Doctors/nurses can you answer a Resus question please

[Kanga83]

Yesterday, I was sent to hospital because I have a stinking chest infection and a whopping headache for two days straight. tachicardic and high temp. I have asthma and ventolin wasn't working. Anyway, after seeing triage, I waited for a doctor who took me straight through to a bed in resus and here I had a load of bloods done, a portable chest xray machine was brought to me while I was put on a nebuliser for an hour (granted it helped but I wasnt having an asthma attack). Once all that was done and I came off the nebuliser I was put in the main a&e cublicle with an outpatient prescription for steroids and antibiotics and sent on my way. Why would I need to have been in resus? There was a heartbreaking emergency right next to me (only a curtain separated us) and I feel like I was intruding.

Asthma can be a life-threatening emergency. Whether you got better or worse was up for debate. Resus is a place of safety where a patient can be treated and closely monitored. Once you were out of danger, resus wasn't appropriate so you were moved.

It's just the same in ITU. Sometimes a patient will only stay for 3 hours or so, while the doctors work out if treatment is making them better.

@Lougle thank you, I wasn't sure if that was the reason as my pulse was 135 and temp 40, I've never been taken to resus even when I've had an asthma attack and taken by ambulance so was just curious really.

A high temperature and tachycardia are both sepsis markers. Combined with your (probably) elevated respiratory rate they probably wanted you monitored closely until you were stable enough to go into a normal cubicle with less observation and they had your blood results back.

I’m a doctor. You were in resistance because your pulse was 135 and temp 40 ( show you were sick) and a background of respiratory disease. It was where you needed to be until more stable. Glad you are better.

Resus not resistance - bloody autocorrect!

If you went in via the Ambulance they would have taken you in as a " Standby" as you were flagging for Sepsis which has to be detected and treated quickly as it is time critical. You're infection (chest), raised respiratory rate, tachy and high temp are all indicators for Sepsis.

Nebulisers aren't only for asthmatics it can also be used to treat/help with chest infections.

Hope you feel better soon 💐

Thank you all, hope my first message didn't sound too grouchy and ungrateful (three days ill and no sleep). Having never seen that side of a&e, for those of you who do work in it, your patience is amazing.