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I had an exemplary surgeon. I assumed that the "boutique" hospital he worked out of would also be excellent. Or at least: good.
Keeping it short: the nurses and their helpers were scary, snippy, not friendly. Awful about sums it up.
I'm in a giant city and this is a famed hospital with a name known around the world.
Three nights and four days in the hospital with my husband visiting here and there (we have kids at home) meant I didn't have a care advocate. Not smart.
In a nutshell:
Occupational therapist and physical therapist: Just fine.
Food people: A
Xray folks: A
Check in person: the one thing she was supposed to do -- explain how to order food -- she didn't do.
Nurses and their helpers: Mean to each other and irritable w/ me. (And I was trying very hard to be agreeable and easy. I'm not a princess. I must have sounded like an idiot saying thank you 100 times, but I didn't know what else to do. I couldn't really move after surgery.)
Takeaway: don't go to any hospital without a caring, yet assertive family member, friend or medical doula with you. Don't do the hospital alone. Trust me on this one.
And don't let your friends and family go alone either. Spread the word.
Alley
I think it goes without saying if you are going through a major treatment or surgery.
I think similarly to this. I'm independent and a capable person. I've never had a problem with medical people or hospitals or outpatient facilities. But I think some people are used to being taken care of or part of a large family that is always around, so they may be less able to cope on their own.
I would figure out how to order food at a hospital, if I wasn't told. Or I'd ask someone, even another patient. People working under stress can be abrupt sometimes. I would prefer they not be, but I understand it, up to a point. They have to put up with all sorts of crap, including whiney, rude, complaining patients (I'm not referring to the OP), and mean doctors. None of these things is a big deal to me. They are superficial things. I'm more concerned about honesty in the billing, being charged a lot for small items (like $5 for an aspirin), and that the surgeon takes out the right thing.
This is me. I don't need somebody to "do" for me, thank you very much. It's nice to have a friend or relative there for moral support or to visit, but really, what exactly are they going to do that's really important? My concern when I'm in the hospital is my medical care -- did they do the right procedure, take out the right organ, etc -- and not whether the staff are pleasant or accommodating enough.
Good grief, it's a hospital, not a hotel with concierge service. The staff aren't there to wait on the patients, they're doing a job, to patch you up and discharge you asap -- which is generally as soon as you can walk yourself to the bathroom.
I had gall bladder surgery by my lonesome... discharged same day. All in a city where I knew no one... 2 week recovery at home. I survived. Wasn't that bad. I've had longer hospital stays following surgeries when I was a kid... gone to the hospital for a cast and stitches by myself, survived it too.
Unless you're being seriously abused or left with irreparable physical injuries by neglectful medical staff, then what's there to complain about? I'm used to a public health care system. Maybe if I paid through the teeth for private health insurance in the U.S., I'd expect better "service"... maybe pillow fluffing.
With a member name of Ottawa-something, I guess you are Canadian and used to the Canadian system. Correct me if I am wrong.
It has been many years since I have had to stay in a hospital, but when I was young, my hospital stays in the SF Bay Area (at Alta Bates Hospital once for orthopedic surgery and Alameda Hospital several times, non-surgical) were closer to being on a cruise ship than the assembly line process of today, with very nice and attentive American staff (white and black) who spoke only English between themselves and to patients, provided menus for patients to select their choice of food, served on proper plates and with metal utensils (no plastic-wrapped disposables) and everyone got a back massage with lotion every night of their stay from the very kind LVN's. All the nurses were congenial and well-trained, no foreign-trained staff whatsoever.
R.N.'s (white caps with a black stripe, I think) were the only ones who could administer medicine, and all staff were neat and cleanly dressed, with no one in street clothes.
It was unheard of for a patient to have to get to the hospital early the morning of the surgery. Admittance was always the day before. Discharge was nearly a week later.
It was civilized.
I visited several people in German hospitals about 20 years ago and their care was similar to what I experienced in my youth, with even longer hospital stays. Now, here in the U.S., at least, I dread the thought of going into the hospital. I don't trust the rushed care here anymore.
With a member name of Ottawa-something, I guess you are Canadian and used to the Canadian system. Correct me if I am wrong.
It has been many years since I have had to stay in a hospital, but when I was young, my hospital stays in the SF Bay Area (at Alta Bates Hospital once for orthopedic surgery once and Alameda Hospital several times, non-surgical) were closer to being on a cruise ship than the assembly line process of today, with very nice and attentive American staff (white and black) who spoke only English between themselves and to patients, provided menus for patients to select their choice of food, and everyone got a back massage with lotion every night of their stay from the very kind LVN's. All the nurses were congenial and well-trained, no foreign-trained staff whatsoever.
R.N.'s (white caps with a black stripe, I think) were the only ones who could administer medicine, and all staff were neat and cleanly dressed, with no one in street clothes.
It was unheard of for a patient to have to get to the hospital early the morning of the surgery. Admittance was always the day before. Discharge was nearly a week later.
It was civilized.
I visited several people in German hospitals about 20 years ago and their care was similar to what I experienced. Now, here in the U.S., at least, I dread the thought of going into the hospital. I don't trust the care anymore.
My mother was an RN, back in the 50s and 60s. Nurses were expected to stand up whenever a doctor entered a room, out of deference. It wasn't -that- civilized. More Medieval than anything else, back then.
Medical staff can occasionally be brusque, they're busy and it's a stressful job. I've never had anyone incompetent. Most often, they go above and beyond to be professional, and to be attentive to their patients.
But my impression is that there seems to be an attitude among many Americans that the medical staff are like the hired help. Due to being private employees? Maybe that's the difference. IMO I don't think it's up to surgeons, nurses, orderlies, etc.. to wait on patients, IMO they simply have a medical duty to keep the patient alive, and on the road to recovery, and then discharge the patient asap. Complaining over menu choices? Good gravy. It does seem very odd to a foreigner.
My mother was an RN, back in the 50s and 60s. Nurses were expected to stand up whenever a doctor entered a room, out of deference. It wasn't -that- civilized. More Medieval than anything else, back then.
................
There is something uncivilized about social customs related to showing respect? Who knew? Are you also against standing when the judge enters the courtroom?
I would say it's precisely the opposite - when we can no longer show respect to anybody, then we are less civilized.
But my impression is that there seems to be an attitude among many Americans that the medical staff are like the hired help. Due to being private employees? Maybe that's the difference.
Probably has more to do with the high cost of US medical insurance ($15,000/year) and charges in general, the impossible deductibles ($6,000-$13,000), etc.
Because we don't have 'socialized' medicine, Americans are now seeing such outlandish bills for so little return, they are outraged when they don't get 'proper' treatment. They figure for Cadillac costs they should be getting Cadillac treatment.
That said, my experience w/sister (heart valve surgery) and my son - both hospitalized for serious issues - one needs to be their own advocate. Last hospitalization for my son in January of this year, he was sent home with heart medication and a diuretic which, it turns out, were working against each other. Signs of impaired kidney function were shown on the charts while he was hospitalized but no one 'noticed' the readings going in the wrong direction (climbing every day) because they were still within 'normal' range.
Six weeks later at a followup appointment, all is well and good until they get lab results back - at which point he gets an urgent telephone message that he should immediately discontinue both medications, that he was in kidney failure, and should check into the ER immediately.
He then got on the internet and discovered the new heart medication was working against the lasix. He stopped the heart medication and readings immediately reversed themselves in short order. He was later given a different heart medication which didn't conflict with the lasix. He's had to fight to get the proper dosage of lasix because now the doc/hospital are so scared, they are being overly conservative. His readings now - including heart, bp and kidney function - are fine. He still has blood work done weekly. Fortunately, hospital/lab are stone's throw from where we live with very convenient access.
Yes, indeed, one had better check and doublecheck any procedure, prescription, etc. - and ASK QUESTIONS.
I had a relative who doctored all her life. She never trusted anything she was told without triple-checking everything and asking a lot of questions. Too many mistakes occurred - all the time - even back in the day when medicine was less stressed than it is now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jukesgrrl
See Andy Warhol, Joan Rivers, etc.
Joan Rivers died in a clinic - where, at her age (80) - she NEVER should have been. Lots of interesting comments on this thread - some by an ENT doc - and how easily her throat seizure could have been handled - in the right setting by the right people.
And your expectations. While I would always advise having someone with you if possible it's more for the fact that it's all too easy to overlook or misunderstand vital information when you aren't feeling well. As far as attitude, honestly I don't care if the staff isn't sweetness and light as long as they do what they are there to do and are competent. I'm paying for knowledge and performance, not friendliness and sunshine.
There is something uncivilized about social customs related to showing respect? Who knew? Are you also against standing when the judge enters the courtroom?
I would say it's precisely the opposite - when we can no longer show respect to anybody, then we are less civilized.
And your expectations. While I would always advise having someone with you if possible it's more for the fact that it's all too easy to overlook or misunderstand vital information when you aren't feeling well. As far as attitude, honestly I don't care if the staff isn't sweetness and light as long as they do what they are there to do and are competent. I'm paying for knowledge and performance, not friendliness and sunshine.
Oh, you can easily get through something like gall bladder surgery all by yourself. But if you have a serious illness and are practically unconscious or really doped up on medicines, you'd better have someone there to speak for you when you can't.
It mostly depends upon the hospital though. The one horrible experience I had, even my surgeon warned his patients in advance because the hospital was filthy and filled with infection and the assistants/aides seldom came if you pulled the cord for someone to help you to the bathroom. I was hooked up to an IV and had orders to NOT get out of bed alone.
And for food--if you are on a special diet, the food should be what your doctor orders you to eat/not to eat. The wrong food--or not getting your meal at all, could be life threatening. It's not about staying at the Hilton or getting fine dining. Just the right food--and getting it at all.
These are not unreasonable expectations.
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