Don't. Repeat. Don't Go to the Hospital Alone. Ever. Pass it On.

[Gerania]

Originally Posted by Ottawa2011

When I was 14 and had my first spinal operation (scoliosis spinal fusion), I was in the hospital for 14 days. My parents couldn't be there 24/7, there are visiting hours. (Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think those also apply in U.S. hospitals.)

I spent most of my stay in a ward with I think 4 or 5 other beds. A couple of beds were assigned to kids with diabetes who were basically "frequent flyers", in and out of the hospital for observation on a routine basis. Every time they ate something they weren't supposed to, or got into their parents' liquor cabinet or whatever, they had to stay in the hospital until their blood levels stabilized again. They were complete delinquents on the ward... they weren't incapacitated and they weren't on bed rest. So they ran around making a ruckus all night long, having wheelchair races in the hallways while the nurses chased after them, etc. I didn't enjoy listening to that just after leaving ICU and isolation... but hey, no one there to advocate for me.

Or for the girl in the bed beside me... She was around 9 years old, and had to have blood drawn once every few hours. The doctors were frantically trying to diagnose a mysterious illness that she had that caused her joints to swell painfully. She was confined to bed too, and screamed her lungs out and had to be held down every time they came to draw her blood. I really don't remember getting much sleep.

I did get booted out of a single room and put into a shared room after my second spinal operation--I was told it was because they needed a single room for a 16 year old "frequent flyer" who was too much of a behaviour problem to be allowed into a shared room with other patients on the children's ward. So off to a shared room I went, because that was the last available single room. These are just the realities of hospitals. Staff do what they can, but they have a lot to juggle, and patients are continually prioritized. You may not be the priority at any given moment.

All this to say, it boggles my mind that there are grown adults here who actually complain about poor menu selections? Rude staff? Etc.? Well, if you pay for "Cadillac service", I suppose you're entitled to better treatment as consumers, and as business clients.

I was in an accident when I was 14 and almost died. I'm now suffering the fallout.

I'm not a fussy person, but if I'm paying for a meal, it should be edible.

I expected to be treated as I would treat others.

[fred44]

I have an attorney buddy that makes a living ligating against hospitals. He said there are so many nurses that are awful, poorly trained, don't know what they are doing, and generally make many mistakes that lead to deaths. Just saying. Watch yourselves out there. Just think about the fact that something like 200,000 people die in hospitals each year for reasons other than what they were in for. This means something or someone in the hospital killed them.

[christianstad]

My niece, a long time RN, said the nurses pay more attention to the patients who get a lot of visitors.

No family/visitors? Not much attention from the nursing staff either.

Sad but true.

Also if you are really mean and demanding - they will ignore you, too.

[oldgardener]

I've been hospitalized several times, and I had no problems at all. I had visitors ,but was by myself for most of the hospitalizations. For one thing, not all nurses are snippy, and if they are, I don't see what the big deal is about that, so what. People can be snippy, that's not a crime.

I don't think generalizing that everyone must have someone with them at all times while hospitalized is helpful.

[Mikala43]

I've been hospitalized a numerous occasions but never for more than a few days.

Almost without fail the nurses rock. Sympathetic, friendly and competent. I can't remember one who stood out for negative reasons.

I think in general when you are not feeling well you do need someone you know to be an advocate though, and two sets of ears are always better than one.

[20yrsinBranson]

[quote=Alicia64;43653913

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[/QUOTE]

Some of us don't have the luxury of knowing anyone to come with. But, the good news is that I'm not going to a hospital unless it is a life or death situation.