Problem in ER last night

Specialties Emergency

Published

Hi...I am not a nurse but I had a problem in the ER last night...befor I start I must tell you that I am an exterme abouse survivor. I had my son take me to the ER for a bad case stomach flu (vomiting) My liver enzymes were up so the doctor wanted to do a cat scan. There was no way that I caould drink the contrast as I was vomiting so They used the dye, When the flushed the iv in my hand,I screamed it hurt so bad,they tried to start another line but I am a hard stick so they said they were going to get someone else to try. They brought my nurse who had gotten more and more short in her tone with me (I have no idea why) but I didnt say anything because I know nursing is a hard job.

She tells me VERY angrily that phenegan burn the vein and that there is nothing worng with the iv and that she sat there and watched the other norse but it in and that it just needs to be fiushed. I said "Will u stop if I ask u too?" She pointedly ignored me and snatched my hand to flush it. I grabbed it back and said no. She said "Dont u get an attitude with me!" I said :Im not,look Ive been abouse real bad!" She finially said that she would stop if I said so and then said "And u need to stop looking at me like Im the devil Im just trying to help u" All this was in front of 2 techs. Totally unproffesional.

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Ok. And.....?

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

So sorry this happened. Please contact Patient Relations at the hospital and inform them of this incident.

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Just remember guys there are three sides to every story and we're only reading one.

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Why would u automatcly think that the patient would be lying?

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I posted here for help because I didn't know what to do.

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I posted here for help because I didn't know what to do.

TraumaRUs has good advice. Contact patient relations of the hospital. It's their job to help you: this board is not really the place to turn to to make right of your experience.

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Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.

Sorry for your experience but there is really nothing any of us can do for you via the internet. The people that can look into your claim work in the public relations department of the hospital you were at. This site is more for nurses helping nurses and is not really meant for the general public to come in and complain about poor service. It is unfortunate that patients are treated poorly but it can also be that patients don't necessarily understand why a situation occurred - and that makes them unhappy even tho nothing was done wrong.

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You have history of abused this mind set could set everyone who comes in contact with your for a failure. I don't know if med was diluted. Pushing slow and steady with another 10 cc flush will not have caused any pain. If I was in your situation as a patient I would have given them benefit of a doubt flushing it a second time. That second might not even med. probably just regular saline flush then med.

Nursing care often requires confirmation finding the main cause of the problem. Your nurse might wanted to see if anything else besides medication caused the pain.

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When I was verbally abused by an ER nurse acting as a patient liason over the telephone I went to the hospital's website and sent them an email telling them what happened. The next workday I received a call from a patient advocate apologizing for the nurse's behavoir and I also received a letter in the mail.

Hospitals are so concerned about keeping patients happy-something to do with medicare/medicaid reimbursements. If I were you I'd talk to someone in the hospital that deals with patient relations like other posters have suggested. If it were me that would have been my first action. Last year I learned the hard way that the only way to get anything done and be treated respectfully was to advocate for yourself. Even if you do have to ruffle some feathers in the process of doing so.

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.
Why would u automatcly think that the patient would be lying?

Because we work in the ER and a good majority of our pts lie. So much so that it can jade us when stuff like this happens.

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Because we work in the ER and a good majority of our pts lie. So much so that it can jade us when stuff like this happens.

Yeah, everyone that goes to the ER lies.

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