4h wait at the hospital to see a nurse - is this normal?

[gemloving]

We've been here for 4h, apparently we were 4th in the queue 1.5h ago.

He's 3, he's tired, he's probably got a broken arm and we haven't even been seen by the person who could have already referred us to X-ray.

I'm also exhausted.

Oh gosh, yes unfortunately. Our local children's hospital typically has 4-6 hour wait

Sadly yes it's normal. I've waited 6-8 hours in Children's A&E and that was pre-pandemic.
If a more urgent case comes in then your son gets bumped down the list.

Adults are being prioritised over a 3 year old toddler who don't seem to be in any more pain than him and walked in after us. I don't understand it. Maybe I'm too exhausted myself.

We're at urgent care, no childrens hospital, no Childrens a&e.

Could you ask them for pain relief for him? Seems a long time, have you been triaged?

Normal. Unfortunately.

You have no idea what's going on with the adults.

The NHS is on it's knees. Give him some calpol and don't vote Tory, unfortunately at the moment that's all we can do.

If he's no longer upset, I'd take him home!! Unless it has a funny bend in it

This is bad advice. Stick it out.

Very normal.

Yes it is horrible and painful for him - but it isn't life threatening. You don't know what is going ok with anyone else there.

Unfortunately, you don't know why they are being prioritised, it may be that their condition is more serious. I know as a parent you want your child to be pain-free, but medically he may be in a better condition than others.

We were there 11pm - 8am last year, in the waiting room with a 1 year old who wouldn’t sleep and only one parent allowed in🥴 it was grim but I actually preferred it to being at home as I knew there were medical professionals about if I needed them (we had a terrible bout of croup).

That sounds tough. I was going to post on that "good stories NHS" thread that DS (in March 2022) only had a 1.5 hr wait to get diagnosed with a fracture, and only that very long because of someone else's medical emergency. Hang in There.

Pre pandemic my ds was not quite 2 years old and we spent 5 hours in a and e for a really nasty cut on his face that needed stitches. I was heavily pregnant - it was the day before my due date, it was past midnight and we were eventually seen after I stood in the central area of the a and e triage room, and begged someone to help us. I was trying to be rational but I ended up sobbing because he was exhausted and so was I. The nurse who saw us to refer him to a doctor told us she was an hour past the end of her shift. She was an angel.

The doctor we saw there next referred ds to see a facial specialist at 8am the next morning because the only facial specialist available in a and e by that time was doing some tricky stitching on someone else, and he could see we just werent able to sit and wait for another 2-3 hours. . We got home at 1.30am, and were back in the hospital by 7.45am. I spent my due date in the children's ward while ds went under general anaesthetic to have his face stitched up. The staff on the children's ward were also angels, they looked at me with alarm when they found out my due date and how little sleep we were running on, but joked that I was probably in the right place, and made sure I had water, somewhere comfortable to sit, and even made me get on the bed and lie down while ds was in surgery, bless them.

This was all pre pandemic. Every person we dealt with was wonderful and doing their best, but waiting five hours plus in a and e with nowhere comfortable to sit and nowhere to settle a distressed ds down to sleep at that time of night, was horrendous.

Is there an alternative hospital you can go to? One with a childrens a&e? Or even urgent care or MI with x-ray facility?

our local a&e you are triaged immediately by a nurse, who writes the x ray referral if necessary and that’s done straight away.

x-ray read by radiology and sent back to nurse, if straightforward strapped or whatever and fracture clinic appt made.

dr not seen at any point which makes it so much faster.

I took my youngest last year (4 then) with a severely cut leg. The nurse apologised for wait and said they had to see the broken bones first. Been as his leg was still bleeding everytime we moved it.

I would of thought maybe this time of night it might be quicker as children are asleep. We're lucky to have a children a and e near but my parents only had mixed one when I was younger.

Hope he is better soon and seen quickly so you both can get some much needed sleep

You don't know why the adults are being seen first, you've no idea whats wrong with them.

Please don't do what someone else said and take him home, if you think he's broken his arm, he needs help. Also, if you try to leave with a child under 5 before they are seen, social services will be contacted.

@Yodaisawally @ChuckMater

I know. Stupid thing to say. I was just tired - sorry. I didn't take him home. Waiting for results now but hinted he'll need a cast.

I'm home, OH is with him now.

@Reallyreallyborednow I should have taken him to the one he was born at but went "more" local which I'll never do again. The one he was born in is actually in my borough whereas the one we went to isn't.

The fact that we moved house today and it was all supposed to be very different isn't helping.

Thanks for you all your responses and I'm sorry for some who had similar and shocking experiences. I agree, it's good to stick it out and get seen, I know people are doing their best with the resources they got. I got very stressed and frustrated and looked for someone to blame. I suppose weve all been there

Also, to add, the adults being seen first weren't waiting for a paediatrician.

18 hours wait here...!!!...they advised people not to attend at present.

I am not at a hospital...it was just mentioned on social media by some one who is waiting...been told they will have to wait overnight !

Neither was a child with a minor injury