Angry mom treated rotten in ER today

[Purple Princess]

I just am not sure what to do. I'm sure if i call the hospital tomorrow to complain i'll get transferred here and there and finally to an answering machine or get hung up on or no one will return my call. My mom is going through the change and her hormones are messed up causing dramatic lady partsl bleeding. she often wears 3-4 pads at a time, underwear ruined, our chairs have towels on them, it's bad. she had a d/c and removal of polyps, cancer ruled out. no health coverage and medicaid won't help. she's weak, looks pale, gets horrible leg cramps etc. today was no exception and our bathroom looked like an operating room. she's had the problem for almost 2 years and apparently little can be done. she's falling asleep and uncomfortable in the waiting room like she might pass out. after 3 hours of waiting i finally told them she had better get examined right quick. got in there the nurse drew blood, and then helped her clean up and changed her bed. so far good, that nurse was an angel. the doctor comes though and basically says they can't do anything for her today, she has to make an appointment with her gynecologist which of course is ALWAYS SO BUSY, might not see her for a couple months. meanwhile she was told if she had problems to go to the ER. then they draw more blood. her count was ok so no transfusion or anything. another guy comes in to start an iv and mom asked for what and he didn't know! so she wouldn't let him so he takes his cart and leaves. another nurse comes in says here's your paper you can leave. she had to go to the bathroom and told them that but they wouldn't even give her anything to cover with to go out in the hall. i won't say what my loving mother did next but well a mess was made. her pants were soaked from blood so she had to leave in a hospital gown, no scrub pants were offered to walk out in the cold. and they didn't even really offer a wheelchair since she is weak and gets light headed. i pulled my car up had the heater going and luckily had a blanket in the car. i realize it's christmas but god last christmas i worked 3 days later i was terminated from my job because they wouldn't hold my position for recovery and 2 days after that i was in the operating room having surgery. medicaide won't help me either. i'm soon to be a nurse, helping people, and no one cares when you or a loved one is sick. what is this world coming to?

[gwenith, BSN, RN]

Closed for moderator action

[nuangel1, BSN, RN]

i am sorry your sister got misdiagnosed .however not all eds are the same.yes mistakes are made .staff are human too.i hope your sister filed a complaint as she should.i also hope your sister is ok now.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

If someone has had the same problem for several weeks it isn't an emergency, perhaps they were unable to make another appt, but still, not an emergency. We will be happy to see them, but there will be a wait. Of course everyone deserves and should get respect, and excellent accurate nursing care regardless of insurance, race, chief complaint or any other factor. Perhaps we all disagree on what is said AFTER the patient leaves. People need to vent whether it's politically correct or not. I admit a lack of saintliness on my part, but having vented to my coworkers I can start over and do a better job for the next person. I get cranky and inappropriate when I can't vent, or there is too much to do in to little time, or (the worst) when I can't give each patient the attention they deserve.

[Liddle Noodnik]

she put me onto a state program for the working poor that didn't have access to insurance (that the medicaid worker should have told me about). I don't remember her name but this was at St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore and I'll never forget how wonderful she was to us.

That is too bad that no one helped you with that before... I don't understand that ... but thank God you got what you needed! How are you guys doing now?

[Liddle Noodnik]

And some return sicker because no one asked if they could really afford the prescriptions they received or if they had drug coverage.

Or made sure they understood their discharge insts. These are also very good points!

I wonder too, if patients are or can be referred to where they can reach social services for housing, food, medical needs, etc...

I like your 'tude, Granny!

[LeahJet, ASN, RN]

To say that we are a "convenience" to patients is insulting to every hard working ER nurse out there.

It is the usually the type of sentiment that comes from someone not actively working in the ER. Either from non-nursing individuals, students, or people that have not been bedside in many many years.

And yes, it is OUR ER. I have great pride in my work and where I work. Sorry if that offends anyone.

I apologize for prior (now deleted by mods) posts in which I may have come down too hard on those that probably don't understand.

I know that things have changed in the 10 years I have been a nurse. Sense of entitlement and the Customer Service trend have made a huge impact. This is not nursing in the 60's and 70's.

[CRIMSON]

Find a better GYN. Then, get a partial hysterectomy at least (remove the uterus/cervix). Nothing left to bleed!

I went through all kinds of problems when I was diagnosed w/ PCOS. In the end, taking the parts out does sometimes help the best.

Sorry for your problems, I do so wish we had some kind of healthcare system to cover all.

crimson

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

THANK you! My sister, who is uninsured, was basically treated like crap in the ER of a local hospital back in July of 2005. She had been experiencing lower abdominal pain and hematuria for weeks, and had no other place to go for treatment. They ran tests and told her and my BIL that "they both had STD and for them to go home and take precautions". Huh??? She found out from her PCP 24 hours later that she had a malignant tumor on her bladder instead and was immediately scheduled for surgery....at another hospital.

How in the world can you be diagnosed with STD one day and bladder cancer the next?? You CAN'T. :angryfire

The ER gave you the most likely diagnosis, and at the same time they did labs to confirm it. The PCP got the results of the labs (negative) and then with that information gave you the next likely diagnosis which turned out to be correct.

[EarthChild1130]

I'd definitely get a 2nd opinion from a GYN...I had endometriosis and PCOS that caused me to miss work, bleed, etc...I had a TAH/BSO when I was 22 and haven't regretted it or had ONE problem since...there are other doctors out there willing to help...good luck!!