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Discussion

Seriously?????

Long story, yesterday afternoon I answered my doorbell to find my 85 yr.old neighbor in a panic. His wife, home 5 days from rehab from a UTI, has fallen. I run across the street to find her screaming on the dining room floor, but she recognizes me as soon as she sees me. Pain in neck, shoulders, tingling in arm, cant tell me how she fell. We call 911 and off to the hospital. I drive with my neighbor and we get to local emergency room. I explain as much as possible. Wife is in a cervical collar until cat scan is done. She is also stone deaf. I explain this to everyone that comes in contact with her "please speak in her right ear where she has a hearing aid". I give as much info as I can, I am only the neighbor. As I am relaying info, a CNA comes in to put wife on fracture pan. We have now been in emergency room for about 2 hours. Suddenly we hear wife crying and screaming. We are told she is okay, they are "dealing with her". We are right outside curtain, so husband is turning white with terror. After a few minutes, we return to find that they have inserted a foley. They took a deaf, elderly woman in a cervical collar, and without explaining to her or her husband , cathed her. We know this becasue we were right outside the curtain and never heard the tech or nurse say anything except to scream "Can't you bend your knee?" at her. I ask why she needs a foley and get "well, she is elderly and prone to decubitis ulcers." ooookkkayyy, but she has not been admitted, has not even been seen by MD yet. Fast forward to after CT scan. No stroke, no bleeds, no broken neck, all soft tissue damage. ECG ordered. I stay with her for comfort as she thinks they "put some needles up in there" and has never been made aware of any procedures. She is terrified. Tech comes for ECG and literally strips her naked and leaves her completely exposed to the ED the entire time. I do my best to help her stay covered where necessary. Really???? Is this how we treat elderly injured patients??? I was appalled!!! In the end, she was admitted for observation. They need to find out why she is "so disoriented" Whatt??? The woman reads 3-5 newspapers a day, discusses world events at length and was well aware that she had fallen and needed medical attention. I ask what confusion and get "Well, we ask her questions and she cant answer us. She seems to be in her own world" UMMMM I have explained 7 or 8 times thast she is almost completely deaf and ..... they took her hearing aid out and put it in a box so it would not get lost. So, sorry this is a rant and longer than I intended, but, since when do we treat an injured elderly 85 year old woman in such a manner? I explained that I was a CNA with plenty of experience with the elderly and would help where I could, but this blew my mind. I would be fired if I stripped a woman, left her exposed to the entire emergency room (curtains please) and never ever bothered to explain anything to her or her husband before a procedure. Am I off base here? BTW, I am going to see her in a couple of hours with her husband. They are both very alert, very active people.

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    • Experts

    Scary when you realize what's out there........I had some horrible experiences when my father took suddenly ill and passed away. It's amazing the ineptness that is prevalent out there!

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    A) Good for you, a caring compassionate person - you'll be blessed.

    B) Print out your complete post. Sign it with contacting info. Make several copies and hand deliver to ED supervisor, pt's PMD, copy for husband/couple, and one for yourself.

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    • Experts

    Have you made the hospital administration aware of the issues? That's what I would do. Is there an ombudsman or patient advocate at that hospital? Even a Social Worker might be able to help with the hearing issues.

    But to get action, you are going to have to talk with some people in authority at the hospital. Good luck to you. It sounds like this facility needs some definite improvement.

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    • Experts

    Sounds to me as if you were dealing with people who don't have all their marbles rolling around inside their heads.

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    No, you are not off base, kudos to you for showing concern for your neighbors--I wish more people were like that. I hope the wife is ok although I feel as though healing may take some time.

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    I agree with jmrusa.......this shouldn't be just complained about here. (Not that we mind helping you out and giving you feedback) You are totally on target here. That kind of treatment is absolutly not okay for any patient--elderly or not. Include as many specific name as you can so they can pinpoint the problem. I might also, in addition to the letter, feel the need to have a conversation with the ER nurse manager. Its sad that the elderly need people to advocate for them, but they do. Gotta tell you I would have been livid and taking care of the problem then and there.....and maybe not so nicely. Not the quiet type when I see this blatant mistreatment. If you don't speak up this treatment will continue with the next patient through the doors.

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    I've been to the dr's and hospital with my mom and grandma several times. It scares me and makes me wonder about people who are alone with no one else to help them. :uhoh3:

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    • Author

    Thank you all. I have taken your advice and have typed up a letter. I am bringing it to my neighbor to read and sign and he and I will present it in about 30 mins. I questioned as much as I could and took as much initiative as I could, but I am not a family member, so I am limited. I do have the husbands blessing to press forward with complaints and he is willing to speak to the appropriate managers. Thanks agian. You are all sooooo smart!

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    I know how you feel, I was in ER with my dad who cracked his ribs and they didn't even give him a pillow for his head or adjust the bed for comfort. Just in and out tons of people. I always think don't these people have grandparents? But good for you on following up hope it helps the next elderly person.

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    You sound like an excellent CNA and a very caring person. Your neighbor was lucky to have you with her at such a vulnerable time. I'm glad you are moving forward with a complaint. Be sure to give one to the NM, ED Manager, patient's doctor, CEO, HR, and Risk Management. The neighbor seems more than happy to have you take charge here so do it. Ask questions today when you visit and don't be easily put off. And get the foley out if it isn't already. There is NO need for it. Make sure her hearing aid goes back in also. That will give her some control back.

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    Wow... that is awful! Yes, take initiative and give the hospital hell! I once dealt with an ER doc who was discharging patients before he had even seen or assessed them! It seems with healthcare today, its great or horrible... there's no in-between.

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    I'd be calling anyone and everyone I could. It does NOT matter that you aren't her daughter, you are a very close friend and what was done to her was wrong on so many levels. Go to the ombudman also....and the unit manager.

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