Terrible experience with nursing staff

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I'm going through a really rough time and I'm not sure this is the best place to put this post but I guess I need someone to hear me.

I moved to Brazil in 2019 and, short story, I had an urgent hysterectomy (open abdominal) 2 days ago. The nursing staff at the hospital here were extremely indifferent toward me. I was very frightened before the surgery and was crying, nobody held my hand or told me it would be okay. They only talked to me to tell me to move this way, put my arm here, etc. 1 day postop I tried to ambulate to the bathroom (no one would help me) and fainted, hitting my face on the bathroom floor (currently have a black eye and bruised cheekbone). I woke up and yelled "help, help!" about 10-15 times before anyone came, finally it was my boyfriend who woke up and came to help me. The nurses stood there sucking their teeth and saying they can't believe I did this as he helped me back to bed. No one examined me afterwards, looked at my face, or even asked if I had symptoms.

The doctor came shortly after that and said I could go home, and you could believe I got out of there as fast as I could. The doctor only sent me home with ketoprofen. For an open abdominal surgery. I am currently using old prescriptions of zofran and hydrocodone I brought with me from the states.

My feelings are so hurt at being treated like this. I would never in my life let a patient fall. I would never let a patient sit in bed and cry. I have always made sure to tell my patients to call me if they feel anxious, upset, or need to talk. I hold my patients' hands and say I am here for you.

I feel like these nurses hated me. My boyfriend, who is Brazilian, says this is normal here. He says it is his fault for letting me fall because the family is supposed to do all the patient care, the nurses are just there to give medication. I am beyond offended at this idea, that nurses are just pill pushers. I am having a lot of second thoughts about living in a place where anyone would act like this, to me it's just common decency.

I was discharged to home yesterday and honestly terrified of having complications and having to go back to the hospital. I also feel like I need to find out what the governing body is for hospitals here and file a complaint against these people.

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You moved from, I assume the USA, to Brazil to live with your boyfriend. Lived there for several months. And just now realized Brazil is tragically suffering a severe economic downturn? It's health care system isn't comparable to the USA's.

I'm sorry for your horrible hospital experience. I believe your Brazilian boyfriend is correct that families go to hospitals with loved ones to provide basic care. Unfortunately this is common in under developed, or economically declining countries.

I guess you could contact the American Embassy and Consulate in Brazil. But I'm not sure what you would want the Embassy, or Allnurses, to do?

Looking over your previous posts you seem to be jumping from frying pan to fire to frying pan.

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Thanks for the judgment, dude. I'm sure that's what you would want in this situation. I hope trying to make someone feel like crap on the internet made your day better.

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Tell me exactly what you want me, Alnurses, or anyone to do?

I have no idea what the governing body for hospitals in Brazil is. Thus I suggest you contact the American Embassy.

I am really sorry you had to have an emergency hysterectomy.

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Specializes in Surgical, quality,management.

In other countries families are expected to provide all the personal care, especially in less economically developed areas. I have literally had to throw people out who were trying to "help" with a post op ortho patient who had sitting restrictions who had only migrated 2 yrs prior. Other countries the family has to buy the medicine and wound dressings even for the inpatient stay and hand them to the nurse....

It sucks that you have had major surgery but there is nothing we can do about the situation.

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9 minutes ago, brownbook said:

Tell me exactly what you want me, Alnurses, or anyone to do? I have no idea what the governing body is for hospitals in Brazil. Thus I suggest you contact the American Embassy.

I am really sorry you had a hysterectomy.

Maybe if you don't have anything helpful to say and just want to make someone feel worse, maybe just go on ahead and refrain from replying. That's what I want you to do. And anyone else who has a *** sarcastic reply as well.

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I'm glad to see you're feeling we'll enough to post such feisty comments here. Maybe in a backwards way I'm helping you recuperate. Get your mind off your troubles.

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On 2/17/2020 at 12:51 AM, brownbook said:

I'm glad to see you're feeling we'll enough to post such feisty comments here. Maybe in a backwards way I'm helping you recuperate. Get your mind off your troubles.

This was basic NUR 101 material for my program. I hope you can learn something here

https://www.Google.com/search?q=how+to+show+compassion+when+someone+is+sick&oq=how+to+show+compassion+when+someone+is+sick

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Thank you for that very informative link.

I finally realized what really bothers me about your post. It's the expectations of some American tourists or Americans who move to developing countries. They get annoyed when they don't receive first class treatment, or even basic care or treatment they have come to expect in the USA.

I think, and your boyfriend seems to be saying the same thing, you are receiving the exact same level of care the average Brazilian encounters every day. And comparing it, in a very negative way, to how things are done in the USA.

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56 minutes ago, brownbook said:

I'm glad to see you're feeling we'll enough to post such feisty comments here. Maybe in a backwards way I'm helping you recuperate. Get your mind off your troubles.

Iv'e read this thread and did not find any of your posts to be inflammatory.

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18 minutes ago, juniper222 said:

Iv'e read this thread and did not find any of your posts to be inflammatory.

Same. They've been very restrained, if anything.

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On 2/17/2020 at 12:33 AM, nursecranberry said:

Thanks for the judgment, dude. I'm sure that's what you would want in this situation. I hope trying to make someone feel like crap on the internet made your day better.

Maybe this attitude influenced your situation at the hospital.

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