Sister been given 4 day wait to see doctor for dislocated shoulder and fractured collarbone

[Joffmognum]

My tween sister got thrown too hard at martial arts practise on Friday, and was screaming afterwards. Taken to A&E, she was hyperventilating and crying from pain, couldn't move EITHER of her arms.

She had an xray which showed a big crack through her collarbone, other small fractures other than that, and her right arm is way out of socket. Left arm is still in place but collarbone is damaged near that joint too and she can't use that shoulder/arm joint without a lot of pain. She can still use her left elbow, but other than that is useless from the chest up.

She was given a bandage sling but no painkillers despite asking for them and was told she couldn't see a doctor til Tuesday. Again, this happened on Friday.

On Saturday she slipped out of a chair and waited for 2 hours until someone found her and helped her because she couldn't move and couldn't reach a phone. She has to be spoonfed and cannot go to the toilet unassisted. Someone has to pull her trousers up and down and wipe her. She's 14 and this mortifies her. Showering is standing in the bath and mum runs her with a flannel. We've scribed her homework.

We thought this was ridiculous and that it must just have been the hospital or the supervisor and that we'd have better luck with another hospital. Again, got turned away from a&e, offered a fresh bandage for the sling but no painkillers and told we still have to wait.

Is this normal?????!

I have no idea why she hasn't been considered a priority. One shoulderblade looks about 4 inches lower than the other. Why can't we see a doctor for 4 days??? They didn't even let her have gas and air in the emergency room. It's cheap, non addictive and has few negative side effects.

If anyone with an M.D. could shed some light on this I'd love to hear it

[SaucyJack]

What is the doctor's appt. for?

As far as I know there is no treatment for a broken collarbone other than slinging the arm and waiting for it to heal, so it does sound normal to me.

Your poor sister tho :-(

[honeyroar]

It sounds ridiculous. I've waited to see the shoulder specialist for a week or so, but A&E have always relocated my shoulder (with gas/air). Theyve always said it wasn't dislocated at first, but I've insisted it was, and they've conceded it was later on.

I'd go back. It just seems weird. A shoulder out of socket for any length of time would swell and be harder to put back.

[Aridane]

Surely some painkillers at the least?

[HeyRoly]

Why on earth have they not put the dislocated shoulder back in? Have they explained why?

[SquinkiesRule]

Go back to A&E that is ridiculous. They should at least relocate the shoulder and give her some pain meds.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Your poor sister, that sounds awful :(

[toffeeboffin]

Don't they just slot it back in? (not medical terminology obviously )

[ineedamoreadultieradult]

Are you in the UK? I just ask with you mentioning Emergency Room rather than A&E. if you are in the I would go to your DRs first thing in the morning and sit and wait for an emergency appointment. If she is completely unable to use both arms she needs stronger painkillers. Even with a broken collar bone you can usually use your arm enough to complete basic tasks.

[KingJoffreysRestingCuntface]

Last time I was in A&E the bloke in the cubical near me was having his shoulder popped back in.

They can heal really oddly otherwise.

[Crispyturtle]

Did you not ask why she had to wait so long?

[Floralnomad]

This all sounds very bizarre . Are you basing the fact that it's still dislocated by just looking at her and she looks lopsided because I really can't see why they would send her home without reducing the dislocation . Slings are all the treatment you get for collarbones , and it's routine to then go back in a few days to a fracture clinic . Hospitals won't hand out pain killers because all they would give you is paracetamol / ibuprofen or cocodamol which you can buy at any supermarket .Why was she alone for so long if she's in so much pain and so incapacitated ?

[LisaMed1]

I've dislocated shoulders four times - immediate relocation each time.

[BrickInTheWall]

This will out me but...I broke my humerus back in February. It was completely snapped through. I was given gas and air while they put it in a cast.
They gave me some Cocodamol but nothing stronger than you can buy over the counter anyway. I was given an appointment to return in a week to the fracture clinic, So I think that is standard treatment.
I couldn't use the toilet by myself either and had to stay upright to let the bone heal. I have 4 kids and one of them was 11 months old. Her being mortified won't affect how they treat her medically.

Unfortunately there is not a lot they can do.. my arm is still not healed nearly 4 months on. I have adapted and learnt to do a lot.
I feel for your sister. The first couple of weeks are absolutely horrendous, it will get better. Also she is young and will heal quickly. If she still has movement in her hands get her to bend and stretch her fingers a lot. Mine were horrendously swollen from not moving them.

[LisaMed1]

Another thought - most of the time I was fairly spaced out, but they have to throw you about quite a bit to get the shoulder back in, putting a lot of pressure on the opposite side. The only thing I can think of is that they need to stabilise the fracture before sorting out the shoulder.

Sending your sister good vibes.

[Joffmognum]

We're in the UK

I have no idea why they didn't try to put her arm back in. She's just been told it's "best to leave it" by multiple nurses. I wasn't personally there, this is second hand by our mother (i had no idea until she came home from hospital).

I realise there's not much one can do with a broken collarbone, but the dislocation is making it so much worse and she's miserable. I genuinely don't understand it.

[CherieBabySpliffUp]

Could the right shoulder have popped back in while she was in A&E the first time?
That is mad otherwise

[Joffmognum]

floral my mother's work called her in for a few hours. She's only down the road (literally two minutes away on foot) and figured she had her mobile if she needed anything.

After that shes taken sick leave to stay with her.

[LIZS]

Are you sure it hasn't been relocated ( or did itself) and the sling is just to rest it before attending the fracture clinic? Perhaps she shouldn't be left alone while she is so incapacitated.

[welshweasel]

There is no way that she would have been discharged from A&E with a dislocated shoulder. They either reduce it in the department or if that fails, you go to theatre to have a general anaesthetic and reduction. Standard management for collar bone fractures/shoulder injuries is a sling and fracture clinic in 5-7 days. She should be taking regular paracetamol and ibuprofen.

[Joffmognum]

LisaMed that makes sense, thank you

[user1471443813]

I'm an A&E Senior sister.

That is a normal wait for the fracture clinic after being seen in A&E. Have you got a date and time for her fracture clinic appointment this week? If not, contact PALS at the hospital (patient advice and liason service)

What does her discharge summary from the A&E department say?

[Louiselouie0890]

Nothing they'll do about the collar bone that's a waiting game not sure why they wouldn't put the shoulder back in though does the collar bone injury stop them doing so? Think more questions need to be asked I'd go back

[Joffmognum]

I need she can bend her elbow on her left arm but that's it. She can't use the shoulder joint at all for some reason. Not much you can do. She can eat dry food with enough patience but can't drink.

[Joffmognum]

LIZS it visibly hasn't been relocated, she also says no-one has touched it yet. One shoulder blade is four inches lower than the other one.

[MaisyPops]

Sounds standard.
Once it's back in there isn't anything that can be done for it other than rest.
Same for a collar bone. Either arm goes in a sling for rest or its bad enough to need pinning and surgery.

Referrals will be done to thr fracture clinic within a week.

I guess you've got to stop and ask what exactly you wanted doing.

The only extra I could see from when my DH had similar injuries is they prescribed him stronger painkillers. Everything else is totally standard.