CC Mammasita

Review of UC Irvine Health

WORST EMERGENCY ROOM/HOSPITAL EXPERIENCE EVER!!! H...

WORST EMERGENCY ROOM/HOSPITAL EXPERIENCE EVER!!! Had surgery last week and started having complications at home. Was told by my surgeons office, to go to the nearest ER to get checked out and since I had been here before to have a baby and had a wonderful experience-I didn't hesitate. I spent 4 hours seated in a slanted hard wheelchair-I received IV fluids in the ER WAITING ROOM. Next, a shot of morphine was about to be given to me-but when I told the nurse I couldn't tolerate that medication, she said she would have it changed- she never came back, later, I found out she said, I refused pain management. Every time I asked a question,( I waited hours BEFORE I decided to ask anything btw) I was told, "a nurse or doctor is on their way to talk to you right now"-no one ever showed up. I got wheeled from the waiting room, to a far off hallway, forgotten about. I had an ultrasound seated in the wheelchair, because the "learning" staff, didn't want to mess up the sheets. I was wheeled back to the ER WAITING ROOM- 6 hours into it. Finally saw doctor's 6ish hours AFTER I arrived, told I shouldn't of sat upright for so long, I could of developed blood clots- I should of been laying down and admitted by now. 930 p.m, FINALLY got a room, nurses not ready for me, took 10 minutes to find one, in total, it took 8.5-9 hours, to FINALLY get in a bed, I was told this particular wing was the quietest, so honestly ,I was so looking forward to that. Well.......The next morning early, I was booted. Still in pain and still had swollen legs from sitting hours in a wheelchair the day/night before. The wing was a nightmare-loud , laughing staff and "patients", a man who came in for graham crackers it seems, because if he didn't get them he was violent and cussed everyone out-security AND police were called-at 5 a.m, I FINALLY asked for earplugs-after TRYING to sleep for 7 hours, at 7, I was awakened and told I'd be released and I had a tray of "liquid diet" in front of me ALREADY- mind you, I arrived in my room at 9:30 p.m, the night before and was due to stay for 36 hours to ensure- #1 my pain was manageable to recover at home #2 I got rehydrated and #3 I would be able to hold down food and liquids -when all was said and done, I was a patient, in a bed, less than 13 hours in total. At 8ish, the nurse practitioner came in and told me that I was being released because I was "stable", I was shocked---I asked her if I was being mistaken for another patient, I went into the chain of events that got me to that point,showed her my swollen legs, told her, I JUST really got to sleep and was told I'd be there much longer to ensure I could recover at home, but, was cut off with-"honestly, you had your surgery at a different hospital, so in the interest of our hospital and staff we can't treat you any further-it has been decided, that you are stable enough to go home, if anything else happens, BEFORE you follow up with the surgeon-I advise you to go to the hospital you had your surgery at" (that's in part)..... I asked her if I had to leave immediately and she said ,"no I have a ton of patients, try to work on your food tray, rest, relax, we're looking to at least noon before I have your discharge paperwork submitted". She left the room, I started to cry. By 9ish I had a discharge nurse storm into the room, startling me awake, talking a mile a minute, shoving discharge paperwork in my face to sign.
I could go on, but really, do I have to----the ONLY thing I can say good is, the night shift nurse that took care of me--she really took care of me. I didn't know it at the time, but when I saw her when she gave me my home medication-her face didn't seem right, it looked like something wasn't right-I think she may have known what they were going to do to me. To her ,I say, THANK YOU SO MUCH, for being compassionate and taking care of me-I so wish I could remember your name. I appreciate you and I will NEVER forget what you did for me-my family and I , THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts.