Inside the new Royal Adelaide Hospital: My 80-year-old mum’s 18-hour wait for a room
WHEN Peter Dawe’s mum was admitted to the sleek new RAH, he expected she’d be swiftly taken to a ward. Instead, she endured an 18-hour wait in emergency, during which her daughter had to change her bedpan and sheets.
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I PROBABLY had high expectations – the State Government had just spent $2.1 billion on the new Royal Adelaide Hospital and I imagined a slick operation.
Unfortunately, I witnessed my mother spend 18 hours inside this state’s multibillion-dollar medical centre waiting for a room.
My 80-year-old mother called for an ambulance at 6am on Monday because her influenza A symptoms had worsened.
Mum was lucky enough not to experience any ramping and was immediately taken into emergency, but her journey was about to become a battle of attrition.
An hour after she was admitted, she was finally seen by a doctor who confirmed her condition was bad. She was contagious, so masks, gloves an aprons would need to be worn by anyone in the cubicle.
The next doctor arrived after another 60 minutes and explained the viral infections had become bacterial infections in her lungs and leg and the doctor said Mum would have to be admitted.
It was fortunate that my sister had taken time off work to be with her. If she had not been there, things would have gone pear-shaped quickly.
Twice my sister removed the bedpan, cleaned her and changed the sheets while constantly asking when Mum might be moved to a ward. The standard response was “we can’t tell you; we have 40 people waiting for a bed”.
Finding instruments, garments and medical equipment was also a discussion between nurses.
My sister would spend the next nine hours with my mother in the emergency department, waiting to be moved.
I relieved my sister at 5.45pm. At 9.30pm, an intern arrived to check Mum’s condition so she could be moved.
When I asked how long, he said: “I can’t tell you; we have 40 people waiting for beds”. He did admit that she was earmarked for a bed and that it would be available after it was vacated and cleaned.
It was midnight when finally my mother was moved to a ward – 18 hours after arriving in the emergency department and 16 hours after being told she would be admitted.
