Patient coughing up blood says he was treated poorly by a nurse in Launceston General Hospital

A man recovering from surgery has lodged a formal complaint after he says a triage nurse at one of Tasmania’s major hospitals “abruptly and rudely” dismissed his symptoms. Details >>

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A MAN who presented to the Launceston General Hospital on his doctor’s advice because he was coughing up blood post surgery has lodged a formal complaint about how he was treated by a triage nurse.

The 40-year-old says he was “dismissed” by the nurse, told to go somewhere else and warned he would be waiting for a long time if he decide to stay in the emergency department.

Five hours later he was diagnosed with lung cancer.

The man, who does not want to be named because he has not yet advised all family and friends of his new diagnosis, had recently undergone major spine surgery.

“I came down with a cold and chest infection. In the early hours of March 6 I noticed small amounts of blood as I coughed,” he said in a letter to the Tasmanian Health Service.

“Obviously concerned and being a long weekend and unable to visit my GP, I contacted the 13 SICK service, who promptly arranged a phone consultation with a doctor.

The man, who wished to remain anonymous, was recovering post-surgery when he checked in to the Launceston General’s emergency department. Picture: PATRICK GEE

“After giving the doctor all the relevant information, he strongly suggested I visit my local emergency department due to my recent surgery and the increased chance of blood clots moving to lungs.”

The Launceston man said he rang the ED at the LGH before he turned up and was told the department was not overly busy.

On arrival he explained the situation to the nurse in question.

“The nurse very abruptly and very rudely claimed “blood clots don’t work that way, you would be better off to go to the hub.”

“I explained once again I was following a doctors’ instructions. She rudely replied ‘you can sit there if you want by it will be a long wait’.”

The man said he observed the nurse be gruff to several other patients while he waited.

“After a wait of just over an hour and half, I saw an amazing doctor and nurses all of whom were absolutely brilliant,” he said.

“Four hours later I was diagnosed with a cancer on my lung. The doctors and the emergency department registrar who broke the news to me were utterly appalled at the triage nurses’ manner and the false uneducated information she gave out.

“Under no circumstances should this nurse be the first point of contact with the public.”

LGH Nursing Director – Critical and Acute Inpatient Services, Lorinda Upton-Greer confirmed a complaint had been received.

“All complaints are taken seriously and are investigated. While it is not appropriate to comment on matters pertaining to individual patients, all our staff are expected to conduct themselves in a professional and courteous manner,” she said.