Amanda Swartz

Review of Lewis-Gale Medical Center

I seriously think my time would have been better s...

I seriously think my time would have been better spent in jail. I was brought to the ER by ambulance/rescue squad for a severe anxiety/ panic attack. Someone lied on my chart and told the staff I was suicidal and wanted to kill myself with a gun. I was not suicidal in any way. I didn't even want to be brought in, but my boyfriend called 911 and had me transported in fear I may be in medical need. They would not allow me to leave the ER, stating that I was "at risk" and would be arrested if I attempted to leave without being released by a doctor. They made me wait in the ER HALLWAY for 23 HOURS. NOT A GOOD PLACE TO KEEP SOMEONE WITH ANXIETY!! Finally a bed opened up at the Pavilion, and they transported me to unit 2. The nurse that brought me over was rude and rolled her eyes at every word I said to her. I am type 1 diabetic, and the ER refused to keep a good check on my blood sugar. I told the nurse I was in dire need of a blood sugar check and insulin because I knew it was high. She again rolled her eyes and said they'd take care of it. Several hours later, they checked it. My blood sugar was 584!! That's emergency level high!! They finally gave me insulin, but they were using a different brand. SEVERAL hours later, it was checked and my blood sugar was still well over 400. The entire time I was there, they kept a very terrible watch on my blood sugar. They blamed it on me for "eating carbs" but that's all they had to offer in the cafeteria! What was I supposed to just not eat?!! One nurse in particular, a fake blond haired woman by the name of Debra, constantly made fun of the patients, and acted like a snob any time ANYONE asked her for medication; particularly in my case, FOR A SIMPLE BLOOD SUGAR CHECK. Derek, the red-head that looks like Ed Sheeran was even worse. He constantly complained about how much he HATED his job, and how he'd rather be at home drinking. He said this in front of recovering alcoholics that were DETOXING from SEVERE ALCOHOL ABUSE!! He proceeded to talk to them about which specific liquors were his favorite, and which bars he had been kicked out of for fighting. I also overheard him talking with the other nurses about how he'd been FIRED from Carilion. Hmm, guess Lewis Gale is full of people not fit to even work for Carilion!!! The last date of my stay, a female nurse by the name of Alisha refused to give me blood sugar checks before breakfast. I sat at the table in front of her and the other nurses. I could hear her making fun of patients and making rude comments the entire breakfast period. Another patient overheard her making comments, and they almost physically fought each other in the cafeteria. Alisha did nothing to de-escalate the situation, instead she just kept making rude comments until another nurse stepped in and made them stop. The last nurse I will complain about goes by the name of Colby. This guy obviously didn't finish medical training. He put long acting and short acting insulin for me IN THE SAME SYRINGE!!! I refused to take it, I told him it was dangerous to mix the two. The other nurses even agreed with me!! He refused to draw up two other syringes and told me I either had to take it, or deal with not having insulin. THIS MAN COULD HAVE KILLED ME AND HE DIDN'T CARE. Needless to say. I will NEVER return to Lewis Gale. I will make it a point to go to Roanoke Memorial, should I ever need emergency services. I will be in contact with the Commonwealth Patient Advocate, as well as my lawyer and ANY OTHER PARTY I can find to have these problems fixed. NO HUMAN should EVER be subjected to this kind of treatment!!