Re patients wasting time/how much of day are patients wasting time.
When we go into our department (as I’m sure they all are around the UK) we have a “minor injuries” “Major injuries” and Highcare/Ressucitation area. And somebody will be out front triaging to put them into a category. This is where you hear of the “8 hour wait at A&E” because there’s often at least 2+ hours of patients to triage.
Once they’ve been triaged they’ll then be placed in the appropriate area. Unless it’s chest pain you come straight in, ambulance often comes straight into majors or resuss if they’ve had to do CPR etc.
So we will get placed on 1/3 areas for the shift. If we’re in minors that’s where all of the “time wasters” generally come in, and yes. More often than not they could of gone to the pharmacy, or their own GP, or the chemist. Mind you, the GP is mostly responsible because it seems if they’re unsure of anything here they’ll send straight round to A&E!
It was my dream job, and probably still is, if I worked with a nicer team.
I do consider myself an efficient person, in life and at work. But work is stressful. I go home and cry a lot, in sheer frustration.
In the more serious majors/highcare at least 30% of a shift is drunks being found on the street unconscious, and at night/weekends that probably goes up to 50%.