Only applys to Australians. [Rant]

The Australian Public Heath System

Australians have a very good Public health system in some aspects, for example -
Medicare

But the hospitals and staff, doctors and nurses alike are far from 'pretty good'.

Recently, my friends little brother, who is 14 had been complainging of stomach pain, so his sister (my friend, who is 6 months pregnant) took his to our local Public Hospital in hopes that they could figure out what the problem was. After waiting in Emergency for 2 hours with her brother in extreme pain, a nurse took them through to the examining area.

They couldn't figure out what was wrong with him, he had pain in an obvious spot, showing that it was most likely appendicitis, yet the nurse said it was constipation.... as he was vomiting at this point and screaming in pain.

The nurse gave him some laxatives and made his sit there until they begun working, hours passed as he was still vomiting and in severe pain, the nurse decided it was time to try and enema! And enema for a 14 year old boy who had had a crap the day before... twice.

So of the hospital went with the enema... eww!

A few hours later they decided to do and X-ray and see what was actually wrong, but still convinced it was constipation.

With X-rays done, (yes X-rays) they still couldn't find anything so they sent him home with some more laxatives, while still vomiting and in pain.

My friend arrived home, with her brother still sobbing in pain and realized this defiantly was not constipation, so she drove him to the next Public hospital

The hospital was a much bigger, better and newer one, an hour and a half away form home and at this point it was 10pm.

The hospital was convinced it was constipation too. Except one nurse who pushed the doctor to allow an ultrasound, the nurse saying he was into much pain for it to be just constipation.

The doctor reluctantly agreed and of he went to have an Ultra sound.

Turns out my friends little brother had appendicitis.

We were right!

The doctors and nurses all except for one at TWO different hospitals were wrong!

My friends brother sat in pain for 13 hours! with no pain relief because apparently they cant give pain meds to constipated patients.

He got his appendix out the next day at 2 am in the morning, while my pregnant best friend slept of the floor out side the operating room.

Australia's public heath system sucks, too put it simply.

Something needs to happen about this, before lives are lost.

Our Heath Minister has a lot to answer for, regarding rural Australian public heath, This just isn't good enough! Something needs to be done!

But who will do it?

Signed,

Freakshow6661 (previously xxBloodytearsxx)