I still get short of breath, tight chest, hyper infalted lungs etc.

The Nurse proceeded to laugh and say that's impossible! I've never heard of that! When I said I don't wheeze and didn't seem to listen to me when I kept saying my oxygen levels don't go down/ I don't wheeze yet my airways still narrow. They kept repeating that my oxygen levels and vitals look fine.

I ended up going home hoping that ventalin will help, knowing that at least I didn't waste my time going through not to be believed. I left without seeing anyone.

I've had a three day long asthma attack before/ been brushed off by similar attitudes or not believed at all.

I was only believed recently this year by a Doctor at Royal Perth Hospital in early June this year (2024), this was after presenting to two ED's three times. It shouldn't have to be this way.

Can there please be education amongst staff- Doctor's and Nurses/ whoever else about atypical asthma?

It makes me wonder how many other people have been brushed off this way.

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Responses

Response from Ben Noteboom, Executive Director, Royal Perth Bentley Group 3 months ago
Ben Noteboom
Executive Director,
Royal Perth Bentley Group

Submitted on 5/09/2024 at 6:44 PM
Published on Care Opinion on 6/09/2024 at 9:11 AM

picture of Ben Noteboom

Dear Tired1234,

I was very sorry to read of your experience in the Royal Perth Hospital (RPH) Emergency Department waiting room and your frustration about not being heard.

It does appear from your Care Opinion story that you were not treated with the level of respect we strive to deliver for all our patients, and for that I sincerely apologise. I was pleased to hear that you received compassionate care in the past from our service and I sincerely hope this is your experience in the future.

I understand a member of our Patient Experience team has been in contact with you since your presentation and has discussed your experience in detail. We take our patient feedback very seriously and as such learnings from your experience have been passed on to senior members of our Emergency Medicine team.

I wish you all the best in your recovery. Thank you for sharing your story on Care Opinion so that we can learn and improve the care we deliver to our patients and the community.

Kind regards

Ben Noteboom

Executive Director

Royal Perth Bentley Group

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Update posted by Tired1234 (a service user)

Good afternoon,

I have received a response letter this afternoon to my complaint and I do not find it satisfactory. While the apology for being brushed off and for being laughed at was appreciated the other aspects of my above story were ignored.

It was stated throughout the response letter that my oxygen level/ airways sounded clear and I was checked by a nurse after 40 minutes of being triaged and was triaged correctly. My original complaint stated that even though my vitals ' present normal' I still have trouble breathing, tight chest, narrowed airways, hyperinflated lungs etc with my atypical asthma.

My atypical asthma symptoms and how I presented was ignored in the response letter and the ' your vitals were normal/ chest sounded clear' was repeated throughout the response letter.

I feel unheard and brushed off just like the experience I detailed in my feedback.

I've had similar atypical asthma experiences such as tight chest/ trouble breathing since my feedback yet I'm scared to come back to Royal Perth ED as I'll most likely be brushed off, not listened to, not believed or possibly laughed at again.

Response from Ben Noteboom, Executive Director, Royal Perth Bentley Group 2 months ago
Ben Noteboom
Executive Director,
Royal Perth Bentley Group

Submitted on 7/10/2024 at 7:42 PM
Published on Care Opinion on 8/10/2024 at 9:54 AM

picture of Ben Noteboom

Dear Tired1234

I apologise again that we have failed to address the heart of your concerns through our complaints process.

I understand that whilst your vitals may present normal, that you were experiencing symptoms in line with your diagnosed atypical asthma. I apologise that during your presentation to the Emergency Department this was not acknowledged appropriately.

I recognise that during a distressing event, such as presenting to an Emergency Department with serious health concerns, a reassuring word and supportive communication can go a long way. Although our waiting room and triage staff are already trained in recognising and responding to atypical asthma, we will ensure that this training is reinforced based on your experience. I apologise that staff were not more sympathetic in communications with you and did not explain to you at the time that deterioration of your condition was being monitored appropriately. I can assure you that should your condition have worsened that your triage category would have been reviewed and admission prioritised.

I have asked our Nursing Manager in the Emergency Department to reach out to you via phone in order to provide our sincere apologies and to hear the personal account of your story in order to inform improvements for future patients.

I would like to urge you to please seek medical support for your ongoing symptoms, if urgent via an Emergency Department, otherwise certainly with your General Practitioner for ongoing care and specialist referral if required.

I wish you the best in your recovery.

Ben Noteboom

Executive Director

Royal Perth Bentley Group

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