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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think I've just wasted 5 hours in A&E

186 replies

Littlelanecountrygirl · 18/03/2017 16:57

DD hurt her finger at school yesterday. This morning it was swollen and v painful.

Dutifully head to minor injuries where they X-ray it expecting they'll just strap it up. Radiographer and nurse both say it can't be strapped and needs a cast. It's the fifth metacarpal in her hand not her finger. Hand swollen and can't bend little finger anymore.

Turn up at A&E which is like a war zone. No seats, no floor space standing room only. See the nurse after 30 mins she agrees it needs a cast, wait for doctor.

4 hrs and 10 minutes later the doctor calls us in. Abruptly accuses DD of punching something Hmm and that she has a boxers fracture. DD repeated that she didn't punch anything, injury was at school when she collided with a friend in PE. Doctor says well ok then (eye rolls at her) manipulates her finger round (DD has tears now) and then says

Oh we can just strap that Angry.

Two bits of tape around her finger, not even a splint. DD crying in pain still and a £6 parking ticket later we finally leave.

Surely we could have just had it strapped in minor injuries 4 hours earlier?!

OP posts:
Anon1234567890 · 18/03/2017 23:10

Sounds like passing the buck. No one wants to get it wrong so they, probably unconsciously, pass it to the next doctor. Maybe worried about being sued.

LorLorr2 · 18/03/2017 23:15

Ahh sorry to hear it, sounds like a bit of a crap time. I suppose the thing to remember is that a lot of the people there at a&e would have had pretty worrying issues so your daughter unfortunately was probably low priority for them. Have a rant to a family member or your partner if you have one to get it out of your system, then have something nice like wine or a hot choc and look forward to a new day! :)

justaweeone · 18/03/2017 23:18

Our health services, as fab as it is, it's not 'free'

Elkalv · 18/03/2017 23:44

Btw nhs is not free, doctors don't work there for free. We all pay for it by our tax. Service have to be good and doctors have the responsibility to do a good job.

Dear op hope your daughter feels better.

opinionatedfreak · 18/03/2017 23:54

Differences Of opinion are really common.

I currently have a fracture. My ortho colleagues have looked at my XR and give me about six different management plans. I have elected to stick with the one proffered by the person looking after me but this just illustrates that these things aren't clear cut.

The amount of immobilisation I need (cast vs not ) has featured heavily in the discussions.

And the ENP and radiographer both missed the fracture. I was recalled after the radiologist reported it.

minmooch · 19/03/2017 00:05

You got your child seen. And they got treatment. Am I missing something.

Draylon · 19/03/2017 00:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Draylon · 19/03/2017 00:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SoupDragon · 19/03/2017 08:23

I imagine the OP would have complained even more had her DD left MIU with strapping only for the fracture clinic to say it should have been in a cast immediately.

youarenotkiddingme · 19/03/2017 08:27

Is anyone seeing the irony of MIU not. Ring able to treat a MI and AE being needed anyway?

Talith · 19/03/2017 08:31

I had to go to a and e recently as youngest had suspected appendicitis. It was absolute chaos. I think the squeeze on funding is really pushing them to the limit. Hope your daughter gets well soon. For what it's worth I don't think you were unreasonable to be frustrated at the conflicting advice and the long wait.

Booshbeesh · 19/03/2017 08:43

People need to leave the op alone. Shes stressed out probably worried about her daughter and upset to see her in so much pain comes on here to as does everyone else. Andmany of you are being horrible.

Nhs is not free her daughter doesnt oay tax or ni no but her mum does! Jesus christ. She probably goes to public school aswell paid gor by taxes is she wrong for this also lurker? Should she be kept home!

Op i hope your daughter is feeling abit better if you sre not happy with the care she recieved then go back or speak to pals. My daughter fractured her elbow drs wer disagreeing about what should be done cast or sling. I said i want ancast as im not taking any risks. She had her cast she healed. Shes your baby and you no what will be better for her and what will make you feel better.

I hope she gets better

SoupDragon · 19/03/2017 08:45

Is anyone seeing the irony of MIU not. Ring able to treat a MI and AE being needed anyway?

No Confused They simply made a judgement call on what treatment would be best and a more experienced doctor made a different judgment later. There is no irony.

PhoenixJasmine · 19/03/2017 09:02

Why is there not at least one doctor at a MIU capable of making these decisions on minor injuries though? Or review the rads and give their opinion if the ANPs are capable of reporting their findings on examination? Rads are digital, the doctor wouldn't even have to be on site. One doctor could provide that service for multiple units, and save how many visits to A&E.

PossumInAPearTree · 19/03/2017 09:46

It can be done.

I was on holiday in wales and Dd broke her finger. Went to the local MI and was seen by a ANP who also did the X-ray. She then emailed the X-ray to a dr in the nearest a&e, rang him up, they talked on the phone and decided it only needed strapping. Gave me a cd with a digital copy of the X-ray on so I could take it to my local hospital and their fracture clinic.

All fell apart when I got home as the local fracture clinic refused to allow me to "self refer". I went to see the GP who referred me. A week later still no fracture clinic appt, kept ringing. They told me they wouldn't accept a GP referral and I had to go to a&e. So we went, waited six hours, had an X-ray, was told it was broken and we'd soon hear from fracture clinic with an appt. Hmm

SoupDragon · 19/03/2017 10:14

Rads are digital, the doctor wouldn't even have to be on site. One doctor could provide that service for multiple units, and save how many visits to A&E.

The MIU said they thought DS1s ankle was fractured.
The off site person they consulted also said it was fractured.
The consultant in the fracture clinic said he could see no sign of a fracture.

SoupDragon · 19/03/2017 10:17

All fell apart when I got home as the local fracture clinic refused to allow me to "self refer"

Yes, I had this when DS1 broke his wrist on rugby tour. I went to the MIU with his notes and they referred me, agreeing it was utterly mad. I can't remember if they xrayed him again or not... I don't think they did.

PhoenixJasmine · 19/03/2017 10:38

Possum, see that would be perfect! I also had the moving between hospitals fracture-clinic mess up though. Went to A&E an hour away from home at 1am with arm fracture, temp back slab put on, told to go to fracture clinic at home hospital next day. Phoned in the morning - was offered an appointment for 3 weeks later Confused - kept calmly repeating that that was not acceptable as my arm was broken now, they eventually agreed to 'fit me in' that afternoon and gave me an appointment time. Sat in the clinic for 6 hours the next day being ignored as they forgot I was there apparently, and only saw me when I was the last person left sitting there when they thought they'd finished. I was in so much pain I was in tears, as it turns out the back slab had been wrongly applied. The A&E also hadn't sent the X-rays as they said they would - we had to go by photos I'd taken on my phone!!

If only we could have a national health service that could be properly joined up.... oh wait....

Devilishpyjamas · 19/03/2017 13:30

Bloody hell Phoenix - free at the point of delivery or not that it outrageous

lljkk · 19/03/2017 13:46

This is why doctors don't and can't share your information.
There was public outcry over the idea.

Seems most people prefer a not-joined-up system.

midcenturymodern · 19/03/2017 13:56

An an inexperienced doctor would not ask a radiographer to read an X-ray

Bollocks. They ask us all the time.

madnskint · 19/03/2017 14:14

A study by Berman et al (1985) found that Radiographers and Casualty Doctors had similar rates of accuracy, (sensitivity of 95.2 and 95.5% respectively), but together their ability to detect abnormalities rose to 98.2 %. The authors concluded that radiographer assistance in abnormality detection of acute trauma benefitted patient care by reducing image interpretation errors.

Toobloodytired · 19/03/2017 14:30

To be fair, I'd have given my kid calpol/paracetamol & strapped it myself.

Or just waited until Monday to see a doctor.

Definitely wouldn't have gone minor or a&e

opinionatedfreak · 19/03/2017 15:05

Draylon I would hope that a consultant radiologist, 3 Ortho consultants, 1 ortho fellow and 2 ortho registrars could diagnose a fracture on an XR...

My fracture is small and the question which has caused the big debate is whether the presence of bony as opposed to just soft tissue injury mandates immobilisation in a cast. I've opted for no cast after advice from my treating consultant (rather than just adhoc advice at work from colleagues).

I agree with you btw about the utility of radiographer interpretation - when I did A&E I often spoke to the radiographers about plain films.

brasty · 19/03/2017 15:10

I though hand and finger fractures can easily heal wrong causing long term problems. So actually everyone should seek medical advice for these.