A really crappy day at the ER.. what would you have done?
I don't even know where to start I am so mad. I am sure I am over reacting as usual and I shouldn't let things get to me but I am just so frustrated. I knew I was going to have issues here since no one does the DS but this is just insane.
A week ago today I had to go to the ER for dehydration (which was out of town where my surgeons office is). They gave me 2 bags said I was really dehydrated, did some lab work in which they found a left over UTI put me on antibiotics and sent me on my way. The day after I saw my surgeon for my follow up appointment and then we drove the 2 hours back home.
Well yesterday was a really bad day. I tried shrimp (yes just a small bite and yes crushed to pieces) and it didn't like me. I threw my guts up and felt miserable. I threw up most of my fluids because I had an awful taste and no matter what I did couldn't get rid of it.
Anyhow today I felt better (as far as not feeling like I was going to throw up) but I knew I was dehydrated from throwing up yesterday and not being able to get my fluids down. My leg (rather my upper thigh on the outside portion hurt and a long time ago I was told it was a pinched nerve) so I went to the smaller hospital ER that used to be an urgent care. Its a smaller place that can usually get you in fast and I have never had issues before. I called my surgeons office prior to this and they agreed I should be seen and have my surgeon paged by the Dr I saw.
So they take me right away and then the two nurses ask me what was wrong and I explained that I just had surgery 2 weeks ago and that I was sick yesterday and dehydrated as I wasn't able to get my fluids in and my urine has been getting darker and then explain about my thigh hurting. One nurse asks the other what kind of surgery is that and she said like gastric bypass and I really had no energy to fight about it. I let them know that my surgeon wanted to be paged and they said it was up to the Dr if he wanted to do that or not. So then another nurse comes in and says my vitals are great and she doesn't think I am dehydrated and that she is sure my leg is nothing as that would be a very odd place to get a blood clot. I let her know that I didn't think my leg was anything but a pinched nerve but wanted to mention it. I told her I have not been getting in my fluids as I have been having a really hard time and was sick yesterday. I asked her if my surgeon was paged yet and she said no that they did not do that. I explained again that he asked to be paged and she said there was no reason for that. I told her that his office said it was a good idea that I was coming there and she said they are 2 hours away and aren't seeing you, we are and I think you just need to go home and drink.
I was really upset at this point and said that I knew I was dehydrated and wanted fluids and for someone to page my surgeon. She said she was going to put down on my chart that she didn't think I needed fluids because my vitals were perfect and then proceeded to lecture me about drinking fluids in which I told her I have been trying. So then she says she will send the other nurse in and give me a bag of fluids if that will make me feel better.
The first nurse comes in and you can tell she wants nothing more than for me to leave. She asked which vein was good and my husband said they always seem to have a hard time sticking me. She said well this isn't necessary today and your wife is insisted on being stuck and this could be prevented if she just drank her fluids. I thought I was going to faint. I told her that I had been trying my best to get in fluids and not in a nice way. She stuck me a few dozen times and couldn't get anything so then called in another nurse. This one stuck me a few times and finally did get me and then took about 8 vials of blood and then the other nurse came in and said the Dr doesn't want any lab work. So they finally give me the fluids and the Dr walks in and says I hear you had surgery and you aren't feeling well. I explained again how I was sick and the dehydration etc and he said I cant believe they still do that old surgery on people and re arrange their insides and shook his head. Before I could even say anything he left. He didn't look at me or check me out or do anything to me.
The nurse came back in after I had her buzzed and I asked for a drink of something that was not carbonated so I could take my medicine. She came back with soda and I was close to tears at this point as they were all just acting terribly rude. My husband finally said she just told you she couldn't drink that as its carbonated. The nurse said well maybe if she had been drinking it she wouldn't be here right now. I tried to remain calm and said again I cannot have soda can you please bring me in some water. She brought me back some juice and I took my medicine. The bed was in a total upright position which was hurting my back and belly and I asked if someone could fix that. Instead they left me there like that for over 2 hours despite asking for help. After a little over 2 hours another nurse comes in takes out the IV and says your free to go try and drink so we wont see you back here again in a week.
The whole experience was a nightmare and my husband who is often quite as a mouse was actually mad enough to speak up a little bit. He of course wants me to just forget about it even though he agrees they were really nasty to me, but of course I cant. I don't understand people and why they are so cruel. It was the same few nurses and Dr who I saw and not one was nice. I really don't know why. I have been there before with no issues but it seems like right from the get go they were nasty.
I am worried anytime I need help this is going to be what happens. This concerns me as this is a smaller quieter ER which I used to feel comfortable at and now well I never want to step back in there. What would you have done or do? I feel like I complain an awful lot and I am sure I do, but I also feel its merited. I wouldn't want others to be treated the same way and don't know if I am being singled out for some reason such as my surgery or not.
A week ago today I had to go to the ER for dehydration (which was out of town where my surgeons office is). They gave me 2 bags said I was really dehydrated, did some lab work in which they found a left over UTI put me on antibiotics and sent me on my way. The day after I saw my surgeon for my follow up appointment and then we drove the 2 hours back home.
Well yesterday was a really bad day. I tried shrimp (yes just a small bite and yes crushed to pieces) and it didn't like me. I threw my guts up and felt miserable. I threw up most of my fluids because I had an awful taste and no matter what I did couldn't get rid of it.
Anyhow today I felt better (as far as not feeling like I was going to throw up) but I knew I was dehydrated from throwing up yesterday and not being able to get my fluids down. My leg (rather my upper thigh on the outside portion hurt and a long time ago I was told it was a pinched nerve) so I went to the smaller hospital ER that used to be an urgent care. Its a smaller place that can usually get you in fast and I have never had issues before. I called my surgeons office prior to this and they agreed I should be seen and have my surgeon paged by the Dr I saw.
So they take me right away and then the two nurses ask me what was wrong and I explained that I just had surgery 2 weeks ago and that I was sick yesterday and dehydrated as I wasn't able to get my fluids in and my urine has been getting darker and then explain about my thigh hurting. One nurse asks the other what kind of surgery is that and she said like gastric bypass and I really had no energy to fight about it. I let them know that my surgeon wanted to be paged and they said it was up to the Dr if he wanted to do that or not. So then another nurse comes in and says my vitals are great and she doesn't think I am dehydrated and that she is sure my leg is nothing as that would be a very odd place to get a blood clot. I let her know that I didn't think my leg was anything but a pinched nerve but wanted to mention it. I told her I have not been getting in my fluids as I have been having a really hard time and was sick yesterday. I asked her if my surgeon was paged yet and she said no that they did not do that. I explained again that he asked to be paged and she said there was no reason for that. I told her that his office said it was a good idea that I was coming there and she said they are 2 hours away and aren't seeing you, we are and I think you just need to go home and drink.
I was really upset at this point and said that I knew I was dehydrated and wanted fluids and for someone to page my surgeon. She said she was going to put down on my chart that she didn't think I needed fluids because my vitals were perfect and then proceeded to lecture me about drinking fluids in which I told her I have been trying. So then she says she will send the other nurse in and give me a bag of fluids if that will make me feel better.
The first nurse comes in and you can tell she wants nothing more than for me to leave. She asked which vein was good and my husband said they always seem to have a hard time sticking me. She said well this isn't necessary today and your wife is insisted on being stuck and this could be prevented if she just drank her fluids. I thought I was going to faint. I told her that I had been trying my best to get in fluids and not in a nice way. She stuck me a few dozen times and couldn't get anything so then called in another nurse. This one stuck me a few times and finally did get me and then took about 8 vials of blood and then the other nurse came in and said the Dr doesn't want any lab work. So they finally give me the fluids and the Dr walks in and says I hear you had surgery and you aren't feeling well. I explained again how I was sick and the dehydration etc and he said I cant believe they still do that old surgery on people and re arrange their insides and shook his head. Before I could even say anything he left. He didn't look at me or check me out or do anything to me.
The nurse came back in after I had her buzzed and I asked for a drink of something that was not carbonated so I could take my medicine. She came back with soda and I was close to tears at this point as they were all just acting terribly rude. My husband finally said she just told you she couldn't drink that as its carbonated. The nurse said well maybe if she had been drinking it she wouldn't be here right now. I tried to remain calm and said again I cannot have soda can you please bring me in some water. She brought me back some juice and I took my medicine. The bed was in a total upright position which was hurting my back and belly and I asked if someone could fix that. Instead they left me there like that for over 2 hours despite asking for help. After a little over 2 hours another nurse comes in takes out the IV and says your free to go try and drink so we wont see you back here again in a week.
The whole experience was a nightmare and my husband who is often quite as a mouse was actually mad enough to speak up a little bit. He of course wants me to just forget about it even though he agrees they were really nasty to me, but of course I cant. I don't understand people and why they are so cruel. It was the same few nurses and Dr who I saw and not one was nice. I really don't know why. I have been there before with no issues but it seems like right from the get go they were nasty.
I am worried anytime I need help this is going to be what happens. This concerns me as this is a smaller quieter ER which I used to feel comfortable at and now well I never want to step back in there. What would you have done or do? I feel like I complain an awful lot and I am sure I do, but I also feel its merited. I wouldn't want others to be treated the same way and don't know if I am being singled out for some reason such as my surgery or not.
Request to speak directly to a hospital administrator in a situation such as this. Don't take no for an answer. That will straighten out medical personnel quicker than anything. Tell them to not bother sending a bill because you're not going to pay it.
Report the nurses to the state nursing board and the physician to the state medical board if what you have posted is true. Write a complaint letter to the hospital administration and copy it to an attorney. Never let someone stick you a few dozen times trying to draw blood. You have the right to a physician medical screening before any medical decisions are made. it sounds like the nurses tried to manage you themselves for a long time before the physician got involved. I've even heard of patients calling 911 and requesting to be taken to a "real" ER. That's an attention-getter.
Just my opinion. . .
Keep pushing the fluids by mouth - every sip is that much further away from needing an IV. Be sure you have nausea medication and are taking something to block stomach acid. It gets better.
Report the nurses to the state nursing board and the physician to the state medical board if what you have posted is true. Write a complaint letter to the hospital administration and copy it to an attorney. Never let someone stick you a few dozen times trying to draw blood. You have the right to a physician medical screening before any medical decisions are made. it sounds like the nurses tried to manage you themselves for a long time before the physician got involved. I've even heard of patients calling 911 and requesting to be taken to a "real" ER. That's an attention-getter.
Just my opinion. . .
Keep pushing the fluids by mouth - every sip is that much further away from needing an IV. Be sure you have nausea medication and are taking something to block stomach acid. It gets better.
It is very difficult to advocate for yourself when you're feeling like crap. so I have just 2 suggestions:
1. now that you're home, write a letter to the hospital administration about what happened. I would emphasize that the staff were rude and unprofessional, and that they refused to call your surgeon. I wouldn't emphasize the difficulty in starting an IV, even though it's a true statement, because you do have difficult veins, and more so when dehydrated, so can't really blame them for struggling with that. Though they had no business blaming you!
2. If anything like this happens again, demand ti speak with the charge nurse or dept manager or whatever title of the person in charge. Every hospital and every dept has a chain of command.
Larra
1. now that you're home, write a letter to the hospital administration about what happened. I would emphasize that the staff were rude and unprofessional, and that they refused to call your surgeon. I wouldn't emphasize the difficulty in starting an IV, even though it's a true statement, because you do have difficult veins, and more so when dehydrated, so can't really blame them for struggling with that. Though they had no business blaming you!
2. If anything like this happens again, demand ti speak with the charge nurse or dept manager or whatever title of the person in charge. Every hospital and every dept has a chain of command.
Larra
I didn't have a DS but I happened to wander over here and see your post. I generally have very good veins, before my surgery I can only remember one time when they had to stick me more than once, and that was at my request because the IV location was constantly bothering me.
I got really sick over a year out from my surgery and ended up in the ER for dehydration among other issues, the ER I was in had a rule, that the phlebotomist could try two times and then they had to get a nurse to try who was also only allowed to stick twice, and then the head nurse had to be called in. On the sixth try they finally got it in. I've heard of lots of hospital that have a limit on the number of times each person can stick a patient. You might want to see if there are any policies like that in place at the hospital you went to, if there are, and they violated them, I would certainly make a big issue out of it.
I got really sick over a year out from my surgery and ended up in the ER for dehydration among other issues, the ER I was in had a rule, that the phlebotomist could try two times and then they had to get a nurse to try who was also only allowed to stick twice, and then the head nurse had to be called in. On the sixth try they finally got it in. I've heard of lots of hospital that have a limit on the number of times each person can stick a patient. You might want to see if there are any policies like that in place at the hospital you went to, if there are, and they violated them, I would certainly make a big issue out of it.
That is just not right! My heart really goes out to you. I sure hope you aren't dehydrated! Either way, my advice is to try some watered down G2 gatoraid. I couldn't do water early out and had to have things like watered down apple juice, and had to have flavored water like the Wal-Mart sf powders and stuff. Man! I am mad too at the hospital. I would contact admin and let them know about how you were treated. A well worded letter can go a long way. Terri-Lynne
Ht: 5'7" HW/247ish SW/234 CW/141-145 (Over 100 pounds lost in 8 months!)
What you do now is copy what you just wrote and put it in a letter to:
Hospital Administrator
Hopsital Medical Director
Hosptial Director of Nursing and anybody else you can think of.
And send a copy to your surgeon just as a FYI.
If you know the names of these sorry excuses for nurses and doctors include them. Make sure you state exactly what date and time you were there. If you have a d/c paper copy it and attach it.
And you ask at the end : "What do I need to do to ensure that this will never happen again to me or any member of my family?"
Other than that I don't know what you can do. I am appalled that you got such poor treatment and it is obvious that it is a systemic problem and not just a problem with one bad nurse.
I would be so mad I would probably also write a letter to the editor of the newspaper!!!
Hope you feel better soon.
Hospital Administrator
Hopsital Medical Director
Hosptial Director of Nursing and anybody else you can think of.
And send a copy to your surgeon just as a FYI.
If you know the names of these sorry excuses for nurses and doctors include them. Make sure you state exactly what date and time you were there. If you have a d/c paper copy it and attach it.
And you ask at the end : "What do I need to do to ensure that this will never happen again to me or any member of my family?"
Other than that I don't know what you can do. I am appalled that you got such poor treatment and it is obvious that it is a systemic problem and not just a problem with one bad nurse.
I would be so mad I would probably also write a letter to the editor of the newspaper!!!
Hope you feel better soon.
Oh my goodness. I know how you feel! I was in the ER last week for dehydration...and they don't do the DS in my hometown and the doctor I had never even heard of the procedure. I literally had to demand a banana bag....
I understand they have certain procedures, but the nurse would NOT page my surgeon...She called the bariatric center and they did not answer...I was like seriously ask them. I want a bag of fluids AND a banana bag (has electrolites, vits and minerals in it) and they didn't want to give it ot me because I took a multivitamin....I had the damndest time trying to explain that I don't absorb nearly as much....
The doctor came in one more time and asked it I was already to go,,...and I was like NO i want my ******g banana bag and THEN ill be ready to go....
I finally got it....3 HOURS LATER!
My advice is to bring some paperwork or that emergency medical card for a DS to show them and keep your surgeons pager number handy....
I understand they have certain procedures, but the nurse would NOT page my surgeon...She called the bariatric center and they did not answer...I was like seriously ask them. I want a bag of fluids AND a banana bag (has electrolites, vits and minerals in it) and they didn't want to give it ot me because I took a multivitamin....I had the damndest time trying to explain that I don't absorb nearly as much....
The doctor came in one more time and asked it I was already to go,,...and I was like NO i want my ******g banana bag and THEN ill be ready to go....
I finally got it....3 HOURS LATER!
My advice is to bring some paperwork or that emergency medical card for a DS to show them and keep your surgeons pager number handy....
Um, yeah. What they said.
I'm sorry about what happened to you. In the future, the moment it seems that things are going down hill ask to speak to the person in charge.
Be sure to write all those letters and give those morons pieces of your mind.
I'm sorry about what happened to you. In the future, the moment it seems that things are going down hill ask to speak to the person in charge.
Be sure to write all those letters and give those morons pieces of your mind.
"Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius." Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
"What your heart thinks is great, is great. The soul's emphasis is always right." Ralph Waldo Emerson
"What your heart thinks is great, is great. The soul's emphasis is always right." Ralph Waldo Emerson
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