Anita Marie Review of Providence Regional Medical Ce...
My night from hell!
My night from hell!
We arrived at Providence ER at 8:15 by car. The excruciating pain in my back caused by a kidney stone had started 45 minutes earlier. By the time I was called back to triage, my blood pressure was up to 203/88. The triage nurse had to take it twice with different cuffs because she didn't believe it. I informed her I had a history of high blood pressure and heart arrhythmias. And with all that, we sat in the ER waiting room for 4 hours, with no pain medication. Those of you who've had a kidney stone, and have experienced the acute phase where the stone blocks the ureter causing the kidney to swell up like a balloon, know what I'm talking about. The worst pain imaginable. But the ER was full, all 70 beds, or so they say. So we sat for four long, horrific hours with no relief from the unimaginable, unrelenting pain, constant vomiting and palpitations.
Finally, my boyfriend went to complain vehemently to the staff and was told, "we know kidney stones are painful, but they're not life-threatening. We don't know when we can get her back." Not once in that four hours did anyone come and check on me to see how I was doing, or if there was anything they could do to help, or at least give us some kind of update as to how much longer it might be, so we could make an informed decision as to whether to stay or go elsewhere. No, the nurses and staff at the station were on their cellphones and chatting it up with one another, while the 50+ people in the waiting room were suffering in various degrees.
Is this what our healthcare system has come to? I've seen better, more compassionate triage in third world countries! So we left and went to another ER 30 minutes away. I was taken to a room almost immediately. One thing I know for sure, I will NEVER return to Providence Everett again for any reason, and I will be contacting an attorney to see if there is any recourse for their negligent, thoughtless and sloppy hospital and ER administration. If you value your life, go somewhere, ANYWHERE else! WORST HOSPITAL EVER!!!
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