Wollongong nurses have been praised for being "absolutely amazing" despite being "exhausted" and "under-staffed", as Illawarra residents share tales of their experiences in the emergency department.
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Among the many accounts of long waiting times and uncomfortable conditions which have been shared with the Mercury, one thing that stands out is that people empathise with hospital staff.
Erin Carrigan said her partner waited more than 20 hours for surgery to reattach a "degloved" thumb last week, and described the waiting rooms in the hospital as "the worst I've ever seen it".
"The waiting room was absolutely insane, people lined up waiting in the hall way because the waiting room seats were all full," she said. "I have to say though, the nurses we dealt with last week were absolutely amazing and we can't thank them enough for everything they did."
"The poor things are just so over worked and clearly stressed but they all kept smiling and doing the best they could for everyone."
Amy Brauer, who waited in the ED for 6.5 hours to see a doctor with her one-year-old son who was later confirmed to have internal bleeding, said she felt bad for staff working under such stressful conditions.
"There were many prams with tiny little ones waiting mostly near the toilets where it's freezing when the door opens," she said.
"I did feel bad for the nurses and doctors as there are just too many patients and things are getting missed."
Eleah Aidulis, who spent four days in the hospital with her sick baby, said she waited for four hours in the ED waiting rooms and another two waiting for a doctor.
"But it wasn't their fault, they are just so busy and doing the best they can," she said. "Doctors and nurses still took their time listening and ensuring that bub is ok!"
And Pamela Russell, whose husband was in the hospital with a severe infection in early June said staff were amazing and caring despite "horrendous working conditions".
"After working a double shift I was amazed to see staff come back to work after only having an 8 to 10 hour break," she said. "No wonder they are stressed. They have our support 100%."
In recent months, nurses, doctors and paramedics have been raising the alarm about bed block and working conditions within the health system, as waiting times in the ED and for ambulance responses have increased.
The Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District has assured people that emergency departments are always open, and that there are "dedicated initiatives in place, including teams focused on timely access and the safe flow of patients through our hospitals at all times".
Share your story: Why we need to share your experiences at the Wollongong Hospital ED
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
