[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by 57ChevyFI

Sadly, I apologize for your experience. However, I would like to tell you that with the experience I have with several hospitals-maybe I can assist you from things on the other end of the spectrum.

They immediately took you somewhere to hook you up to a monitor--GREAT, you GOT IMMEDIATE care for CHEST PAIN. Nitro on your chest wall, one of the first lines of defense for potential heart damage. Great-side effect is headache.

Gurney- yes, that is what is in ALL Emergency Rooms. Sorry, with holding ER patients for days because the SNOW BIRD season is here and the beds are full with patients. The new addition should open this month- however, ER will not be expanded until Fall 2016. You will stay on a gurney while in the ER.

Hungry? Hmm, you are having CHEST PAIN--you should be NPO (nothing to eat or drink) until ALL results are in-in case you are having a heart attack. Sorry, EKG is not the only indicator of heart attack. Lab work and yes, they do three sets of cardiac enzymes and then routine lab work as well- to see if maybe your WBCs changed as well from the baseline.

Waiting for pain medication? Might had to get a MD to write the order, then pull the medication. Along with take care of 4 other patients- maybe a critical patient? Approx 30 minutes is appropriate.

9:20 you were informed you have a room- GREAT!! You are a lucky one that didn't have to spend the night a busy ER. The nurse then has to call the floor nurse and give report. In hopes that the nurse on the floor is available that first call to take report. Then, need to find someone to take you upstairs that can monitor your heart as you travel-usually a nurse or paramedic. Remember the same thing going on with you may be happening with the other 4 patients the nurse is just settling in or giving discharge instructions too at the same time. Or, just maybe they had another loved one come in without a heart beat or breathing on their own--CODE BLUE--usually 3 nurses, Respiratory Therapy and MD with paramedic. There is no CODE BLUE team in any ER--it is the staff already there helping others just like you.

Dietary concerns- Valid, maybe education to the nurse that offered saltines! Along with sandwich (yuck)! Grapes, sounded good....

Stress Test- I would research that further request copy of your records and orders, etc. You were awake right? Not under anesthesia- you can certainly question anything and tell them no without doctor clarification. That should not have happened to you and I am sorry that it did.

I am sorry you feel you would do everything not to go there again. Seems you have concerns- but certainly not life threatening and you received PROMPT treatment in the ER regarding your chief complaint of CHEST PAIN. Which is ruled out CARDIAC first- just thought you should know what usually goes on in any given ER and reading your post--you might have not been able to see what was going on behind the scenes.

TVRH will never be able to handle the stress of the continued growth of THE VILLAGES. Look at all the people in The Villages- do you know that ER is only 24 rooms with hallway beds? Yes, 24 rooms. So- 100,000 people, I think approx 260 beds--when the hospital is full, there is no rooms for the patients being admitted to go upstairs (or off a gurney). You sit and wait, receive the same care as if in a room--without the private room and with all the chaos of the ER on any given night during snowbird season. I am sure you are aware of 1/3 of the patients who use the hospital as an urgent care and child care clinic.

The Villages need a 24 hour Urgent Care near Brownwood/Wildwood Area. That would assist in the overflow of patients with the ER. I also think that another hospital would benefit this aging population.

You can certainly choose another facility for your continued emergency care- however, it might be more than the food that you complain about next time. Each visit, nurse, MD are different. Good luck and best wishes for quick recovery.

Excellent post. Thank you.