To question the nurse

[AugustMummyxo]

Long story short I dropped a heavy item in my hand today. Some pain, numbness and tingling in my hand so after completing 111 online I went to A&E as advised.

X ray showed I had a broken finger (ring finger) no pain at all when I bend this finger or even squeeze, poke and prod.

I asked the nurse if their had been a mix up with the x ray as I couldn't believe I had broken this finger with no pain in it whatsoever. (Two years ago they plastered my nephews arm up then rang him two days later to say it wasn't broken their had been an error)

The nurse was very snappy and wouldn't check it out. I understand how much pressure they are under but I hate the thought of me coming hone plastered up and somebody else being sent home with an untreated broken finger.

Was I unreasonable to ask for it to be double checked.

Must reiterate I have no pain at all and I dropped the item on the palm of my hand not my finger. I just don't know how it is broke. Could it be broken from a while ago?

No, you're not being unreasonable, but don't they just splint/strap a broken finger to the next one?

@NYMM

No, you're not being unreasonable, but don't they just splint/strap a broken finger to the next one?

Yep my finger is just stepped up. I wasn't too bothered about having my finger strapped. It was more so if the x ray belongs to somebody else with a broken finger they wouldn't receive the necessary treatment.

I think the bone of your finger continues into your hand, if you see what I mean, so have you broken your finger bone, but in the bit that looks like part of your palm?

@FiveFootTwoEyesOfBlue

I think the bone of your finger continues into your hand, if you see what I mean, so have you broken your finger bone, but in the bit that looks like part of your palm?

She showed me where the fracture was, right below my knuckle on ring finger. So definitely part of my finger 'finger'. I've been squishing and poking it all evening baffled 🤣 I should probably stop that but just finding it so amusing!

If it's a very small, minor break it is possible to have little to no pain. I know this because the same thing happened to me when I fell on to my wrist. Small break, painful for an hour or so then no pain at all afterwards.

When you looked at the xray , you didnt see your name at the top?

I broke a bone nearly a year ago, wrong bone got diagnosed as broke...

I had a splint, when i should of had plaster cast.
A year later, its still causing me alot of problems and sometimes hurts more than the day i done it

Thanks for your replies!

I'm sorry that happened to your daughter 😕

Seems like a few people have had problems.

My name was at the top of the x ray, my nephews name was also at the top of the x ray which showed a broken arm but it was actually somebody else's x ray. We assume the real broken armed person returned to hospital complaining and that is how the error was discovered.

There are tendons continuing into your hand from the finger bones, so a sudden heavy force on the tendon can break the bone attached to it.

Which makes sense considering the position of the break, as the tendon would have stretched slightly so it didn't tear, but transmitted the force up the bone to the next attachment point, i.e. the knuckle. And bones don't stretch very well, so it snapped instead.

If your pain level is so low that you can poke and prod it and find it amusing, and you are so sure the break can't possibly be yours. Why exactly did you go to A&E in the first place? The nurse shouldn't have been snappy with you, I 100% agree to that, but honestly I don't know how A&E nurses do their job, because I couldn't!

@Mseddy

If your pain level is so low that you can poke and prod it and find it amusing, and you are so sure the break can't possibly be yours. Why exactly did you go to A&E in the first place? The nurse shouldn't have been snappy with you, I 100% agree to that, but honestly I don't know how A&E nurses do their job, because I couldn't!

My hand felt numb and tingly, completed 111 assessment online which told me to go to A&E as stated in original post. I would g have gone otherwise.

111 online was concerned for nerve damage in my hand not a broken finger.

Update

Virtual fracture clinic have rang me. Consult has confirmed the x ray shows no fracture so concludes soft tissue damage. Off comes the splint hooray.