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First off, I'm OK for the most part...
This past weekend, I'd been having some chest pains. I've been down this road more then a few times, and it always winds up being gastro related. On return home from work Tuesday, I had a bad day, and it didn't fit a gastro issues I've had in the past. Had Cindy run me up to the ER at 5:45pm. Was brought back to triage within minutes. Not being in cardio crisis, I was sent to wait in the waiting area, which I don't find unreasonable. I was brought back to have a doc see me at 10:30pm. While I don't claim to know what's going on behind the scene, I found this to be a bit much, which was reinforced by the admission lady who came out and apologized to those still waiting moments before I was taken back.
Cardio doc examines me after another EKG. Comparing the latest, and the one from triage, he didn't like what he saw, stating I had a minor heart attack. He gave me the option to stay, or go home and see a cardio doc as soon as I could get an appointment. I opted to stay, and sent Cindy home. Ten minutes later, another cardio doc comes in, says I didn't have a heart attack, and I could leave, or stay for observation. I aired on the side of caution, wanting to have the three blood screenings as the first guy suggested. I'm told I'd be moved to a holding room, and admitted.
Fat forward to 7:00 this morning. A bad night with little sleep on a stretcher in the same holding room. Nurse tells me they were getting a room ready for me, and would be admitted shortly... New cardio dock shows up shortly after, seas he wants to do a stress test, which wasn't spoken of, but I expected it to go that rout. Said he had it scheduled for an hour from then. Fast forward three hours, still in the same room, and no tests done yet. I call nurse in, and question the situation. In a somewhat pissy tone, nurse tells me the doc shouldn't have given me a time, and they would get down to get me asap. She mentioned it's not unusual for people to get up and leave because of having to wait for extended periods when I asked why I hadn't been admitted yet.
Around 11:00 they come to bring me for the stress test and echo cardiogram. Go through both, but they couldn't get my heart rate high enough... likely due to the blood pressure meds from the night before. So, we're now doing a chemical stress test. Doc says that so far everything came back perfect, and as long as the cem test was good, I'd be released. Do the first part, with the second due in about another hour. Keep in mind, I haven't eaten since noon the day before. Once the first part was done, they said I could finally eat, and would send me back to the ER to wait for the second part of the test. Once back in the ER, I rang the nurse, and asked for something to eat. Told me I couldn't eat till after they have the results. I told her they gave me some juice, gram crackers, and a coke already. I'll look into it she says, and walks off. 40 minutes later, she shows with a plate of food.
The come and get me, doe the second part of the test, and bring me back to the ER once again, around 3:30. Around 4:45, a women comes in and starts asking questions. I answered them, and asked why all the basic questions. We're admitting you she says. I asked why, having not seen the doc or news of the test results, and having been told I would be released if the test came back normal. Al I know if I have an order to admit you. I came close to loosing it, but calmly told her I wanted to see a doctor involved in my case before I agreed to being admitted. I called Cindy, and told he to come over. A little after 5:00 a nurse comes in, and asks what the issue is. I explained it all again, stating I had no symptoms since shortly after arrival, and all test came back ok thus far, and were only waiting on the last test.
If anything had come back with bad results, I would have no problem staying another night if put in a room with an actual bed, and restroom. The nurse leaves, and at around 6:00 and male nurse shows up. He says he got a scrip and release order, all my tests came back good, and no reason for me to stay any longer. Needless to say, I got out of there as fast as I could.
My head is still spinning from the past 24 hours. I'm not happy to say the least.
If it were you, would you be a bit pissed ? Would you write a letter / email to the hospital admin expressing your complete displeasure with the experience ?
This past weekend, I'd been having some chest pains. I've been down this road more then a few times, and it always winds up being gastro related. On return home from work Tuesday, I had a bad day, and it didn't fit a gastro issues I've had in the past. Had Cindy run me up to the ER at 5:45pm. Was brought back to triage within minutes. Not being in cardio crisis, I was sent to wait in the waiting area, which I don't find unreasonable. I was brought back to have a doc see me at 10:30pm. While I don't claim to know what's going on behind the scene, I found this to be a bit much, which was reinforced by the admission lady who came out and apologized to those still waiting moments before I was taken back.
Cardio doc examines me after another EKG. Comparing the latest, and the one from triage, he didn't like what he saw, stating I had a minor heart attack. He gave me the option to stay, or go home and see a cardio doc as soon as I could get an appointment. I opted to stay, and sent Cindy home. Ten minutes later, another cardio doc comes in, says I didn't have a heart attack, and I could leave, or stay for observation. I aired on the side of caution, wanting to have the three blood screenings as the first guy suggested. I'm told I'd be moved to a holding room, and admitted.
Fat forward to 7:00 this morning. A bad night with little sleep on a stretcher in the same holding room. Nurse tells me they were getting a room ready for me, and would be admitted shortly... New cardio dock shows up shortly after, seas he wants to do a stress test, which wasn't spoken of, but I expected it to go that rout. Said he had it scheduled for an hour from then. Fast forward three hours, still in the same room, and no tests done yet. I call nurse in, and question the situation. In a somewhat pissy tone, nurse tells me the doc shouldn't have given me a time, and they would get down to get me asap. She mentioned it's not unusual for people to get up and leave because of having to wait for extended periods when I asked why I hadn't been admitted yet.
Around 11:00 they come to bring me for the stress test and echo cardiogram. Go through both, but they couldn't get my heart rate high enough... likely due to the blood pressure meds from the night before. So, we're now doing a chemical stress test. Doc says that so far everything came back perfect, and as long as the cem test was good, I'd be released. Do the first part, with the second due in about another hour. Keep in mind, I haven't eaten since noon the day before. Once the first part was done, they said I could finally eat, and would send me back to the ER to wait for the second part of the test. Once back in the ER, I rang the nurse, and asked for something to eat. Told me I couldn't eat till after they have the results. I told her they gave me some juice, gram crackers, and a coke already. I'll look into it she says, and walks off. 40 minutes later, she shows with a plate of food.
The come and get me, doe the second part of the test, and bring me back to the ER once again, around 3:30. Around 4:45, a women comes in and starts asking questions. I answered them, and asked why all the basic questions. We're admitting you she says. I asked why, having not seen the doc or news of the test results, and having been told I would be released if the test came back normal. Al I know if I have an order to admit you. I came close to loosing it, but calmly told her I wanted to see a doctor involved in my case before I agreed to being admitted. I called Cindy, and told he to come over. A little after 5:00 a nurse comes in, and asks what the issue is. I explained it all again, stating I had no symptoms since shortly after arrival, and all test came back ok thus far, and were only waiting on the last test.
If anything had come back with bad results, I would have no problem staying another night if put in a room with an actual bed, and restroom. The nurse leaves, and at around 6:00 and male nurse shows up. He says he got a scrip and release order, all my tests came back good, and no reason for me to stay any longer. Needless to say, I got out of there as fast as I could.
My head is still spinning from the past 24 hours. I'm not happy to say the least.
If it were you, would you be a bit pissed ? Would you write a letter / email to the hospital admin expressing your complete displeasure with the experience ?
