Would You Treat Your Dog Like This?

[CseMgr1, ASN, RN]

A Vietnam Vet, who has never used his VA benefits up until a few days ago,awoke to excruciating pain in his lower back. He called a friend, who transported him to a VA hospital in Alabama. When they arrived, the friend asked the facility's ER nurse to bring a stretcher out to the car, because the man couldn't stand or sit. The nurse told the friend that a wheelchair would do. He was rolled into the ER, screaming in pain, until he was given an injection of pain killers. He was then told by this facility that because of his injuries, they only prepped patients and prepared them for transport to a more comprehensive facility. So, the friend has to put this poor man back into his truck and transport him to the VA hospital in Atlanta. When he arrived, he again asked this facility's ER nurse for a stretcher...and was refused. After waiting for two hours, our VET was given another injection of painkillers...then had to wait another 2-1/2 hours, before he was finally seen by a doctor, who asked him what was wrong. The VET replied that he had back pain and couldn't walk. The doctor just asked: "What do you want us to do?"...and walked off, not even bothering to provide an examination. Of course the VET and his friend were stunned, and before they could react, they were told by a nurse that he had been discharged and would have to leave.

By the next morning, all the pain killers had worn off, and our VET is once again in agony. His friend contacted the office of our local congressman, who stated that he called the Atlanta VA facility and was told that if the VET was brought back, he would receive proper care. With the help of some friends, a stretcher was built out of some scaffolding support, and he was once again transported back to Atlanta. Lo and behold, when they arrived, they were able to get a stretcher, and our VET was wheeled inside the ER. He waited for FOUR hours, before he was finally given any pain medication. An X-Ray showed that he had a "problem" with his disc at L-5. He told his friend to go home, for he was confident that he would be admitted.

He was wrong. After his friend had left, a doctor gave him a prescription for NSAIDS and painkillers and left. It was now 2 AM, and a nurse showed up and told him: "Get your clothes, you've been discharged". He was able to get on his jeans and t-shirt, but was unable to bend over, to get his socks on. He asked if he could stay in the hospital's main waiting room until 8AM, when the Pharmacy opened and he could get his prescriptions filled and get a ride home. The nurse told him that he couldn't, and told him to get in a wheelchair. He did so, and was wheeled to the door of the E.R. and was told: "You have to leave the premises". He again asked the nurse if he could stay, but she called a security guard, who came and told him that if he didn't leave, the police would be called. Our VET told the guard to go ahead and call the cops, for he thought he would get "more help from them, than the VA". Instead, the guard rolled this man out to the bus stop and left him there. It was now 2:30 AM, and no bus was due until 7:30 AM. He used his cell phone to call his friend, who returned and picked him up. They went back to the ER, demanded answers...and got none.

While this travesty is supposedly being "investigated" by the VA and congressional officials, our VET is languishing on a sofa in his home...with a bedpan at his side, and he says (and WHO can blame him?): "...No way I am going back there. I wouldn't treat a dog the way they treated me....they send you to Vietnam to kill people and then they put you out on the street".

:angryfire

[renerian, BSN, RN]

Wow horrible. I heard that from alot of vets in the home health arena.

Very sad,

renerian

[SharkadelicRN]

I am absolutely appalled by this. I have heard of similar things happening with VETS who go to the VA. I sure hope that this man gets the care he needs. What's wrong with our gov't? These men and women who have served our country deserve much more respect, and certainly deserve to be treated with some dignity.

[CseMgr1, ASN, RN]

My brother-in-law went to this same VA facility a few months ago to get glasses...and was turned away, because they couldn't "find" his paperwork. He swears by all that is holy that he will NEVER return to the VA for anything...and I don't blame him.

[Katnip, RN]

[SmilingBluEyes]

disgusting!

[kmchugh]

Stories such as this are the norm, rather than the exception where VA facilities are concerned. Care at these places is often substandard, and concern for the well being of the patient is simply considered to be "uncool." How do I know? I am a disabled vet. I can tell any number of stories, but one should suffice.

Until I moved to Illinois, I was seen for my service connected disabilities at the Bob Dole VA Center, in Wichita Kansas. Part of my treatment is for high blood pressure, and I need to have lab work done every six months or so to ensure that my meds aren't screwing with my liver.

I had just started nursing school, so I had some knowledge of universal precautions. I went for my lab work, and while waiting, I watched the lab techs go from patient to patient, drawing blood, handling urine samples, and working on the computer without ever changing gloves.

Of course, when my turn came up, the lab tech approached me, and I told her "you are NOT touching me until you take those gloves off, wash your hands, and put on new gloves." She looked at me as though I were a pile of excrement, and said "there's nothing on my gloves, that's unnecessary." To which I responded "Tough. Do it." She did, grumbling the whole time.

When I left the lab, I hunted down the patient care representative, and reported the incident. While the PCR thought that the lab tech's response to me was "rude," she (not trained in any way in health care, by the way) saw no problem with not changing gloves so long as the lab tech didn't "see any blood or stuff on them."

To make a long story short, I took my complaint up the ladder in the local VA, making it to the Chief of Staff of the hospital, an MD. (In the complaint process, the CoS was the first person I spoke to with any medical education.) He told me bluntly that "if the lab tech did not see anything on the gloves, then the practice of not changing gloves between patients was perfectly in keeping with universal precautions"!! I bluntly called him an idiot more interested in saving money than caring for the well-being of patients.

About six months later, the PCR saw me in the hall, and was just ecstatic. She gushed how she had managed to get the policy changed so that lab techs had to change gloves between patients. I quote: "Not that there was anything wrong with how we were doing it. But you know, I thought about it, and it did seem kind of icky not to change gloves."

One story in hundreds I could tell about the quality of VA care. Just another example of what happens when people are hired into jobs by the government, knowing that they can never be fired.

Kevin McHugh

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

OMG....that's disgusting.

My hub and his brother, both veterans, are taken care of at the Columbia SC Dorn VA hospital. My BIL had Guillain-Barre Sx and stayed there for nearly 6 months with excellent care. All of them have words of high praise for the care. What you describe is intolerable. Not to sound like a Pollyanna but someone somewhere needs to get those 2 facilities on the ball. Who knows who you'd go to? KMcHugh?

Is it because Dorn is closely associated with both the College of Medicine and the College of Nursing? What's the reason?

[RN~in~CT]

Utterly appalling!!

Our vets deserve our utmost respect and QUALITY HEALTHCARE!

[CseMgr1, ASN, RN]

Originally posted by kmchugh

To make a long story short, I took my complaint up the ladder in the local VA, making it to the Chief of Staff of the hospital, an MD. (In the complaint process, the CoS was the first person I spoke to with any medical education.) He told me bluntly that "if the lab tech did not see anything on the gloves, then the practice of not changing gloves between patients was perfectly in keeping with universal precautions"!! I bluntly called him an idiot more interested in saving money than caring for the well-being of patients.

One story in hundreds I could tell about the quality of VA care. Just another example of what happens when people are hired into jobs by the government, knowing that they can never be fired.

Kevin McHugh

Yep, and they somehow get the impression that somebody died and appointed them as Gods, giving them the right to make up rules as they go along......

[kids]

Our local (Portland, OR) VA hospital is physically connected to Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) by a sky bridge. The Vets here benefit from the direct access to OHSU's cancer, open heart and organ transplant programs. I don't know if the situation is unique, it is the only VA hospital I know. I did clinicals at the VA on the head and neck unit, aside from that my only other VA hospital experience involves my brother.

He was diagnosed with what turned out to be an aggressive form of Renal cell ca on 4/1 and died on 6/15 (9 days after his 50th b-day). The VA here was great, the Social Workers were able to expedite his WA Medicaid and SSD benefits. They arranged (reliable) transportation to and from appointments. He was admitted 10 days before he passed, a couple of days later when it was obvious he was not going to bounce back the Doctors opted and pushed to keep him there in the hospital rather than turfing him to a contracted NH. He was moved from a 6 bed ward to a private room with a cot so someone could sleep over. In the last few days he deteriorated mentally he couldn't remember how to use the call light and became non-verbal. The nurses caring for him relocated their mobile work stations to right outside his door. I tend to be heck on wheels and I never found anything lacking in his care. When he passed several of the staff cried with me.

[jnette, ASN, EMT-I]

The original post brought tears to my eyes. ANGRY tears. The more I read, the angrier I got. I envisioned this poor man being put out in the middle of the night .... .... OMG, don't get me started.

This just sickens me. I had actually given thought here lately of going to our VA Hospital and getting myself signed up and obtaining my VA med card.. (as I've heard it can take several years now just to get you started in the system)... not that I'm planning on retiring anytime soon.

But maybe by the time I do, and lose my current health insurance, the VA might asctually have me plugged into their system by then. But I can't help but wonder if I should even bother... after all, the whole idea is to LIVE and not be killed by these arrogant idiots !

So much for serving your country and giving her your best years.