"Poor treatment in A&E"

I arrived at Aberdeen Accident and Emergency after breaking my wrist. The department was busy, which was understandable, it was a Friday so that isn't my issue! I'm also very aware that it's also very busy behind scenes.

The triage nurse who called me in, was quite visually stressed and i seemed to be a nuisance by being there.  I was asked me why I was there and then she very forcefully removed the wrist guard i had on my wrist from roller skating, knowing I had a potential broken wrist. Took one look at my very obvious broken wrist, told me it wasn't broken and that I could go home because it would be an 8 hour wait (again just to clarify, I'm not complaining about the wait time). Luckily, they could see I wasn't very happy with the diagnosis, and called one of the medics for a second opinion. The medic confirmed I required an X-ray. I was given some paracetamol and ibuprofen told to wait in another area. 

It wasn't long before getting called into get X-rayed where the Radiographer confirmed a very obvious radial break. They said it would be an 8 hour wait to see orthopedics, but someone would call me back into discuss my xray and I could then decide if I'd like to wait or come back to re-join the queue in the morning. 

I waited until after 2am and still nothing. My friend asked for an update, to which the receptionist said there would be no discussion about the x-ray and I could either stay until orthopedics start in the morning, or go home and come back. I told the receptionist I wanted to leave and come back in the morning, which they understood. I asked if there would be anything before I leave, the answer was no. So I just left hospital after sitting for over 4 hours in a lot of pain and a confirmed badly broken wrist. No strapping, sling or stronger pain meds.

When I arrived the next day, I cannot fault the care I had. Every staff member I have seen since that initial triage experience have been angels. 

To clarify, I am someone who works in the NHS, and I found the way I was treated during triage to be horrendous and I would hate for anyone else to be made to feel the way I felt that night.

I was just another number through the door, they didn't take into account my injury, and really hurt me yanking off my safety pad which wasn't required, at all (It could have been easily cut to prevent further damage or pain!) and then told one thing by the Radiographer and just left to go home without any support or pain management.