A&E

[imanastronaut]

I’m currently sat in A&E for an injury. Multiple people have been walking in and out (they’re patients) to pick up takeaways, go outside for a cigarette, go to the vending machines etc. patients are wearing wristbands so it’s obvious who’s who!

AIBU to think if you can do that, you should be directed away from A&E to somewhere more appropriate for a minor injury?!

Yes but was she triaged and booked in as a patient?
I doubt it.

To be fair I think it makes sense if you have a really long wait time, surely. There are places where people either wait ages to be seen or ages to be admitted - they aren’t all going to be at deaths door and unable to eat.

i was recently admitted to A&E twice within a matter of days. The second time I was put on oxygen and given antibiotics through an intravenous, after 8 hours everything had started to kick in and I was feeling better. By that point I hadn’t eaten for nearly 48 hours so I was allowed to the Costa to go and get something to eat and drink.
People like you probably thought I was fine and shouldn’t be there yet 6 hours after that I had to be put back on oxygen and given a different antibiotics as the other wasn’t strong enough, so stopping judging others you have no idea what they are there for.

I had brain surgery last week, I was able to go and pick up a sandwich from downstairs the following day. Generally symptoms are on the inside and you have absolutely zero clue what anyone is there for. Stop sitting in bloody judgement! And starting a sodding MN thread to validate yourself.

You‘d be surprised how much patients can do when they need a cigarette or other nicotine fix!

Sorry but YABU. Not because it’s not true they people go to an and e for the wrong reasons. but you can’t judge individual cases. I was sent to an and e when I was early pregnant. I looked fine, was able to help someone else who wasn’t fine ( a teenager with a head injury) - I was eating/ drinking/ pacing etc. but I had been told to be there and I need to be there.

Not every reason to go to A&E renders you unable to walk/eat/smoke.

A number of posters have given examples of why you might be in A&E and still able to do those things which you appear to be ignoring.

Our A&E currently has the same waiting area a the UTC so it isn't usually obvious who is there for which department. I was referred to UTC by 111 for a (minor) dog bite. I could certainly walk, eat and drink normally and would have scrolled the internet if there was any signal!

DS15 was in A&E for 8 hours last year. We went out to buy food after being triaged and told the length of the wait. His arm hurt, not his legs, nor did it affect his appetite or the need to drink, nor mine to tbh. I don't smoke or vape but if I needed to, I would have. Turned out he had broken his wrist and his hand so we were in the right place, even if it didn't look that way to others. A&E is grim, I wouldn't have been there if I didn't have to be.

I mean eating shit is going a bit far I accept. Didn’t you say there was a vending machine?

Actually whe I need a&e, I can't actually look at my phone because im very ill.

I try not to judge others based off my standards though 😇

Stop judging other people who are also navigating an underfunded and overwhelmed system.

You've no idea why they are there, what their history is, or what the medical professionals have advised.

You have assumed you are more worthy of care but you don't know that.

If you can’t understand it, there’s no point me explaining it is there? It’s obvious, and I can’t understand it for you. Some people will be there for a broken arm as an example, that needs a&e, can you still eat, walk and vape? Of course you can! Not rocket science.

You're being ridiculous.
You're judging them for walking/eating etc where as you can't because you're too ill... But you're fine to go on your phone. Depends what they're in there for. You have no clue.

Exactly, I think it's a decent thing to do! Just demonstrating to the op that eating isn't an indicator of whether someone needs to be in A&E - the staff recognise some people will want and need to eat something (even if other patients might think sustenance is for time wasters).

Last time I was admitted I had to wait 36 hours for a bed do you honestly think I didn't eat in that time

You can't always tell how ill and in need of emergency care someone might be. I attended a&e following a cat bite that was visibly tracking up my arm, even though I was taking oral antibiotics, but I didn't really feel ill. I was very surprised after triage when I was rushed past people who had been waiting for hours (some of them were quite mouthy about that!) and looked really poorly, which made me feel quite guilty as if Iwas gettingsomething I wasn't entitled to. Within 20 minutes of arriving at a&e I was on intravenous antibiotics and I was told that the consequences could have been very serious if I had turned up even 10 minutes later! But to anyone waiting, it would have looked like I was perfectly healthy, and if I had had the time and the inclination, I could have eaten or gone out for a smoke. I was admitted and had to stay in for three nights. So that was an example of someone just turning up because the antibiotics weren't working.

I think if you were that unwell you’d not be eating crap food from the vending machine

She really doesn't understand it, MN and Daily Fail are probably her sources! Complete and utter lack of self or any other awareness! Strongly suspect she's sat alone for a reason, vile judgemental nonsense.

I recently went to A&E after both my GP, 111 and major injuries sent me straight to A&E. On arrival the waiting time was over 6 hours but luckily you get triaged and I was in an out in 40 minutes. I was able to eat, drink, walk around and use my phone and because I took very strong pain killers I was able to manage my pain. The reason for my visit?? I burst eardrum 😂I did take a considerable whack to my head and my ear got filled with dirty river water that needed very strong antibiotics and even stronger pain killers. You have no idea why the others are there and just because they can eat, chat, walk around does not mean you are more important than them!

I went to A&E recently with a broken arm. Had no difficulty either walking or eating.

Even if your temp is 39.8, CRP is 600, your resting heart rate is 150+ and your BP is ridiculously low?

I went to A&E a few weeks ago.

I had an accident and so had a head injury/concussion as well as causing a suspected miscarriage.

I hide my pain so I was smiling and talking like it was nothing but I was regularly walking around because the smallest smell was making me feel nauseous due to pregnancy, I needed fresh air and to get away from people, sitting still was making me feel upset and I had to eat because I felt like I was going to faint.

I’m not sure why you feel you were more poorly than me because you can’t eat and I could.

I have a J tube. Unlike most people with one, mine is stitched in place on a plastic plate. These need re-stitching every week. For reasons I won't bore you with as your time is obviously so precious, I am triaged to Majors in A&E and it has to be done by a surgeon.
My wait can be hours, sometimes I even go and get a sandwich.
unless I start running round the waiting room with my top pulled up you'd have no idea I have anything wrong with me, let alone being a one in a million case and a life limiting condition, so while you're judging I could say the same of anyone who is fit to be on MN...

How would you eat then?

If i was well I wouldn't of been admitted would I?