It's an Emergency!

I rarely talk about work here, in fact I think I have only ever written one post about it. But after last night I need to write this.
To start with let's explain what an emergency department is. It's for emergency's that are life threatening. Life threatening! That's when you could die. And yes we will see you for any medical problems that you have. But life threatening takes priority.
But what constitutes 'life threatening'? Well for starters heart attacks and people who can't breathe top the list, it's seems that people don't understand that these can kill you. Sutures that need removal will not kill you. (No, I kid you not!)
I understand that people don't like to wait to see the doctor but we do not work like a GP does. You don't have 15 minute appointment times, and yes people who come after you will be seen before you if they are considered to be more unwell. And following on from the 'not a GP' comment, if someone has had a cardiac or respiratory arrest and we are trying to keep them alive then it will take more than '15 minutes'.
Do you know, if I had a dollar for every time I had to say this I would be a millionaire several times over. All emergency staff would be. It's frustrating!
And don't get me started on the amount of people who use their local emergency as a GP service. If they went to a proper GP it would help with waiting times, seriously.
Don't get me wrong. I can understand the patients perspective as well. When you are suck you don't want to be sitting in a cold waiting room, waiting. We would love to treat you as soon as you come in. But we just don't have the resources any more. Despite what all the politicians may tell you.
One of the most simple truths is that the population is increasing rapidly but services for that population have stayed the same.
Emergency staff, as well as the rest of the hospital, are doing the best we can with the limited resources that we have. Yelling and screaming, and threatening us is not going to make things go faster. Honestly all it does is make us that little bit less sympathetic to you.
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