V in San Bernardino
Hospital In Complaint
Nov 18 2011, 05:43:05 PM

I was in the ER a few days ago feeling extremely ill. I had several conditions at once. I explained I was dizzy and felt faint. I was taken into a waiting room with several other patients in the ER area. I was taken into a private room for evaluation with a nurse. She took my blood pressure (4) times. I inquired as to why and was told, “it’s just needed”. Without warning a needle was stuck in my arm, I again asked what’s going on and she said blood work. The nurse had no bedside manners or just courtesy to explain what she was doing. I was placed on ivy with no explanation. I was told to sit in a waiting room in the ER and lay my head against the wall so I do not fall over. I hope this is not hospital protocol. I looked at the wall they were referring to which had a black mark from others laying their head against the wall. I told 3 different people I felt faint and was ignored. I told 2 different people my pain had worsened and again was ignored. When my ivy was empty I had to seek a nurse to disconnect it since no nurses/doctors came into this waiting room to check on me or the other patients sitting in there. After 4 hours of being in the ER waiting area and regaining my strength I made it to the nurse’s desk to request a supervisor. I was taken to another area to wait 20 minutes and when she didn’t come see me I again went to the nurses desk to inquire. After my complaint, I requested they check me out and advised them I was filing a formal complaint against this hospital. All of a sudden they were able to get the charge nurse and the attending PA to my aid. It should not take a complaint to get medical attention in an ER facility. If I had had the strength prior I would have left earlier. I have been in many medical facilities over my years and none have been as substandard as this facility. My brother was terminally ill for many years and I have visited many ER’s with better service. In addition, I have worked in a medical facility and St. Bernadine sadly is the dirtiest I had ever seen a hospital. How can it be sanitary to leave me with an open needle in my arm in a waiting room filled with others who are also sick? This is how infections and illnesses spread. This facility is a sees pool. The floors were dirty, , they unhooked my ivy wearing no gloves, the bathroom reeked of urine, the floors and walls are dirty, and I saw several nurses doing procedures giving patients no privacy and using no gloves or washing hands. The next day when I saw my Dr. they inquired if several procedures were done as they would like copies of the medical records and were surprised nothing had been done as part of my evaluation in the ER.
After my complaint the staff was kind and took time to explain things to me. They tried to go the extra mile and gave me their business cards. Unfortunately my opinion of this place was already set and as said before, it should not take a complaint to receive medical treatment. After all this was said and done I still inquired about paying my deductible of $150.00 since I had not been billed.