Do undocumented aliens end up getting after receiving emergency care?

pandora44 · Aug 11, 2009

I, too, have been absolutely appalled by some of the comments on this thread. I know that I have treated illegal aliens before and you know what? I DON'T CARE! I gave these people the same kindness and care that I would show any PERSON.

diane227, LPN, RN · Aug 11, 2009

I worked in a large public hospital in Houston. We took care of a lot of illegal aliens and we did not report them to immigration as it is not our job to do that. We were there to provide health care, period. I would not have felt comfortable reporting people to immigration because after word got around a lot of people would not have received care and they would have died. It is none of my business as their nurse if they have a green card or not. I don't care. I frankly have no issues with illegals aliens and I have no problem having my tax dollars go to pay for health care for anyone who needs it. I would rather have my tax dollars go for health care than war and for the money we are spending on this war, we could provide care for a lot of people.

You may have noticed but since the downturn in our economy, less people are coming into this country. If there are no jobs here, people won't come here, It is as simple as that.

We all came from somewhere. In the past my family came from Ireland, England and France. No one wanted the Irish when they came. Throughout history, all societies have been treated with disrespect and have been made to feel unwanted.

I live in the Seattle area now. Talk about immigrants. From EVERYWHERE. In Houston, all I used to have to learn was some medical Spanish, but not up here. Russian, Cambodian, Chinese, every Asian country you can think of, all the Slavic countries. Calling immigration would be a full time job up here.

Sensoria17 · Aug 12, 2009

You are a NURSE. I am appalled at whoever it was that said "a lot of Chinese illegals had TB." SO WHAT???? If they have TB then treat them.

That was me:D. But seriously, people need to lighten and quit being so PC when someone states something factual. What is so offensive about stating that an illegal Chinese person has TB if the Chinese illegal has TB. Did I say all Chinese illegals have TB? No, I said a lot (based on someone's real experience) of them who come into the ED have TB. How long was this person walking around in the public possibly infecting others before he or she came into the ED?

allnurses Guide · Aug 12, 2009

I don't give a lot of credence to second-hand stories. They are based on a perception of a perception. Also very vague. I wouldn't consider something "factual" unless I could verify it for myself.

Just like the perception that the Hispanic population in the US comes from South America. :uhoh3:

MB37 · Aug 12, 2009

For those of you who propose screening in the ER - how exactly would you go about it? Not everyone comes in with ID at all, let alone a valid passport/green card/VISA. Should we only detain those with Spanish-sounding last names? Or those with foreign accents? Then horrible people like my Canadian father would slip through the cracks. Do we make them wait for treatment until they can produce documentation, while the John Smiths go straight into a room for tx? UNlike with child abuse, where we're mandated to report even a suspicion, there are no signs or symptoms of undocumented status. At my hospital even insurance information isn't gathered on ER patients until after they've been treated, just to remove the possibility of accusations of substandard care. Later, we may find out someone's status is less than official. It's never been our policy to report anyone to the "authorities."

Sensoria17 · Aug 12, 2009

Just like the perception that the Hispanic population in the US comes from South America.

You know, I realized this after I hit enter and I thought about editing it but then thought no one would really care about something that is relatively unimportant.

diane227, LPN, RN · Aug 13, 2009

During the 80's we had a lot of illegals from El Salvador who were escaping the political war there. These people were running for their lives and many were quite ill.. malaria, cholera, typhoid, Guinea worms, all types of invasive parasites. Many of these patients did not even know their birth dates and had no type of identification. I mean they lived in small villages, were born in the village, there were no records, no birth certificates. You can turn these people away. You have to treat them. This care you give them may be all they get. You are their last hope or they will die. I'll take care of them. No problem. And by the way, TB is a problem EVERYWHERE. We see all types of patients with TB every week.

Koyaanisqatsi-RN · Aug 13, 2009

You don't have no money, you don't get treatment.

It is always hilarious to me that the most racist, xenophobic people out there are the ones who can never speak English correctly! :)

Human beings are never illegal. We need to get over this crap real fast.

I agree that if people live here, they should pay their way via taxes like everyone else. The irony is that most of the people who immigrate here would LOVE to do that, if only the government would let them. Isn't that stupid? We could fix so many budget issues by just granting amnesty to the people already here, and start them off right as tax paying residents. They wouldn't fear deportation, and would be proud to have a new country to officially call home, and the country would have more tax revenue coming in.

What's the problem again, exactly?

edit: and anyone who says to simply go to the INS (which doesn't exist anymore), you have no idea what you're talking about. We make immigration from Mexico and such nearly impossible. I have seen it and dealt with it firsthand. My ex of 6 years was brought here in the trunk of a car when she was 8, and it wasn't until she was 18 that she was even granted a residency card. That is insane, and it's very little wonder that most people don't want to wait over 10 years before they're allowed to come here and make a better life for themselves and their families.

allnurses Guide · Aug 13, 2009

You know, I realized this after I hit enter and I thought about editing it but then thought no one would really care about something that is relatively unimportant.

It may seem unimportant to you, but if you want people to take your opinion seriously, things like that become important. I didn't remember who had written that, and it wasn't meant as a dig at you personally.

Sensoria17 · Aug 13, 2009

It may seem unimportant to you, but if you want people to take your opinion seriously, things like that become important. I didn't remember who had written that, and it wasn't meant as a dig at you personally.

Point taken. However, you may want to make use of smilies a little more judiciously. It can change the whole meaning of a sentence.

allnurses Guide · Aug 14, 2009

Point taken. However, you may want to make use of smilies a little more judiciously. It can change the whole meaning of a sentence.

What?? I used a smiley!! : I'm not sure what you mean. Should I use less smilies or more smilies or. . . now I am confused. :confused:

bjaeram · Aug 14, 2009

I didn't read all the posts but I have an interesting story about an illegal alien. He is a dialysis pt and no center will take him due to his status. So he waits and comes to the ER for care, gets dialysis, signs out AMA and does it over and over again. Social work is trying to figure something out but for now this is what is happening. Crazy, huge waste of resources but he doesn't have any other choice, other then go home of course. Sad really!! Doesn't speak a word of English to boot. I can't imagine being in his shoes.