woman dies in ER waiting room (article)

One way to look at this is to step back and see the big picture. ERs in many places, especially places that serve poor, uninsured, sometimes illegal minorities are imploding. First there will be bad care, indifferent care and neglegent care. Then there will be no care at all. This does not absolve the nurses and doctors involved of responsibility but the responsibility does not end with them. Believe me this is not merely a problem related to bad nurses, it is MUCH, MUCH bigger than that.

Don't take my words personally....
You sound like if you are poor or new immigrants...legal or illegal...you might not get the care that a human being is supposed to get.

This really sounds like the other side of the ER nurses venting. First, the woman was obese, she was also Mexican or Hispanic. Can't you hear the accusations of "Drug Seeker!" resounding down the hall. Then, she probably did not have insurance. She had 3 strikes against her before she came in the first time. How could anyone let a woman lie on the floor in pain like that. ER nurses can do it because they are extremely judgmental and they think they know it all and are always right. The woman had a perforated large bowel, for God's sake.

T. Soup--how can you lay the blame for this at the feet of ER patients. This woman needed care, and apparently never got any kind of diagnostic workup. They gave the woman instructions to come back if pain worsened. She did, and they totally ignored her. Not even so much as a temp or BP check.

I don't think the nurse is entirely to blame here. You have to remember she was discharged by a DOCTOR only 3 hours prior!

Also, the police were the ones who brought her to the ER in the first place to be examined. obviously they thought her complaints were warranted at some point.

Sad, very sad for all involved. I hope whoever inspects the place in the next 6 weeks goes over the place like a toothbrush on tile grout!

We see more "poor" people in the ED than "rich" people on a day-to-day basis. Everyone recieves unbiased treatment.