ER (not the TV show)

[estherchaya]

So I was all geared up to write about Nurse Ratched from my last inpatient experience at the hospital, but I've lost my fire for the topic.  Probably for the best, because well, I should probably learn to simply be more appreciative of the good things in life, rather than critical of the negative things.  But hey, before I get all holier-than-thou

Comments

[marag]

::boggles::

::boggles more::

My mother hates SGAH's ER but likes their IV medical staff. Wow.

[estherchaya]

To be fair, the IV Therapists that I saw while at SGAH were fabulous. It wasn't the IV Therapist's fault that she's not allowed to suture - and I didn't realize how badly and how quickly I would react to the statlock or I would have been more insistent that she find a way around the statlock problem (previously, the issue with the statlock had been before we discovered that I'm allergic to chlorhexadine, which they use to clean the site before re-dressing, so I'd thought that without the chlorhexadine irritating my skin, the statlock might not be a total disaster).

In other news, I just received a phone call from someone at SGAH letting me know that they're on it - that my letter was forwarded to the Director of Perinatal Services and the Director of Emergency Services and would also be presented at their weekly Director's Meeting. I am very satisfied with the level, and speed, of their response.

[marag]

I'm glad to hear that they're on this swiftly.

My mother goes to SGAH regularly for IV vitamin infusions and she's always been most impressed by the IV folks. I can't remember what she was in their emergency room for, but she was not impressed at *all*. (Of course, HC was the ER that failed to give the diabetic patient anything to eat or drink for like 10 hours. ::eyeroll:: As you know, there are idiots absolutely everywhere.)

[estherchaya]

Oh, it's not that HC's ER is without flaws - they're full of flaws; if you're not a pediatric or geriatric patient, you'll have a long wait (but good care). But their ER is set up more logically overall.

[estherchaya]

I work in the space-age polymers remark any time I can. Kudos to gingy for coming up with that one! :)

They actually have had a record turnaround on responding (and appropriately so). I got several emails from them yesterday (when they received my initial letter) and received a follow up call today stating that the letter had been forwarded to the Directors of Perinatal Services and Emergency Services. They are investigating to find out who my nurse was in the ER, and they'll also be presenting my letter at their weekly directors' meeting, so that they can learn from their mistakes.

[buildin_a_bayis]

i can't believe a medical professional of all people would say those things to you. I've heard of crazy people saying and doing inappropriate things, but a nurse! come on! I hope you hear back from them and that they can find out who it was and reprimand her.

Good luck....may you not need to go back until May!!

[estherchaya]

they're already on it.

Actually, I get more of the "natural" garbage from health care professionals than I get from the general ignorant public. They are so focused on whether I had fertility treatment and that's a bunch of crap, frankly. In the case of my ER visit, it simply had NO bearing on the medical need that I was presenting. My OB knows my current pregnancy was an IVF pregnancy, which is an important piece of my medical history, and therefore he has a need-to-know. (IVF babies TEND to have slightly lower birth weights than spontaneously conceived babies, though they're not sure why - this is relevant in my case both because I've already had an IUGR baby and because I've already walked down the PTL road with this one).

Anyway, the hospital has responded VERY appropriately, and they are already investigating to see who it was who was my nurse in the ER. They've been extremely communicative, which I appreciate.

[buildin_a_bayis]

good, i'm glad to hear that at least the hospital is doing their job and being responsive and communicative!

[kalki]

I'll say again how awful that is that you experienced that :(

[hannahsarah]

I am in awe of your writing skill, your patience, and your ability to stay classy.

I think I'd probably throw things, and then burst into tears.

[sethcohen]

Throwing things is my job. I just need to remember not to throw anything breakable...you know, like nurses. 8^)