Dreadful ER experience last night

[bdabob]

My houseguest became quite ill yesterday and the paramedics were called and they transported him to The Villages Regional Hospital, arriving at 8:45 last night. He was given some anti nausea medicine, checked his vitals, and told him to take a seat in the waiting room, which was around 9:20.
He was next seen at 04:30 this morning, a wait of seven hours. While in the waiting room we heard one patient complaining that they had been there just over 10 hours! Still another said they had been there over seven hours.
To me, these wait times are unacceptable. If not addressed, what will the wait times be when the new villages being built start to get filled up?

[jebartle]

Could you go into more detail....I'm sure you must have complained while there, what was their response?....Is your houseguest OK?






My houseguest became quite ill yesterday and the paramedics were called and they transported him to The Villages Regional Hospital, arriving at 8:45 last night. He was given some anti nausea medicine, checked his vitals, and told him to take a seat in the waiting room, which was around 9:20.
He was next seen at 04:30 this morning, a wait of seven hours. While in the waiting room we heard one patient complaining that they had been there just over 10 hours! Still another said they had been there over seven hours.
To me, these wait times are unacceptable. If not addressed, what will the wait times be when the new villages being built start to get filled up?

[TNLAKEPANDA]

Just wait until the Affordable Care Act gets into full swing. They are predicting a severe shortage of doctors. My wife was an RN all her working life and the fact is too many people run to the ER when they do not have an emergency situation. It sounds like your guest truly needed to be in the ER.

[bdabob]

Without boring you with too much detail, he has a pre existing GI condition that we were concerned had flared up again; it turned out to be an infected GI bug, which is the good news, but he was severely dehydrated and took two bags of IV to stabilize.
Every ER experiences non emergency visits and they need to prioritize their "incoming", but a seven hour wait what could have been a major abdominal issue is far too lengthy.
The woman who had been there over ten hours was admitted finally which means they deemed her condition worthy of a bed and at least an overnight stay.
The admitting desk said these waits are standard which is totally unacceptable, in my opinion.

[John_W]

If you're wondering why no one is replying, it's because this subject has been brought up dozens of times. Just do a search for TV emergency room, here's a thread from last year with 324 replies. https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/tv-emergency-room-74918/

Here's another https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/villages-hospital-er-71191/

Another https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/medical-health-discussion-94/e-r-village-hospital-63044/

[justjim]

Without boring you with too much detail, he has a pre existing GI condition that we were concerned had flared up again; it turned out to be an infected GI bug, which is the good news, but he was severely dehydrated and took two bags of IV to stabilize.
Every ER experiences non emergency visits and they need to prioritize their "incoming", but a seven hour wait what could have been a major abdominal issue is far too lengthy.
The woman who had been there over ten hours was admitted finally which means they deemed her condition worthy of a bed and at least an overnight stay.
The admitting desk said these waits are standard which is totally unacceptable, in my opinion.

Thanks for your post and update regarding Villages Hospital ER. I was hoping the wait time was better but I agree with you that this is unacceptable.

We plan to go to Leesburg or Ocala if we have a similar need. :crap2:

[bdabob]

If you're wondering why no one is replying, it's because this subject has been brought up dozens of times. Just do a search for TV emergency room, here's a thread from last year with 324 replies. https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/tv-emergency-room-74918/

Here's another https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/villages-hospital-er-71191/

Another https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/medical-health-discussion-94/e-r-village-hospital-63044/

No responses expected; just venting.

[CFrance]

The fact that the woman waiting 10 hours was finally admitted makes me suspect they don't have enough beds at the hospital to handle the demand in the winter season.

[shcisamax]

To me, these wait times are unacceptable. If not addressed, what will the wait times be when the new villages being built start to get filled up?

THAT is the real concern. 7 and 10 hour waits in the ER now...what happens with the buildout? (Oh silly me, there is no buildout)

Today my neighbor called 911 describing symptoms of unconscious and difficulty breathing and the ambulance arrived 15 minutes later. One ambulance went right on by and my neighbor was confused until 911 said there were four ambulatory calls at that time.

This density of aged population dictates a need for far more emergency services than a normal population distribution. When is someone going to figure that out?

[rockyisle]

We go to Munroe Regional in Ocala. I think I'd rather die on the road trying to get medical attention that die being ignored in the waiting room at TV's hospital. We have nothing but fabulous things to say about Munroe.

[twinklesweep]

Just wait until the Affordable Care Act gets into full swing. They are predicting a severe shortage of doctors. My wife was an RN all her working life and the fact is too many people run to the ER when they do not have an emergency situation. It sounds like your guest truly needed to be in the ER.

Above emphasis mine. Long before the Affordable Health Care Act, this has been true for years: that "too many people run to the ER when they do not have an emergency situation." And during all those years, for those without insurance who used/do use the ER in this way, guess who's paying for the services they receive?

[KittyKat]

Above emphasis mine. Long before the Affordable Health Care Act, this has been true for years: that "too many people run to the ER when they do not have an emergency situation." And during all those years, for those without insurance who used/do use the ER in this way, guess who's paying for the services they receive?

No, not everything is an emergency but there are many services that you can only get in the hospital, especially at night when all the urgent care places are closed. We should have an urgent care center that is open 24 hours.

If TVRH is going to keep people waiting then they should have some recliners there.

[KittyKat]

We go to Munroe Regional in Ocala. I think I'd rather die on the road trying to get medical attention that die being ignored in the waiting room at TV's hospital. We have nothing but fabulous things to say about Munroe.

I love your answer, it's sad that it made me laugh. I agree--I go to Leesburg since I'm in the south end.

[shalomuall]

My friend fell on a walk in the afternoon and got a gash in her head and face and was bleeding a lot. We called the rescue squad and they took her to Leesburg Hospital since they said that The Villages ER was too full. We were there for many hours. They took her off the ambulance and put her in the waiting room. There were many people there with stomach bug and flu. It was awful. After about 3 hrs they took her in for cat scan and then back to waiting room. Finally, after about 4 1/2 hrs they called her in for stiches. They had to do it in the hallway because there were no rooms available in the ER. It was crazy. So not sure where is better.

[Chi-Town]

24 hour urgent care centers are usually extensions of hospitals. We are way overdue.

[SusanOfWoodbury]

As already stated, there have been tons of notes on this subject.. But, I have one question? Did you contact the Hospital's management with your concerns?

[Cobh521]

I had a similar incident on 1/5/14. I presented at the ER with a very high blood pressure that I could not control. This was the first time that this happened. Having worked in the healthcare field for over 30 years, I knew that I could have a stroke. I waited in the ER for 5 hours before I was taken back to a bed. The triage nurse only checked my blood pressure twice during that time and said, yep it is very high. When I was brought back to a bed, the doctor told me my blood pressure was at a critical level. He ordered meds immediately and put me on an IV. I received great care by the doctor and staff once I was seen. They were very concerned that I waited so long. I spent the rest of the night in the hospital until I was stabilized. There needs to be communication between the triage area and the treatment area.

[scarecrow1]

Thanks for your post and update regarding Villages Hospital ER. I was hoping the wait time was better but I agree with you that this is unacceptable.

We plan to go to Leesburg or Ocala if we have a similar need. :crap2:

Just as bad there. They need more Hospitals, not more extended care as you may not make it there. Come on there are over 100,000 people here. Not enough hospitals or GOOD doctors.

[gjbl8114]

This was unfortunate - but here's a word to the wise..... Having worked in a hospital ER I can tell you that he was assessed and determined not to have a "true" medical emergency. That is why he was given a med and sent back to the waiting area. I know this is not something that will go over well with most of you, but, ER's are meant to serve "true" medical emergencies. Medical emergencies are described as life-threatening events such as heart attacks, strokes, profuse bleeding etc.

If he has health insurance, the worst is not yet over. His insurance won't be paying for that visit because the diagnosis to be sent to the insurer will not meet the criteria of a "medical emergency." There is nothingwrong with going to an ER if you suspect you have a life-threatening medical condition, however, be prepared to pay for all of the services if it turns out not to be such.

So, please don't blame TV's Medical Center for having patients wait for such an extended period of time- they were really doing you a favor - if your wait in any ER is ever more than an hour, you can believe that once you are seen, it will not be considered an emergency..... Sorry!!!!!

[Jullie]

Thanks for the info on Munroe! Personally I have had LONG waits in both Villages/Leesburg ER. Horrible....I try to go to the Urgent Care if possible.

[shcisamax]

Question: Does Urgent Care stitch people up? If I were to slice into my thumb and I was sure it required stitches, do I go to Urgent Care or the ER? If I fall off my bike and hit my head and don't know where I am, do I have someone call an ambulance with EMT's to take me to emergency or have someone call my husband to take me to Urgent Care. It is sometimes difficult to know where you should be going and you don't want to go to Urgent Care and THEN be sent to the hospital. I would really appreciate the answers to my two theoretical questions which might give a little guidance.

[CFrance]

This was unfortunate - but here's a word to the wise..... Having worked in a hospital ER I can tell you that he was assessed and determined not to have a "true" medical emergency. That is why he was given a med and sent back to the waiting area. I know this is not something that will go over well with most of you, but, ER's are meant to serve "true" medical emergencies. Medical emergencies are described as life-threatening events such as heart attacks, strokes, profuse bleeding etc.

If he has health insurance, the worst is not yet over. His insurance won't be paying for that visit because the diagnosis to be sent to the insurer will not meet the criteria of a "medical emergency." There is nothingwrong with going to an ER if you suspect you have a life-threatening medical condition, however, be prepared to pay for all of the services if it turns out not to be such.

So, please don't blame TV's Medical Center for having patients wait for such an extended period of time- they were really doing you a favor - if your wait in any ER is ever more than an hour, you can believe that once you are seen, it will not be considered an emergency..... Sorry!!!!!

The person had a pre-existing condition and severe hydration. Where else should he have gone? Apparently the EMTs thought the ER was the place to go. They need ER facilities expansion at that hospital.

[bdabob]

This was unfortunate - but here's a word to the wise..... Having worked in a hospital ER I can tell you that he was assessed and determined not to have a "true" medical emergency. That is why he was given a med and sent back to the waiting area. I know this is not something that will go over well with most of you, but, ER's are meant to serve "true" medical emergencies. Medical emergencies are described as life-threatening events such as heart attacks, strokes, profuse bleeding etc.

If he has health insurance, the worst is not yet over. His insurance won't be paying for that visit because the diagnosis to be sent to the insurer will not meet the criteria of a "medical emergency." There is nothingwrong with going to an ER if you suspect you have a life-threatening medical condition, however, be prepared to pay for all of the services if it turns out not to be such.

So, please don't blame TV's Medical Center for having patients wait for such an extended period of time- they were really doing you a favor - if your wait in any ER is ever more than an hour, you can believe that once you are seen, it will not be considered an emergency..... Sorry!!!!!
Again, without going into too much detail, his history since childhood of severe small intestine issues where sometimes it "kinks" like a garden hose, was fully explained to the paramedics that drove him to the ER and to the receiving team at the ER. A simple abdominal X-Ray would have told them if this incident was indeed caused by his pre existing condition. The only remedy for this is to open him up and remove the "kink".
The x-Ray did take place at 4:30 am.
I do not believe he was given the timely care that his condition warranted.

[graciegirl]

The person had a pre-existing condition and severe hydration. Where else should he have gone? Apparently the EMTs thought the ER was the place to go. They need ER facilities expansion at that hospital.



According to our neighbor who serves on the hospital board that is the reason they are building an addition to the hospital.


Triage must be very difficult to do. I am concerned with the person with severe hypertension, dangerously high, that was not seen immediately. I thought cardiovascular emergencies were one of the top emergencies.


The waiting a long time in an emergency room isn't anything new, and it isn't confined to The Villages. A long time ago our oldest daughter broke both of her arms falling from a cheerleader pyramid and had to wait to be seen for several hours because of a huge bunch of life threatening emergencies that came in.


Usually senior citizens get some kind of priority, but most of us here fall into that category.


I think with the completion of the new addition to the hospital, some of this will be helped. But we keep growing. And we are the group most seen by the medical profession...so it is a very big problem. Now people who previously did not have insurance will go to the emergency room too. And right they should, but it will add to the wait.

[shcisamax]

Question: Does Urgent Care stitch people up? If I were to slice into my thumb and I was sure it required stitches, do I go to Urgent Care or the ER? If I fall off my bike and hit my head and don't know where I am, do I have someone call an ambulance with EMT's to take me to emergency or have someone call my husband to take me to Urgent Care. It is sometimes difficult to know where you should be going and you don't want to go to Urgent Care and THEN be sent to the hospital. I would really appreciate the answers to my two theoretical questions which might give a little guidance.
Could someone please offer up guidance on where someone should go under the above circumstances?

[NoMoSno]

Could someone please offer up guidance on where someone should go under the above circumstances?

For a cut go to urgent care. They do stitches, IF they are open.

Its to bad the emergency room can not tell you to go across the street to urgent Care, instead of waiting for hours, for help.

[graciegirl]

Urgent care is backed up too at this time of the year. I had an appointment with Dr.Agbo last week, whose office is across from one of the urgent care sites and had a devil of the time finding a parking space. One of the other patients told me that he waited at the urgent care with his house guest for several hours before being seen a couple days prior.

[shcisamax]

This might be the one thing the developers have neglected...unless it showed profit in their business. I worry as the imaginary build out happens, there is not enough focus on real health support. Certainly, my post earlier about waiting for an ambulance for 15 minutes when someone is unconscious and having difficulty breathing is problematic.

[TrudyM]

Gee I really wanted to move here. Guess not

[marianne237]

What happened to the hospital that was planned for the south end of TV. It appears the area that was supposed to have it built on will now be villas. I've always worried about horrible accidents on I75. Where are the people taken? They're usually helicoptered to Tampa, Orlando or Shands.

[shcisamax]

Where was there supposed to be a hospital and when was it supposed to be built?

[Mikeod]

Where was there supposed to be a hospital and when was it supposed to be built?

I don't know the time frame, but it was supposed to be constructed next to Brownwood. The plan was changed and instead of a new hospital, which would require much more time in getting necessary state and federal OKs, they decided to expand the existing one. I think part of the reasoning was that they would have trouble justifying a new hospital so close to the ones in TV and Leesburg.

[Mikeod]

This might be the one thing the developers have neglected...unless it showed profit in their business. I worry as the imaginary build out happens, there is not enough focus on real health support. Certainly, my post earlier about waiting for an ambulance for 15 minutes when someone is unconscious and having difficulty breathing is problematic.

I've been here for seven years and in that time the hospital has had a major expansion done and now another is underway. The medical offices along Old Camp have been constructed and filled. They have begun placing the new Villages health centers around the community. The difficulty is that this is a community with a disproportionate number of seniors that tend to require health services more frequently than a typical city of 100K. Plus, TVRH is not just for us. It serves the surrounding communities as well. And Mr. Morse does not own it.

The community is expanding rapidly, more rapidly than supporting services can be built and staffed. While health care is obviously important, it is not much different from restaurants, groceries, gas station, etc. which will follow home construction, not precede it. You will note that the Villages Public Safety facilities are completed before many homes are built.

Understand that the ambulance services are the responsibility of the county. The previous contractor performed really well, but was replaced by the present contractor because they were a little less expensive to the county. Your displeasure with the promptness of arrival should be directed to the county. This time of year, ambulances have a harder time because of the extra vehicles on the road including drivers who don't pull over or who stop in the way. This is why our neighborhood has two AEDs and responders who can help until EMTs arrive.

[krausaj]

We also had a nightmare experience last evening in The Villages ER. My husband is at risk due to a terrible infection in his foot. swollen foot, leg red and hot from toes to mid calf. He is diabetic and these symptoms put him at risk to lose toes or his entire foot. He had a fever, etc.... he was visibly ill. We waited and waited and finally left at about 11:30. The triage person just said, you do whatever you want sir. I explained the situation and she said there are still several ahead of you... Worse was sitting in the ER while people were vomiting. I asked for masks and was told that they are used for people demonstrating strong coughs... We felt like we were in a third world country. This is a sad and unhealthy situation. And-no one really seemed to care. Just got, I'm sorry for your wait. Okay I know they would do better if they could. And-couldn't they come up with a plan to keep the stomach virus patients a bit more secluded??? Shouldn't those with the flu also be more secluded... No way that ER is a healthy place to wait. It was a very discouraging and disappointing experience in The Villages Hospital. We will try other hospitals.

[shcisamax]

they have begun placing the new villages health centers around the community. The difficulty is that this is a community with a disproportionate number of seniors that tend to require health services more frequently than a typical city of 100k. Plus, tvrh is not just for us."




Health support services are not the same as emergency and ambulatory services. There are lots of doctors and health centers but where i see the problem is when things go radically wrong very quickly, there is not the necessary support. And yes, you are right. This is not the typical city of 100k. It is a disproportionate amount of people who need emergency and ambulatory care.

[shcisamax]

understand that the ambulance services are the responsibility of the county. The previous contractor performed really well, but was replaced by the present contractor because they were a little less expensive to the county. Your displeasure with the promptness of arrival should be directed to the county. This time of year, ambulances have a harder time because of the extra vehicles on the road including drivers who don't pull over or who stop in the way. This is why our neighborhood has two aeds and responders who can help until emts arrive.


this is really good info that i didn't know. What are aed's and how do you get that in place? As for the problem with it taking 15 minutes for an ambulance for an unconscious person with difficulty breathing, it did not sound like it was a traffic issue rather a lack of sufficient supply of ambulances.

[Nipper]

Just wait until the Affordable Care Act gets into full swing. They are predicting a severe shortage of doctors. My wife was an RN all her working life and the fact is too many people run to the ER when they do not have an emergency situation. It sounds like your guest truly needed to be in the ER.

Sorry, but the ACA has NOTHING to do with this situation or situations in the future. Have had terrible experience with The Villages Hospital several years ago. Yes, too many people run to the hospital emergency room because they do not have insurance. Why then are so many people opposed to mandatory health insurance in the ACA? I would never, ever go to The Villages Hospital for anything.

[Mikeod]

this is really good info that i didn't know. What are aed's and how do you get that in place? As for the problem with it taking 15 minutes for an ambulance for an unconscious person with difficulty breathing, it did not sound like it was a traffic issue rather a lack of sufficient supply of ambulances.

AED is a device used to restore an effective heartbeat in a person who has experienced sudden cardiac arrest. Our neighborhood chipped in and bought two units which are located on the outside of two homes. We have a pool of volunteers who have been trained and are notified by phone and/or text message if there is a 911 call for any of our homes. The public safety department assisted us in setting up the program. Many neighborhoods have done this.

Your ambulance problem is a real one this time of year. A couple of weeks ago I was in the ER on a Monday morning to support a neighbor whose wife had been taken there. While we were in her treatment room, there was a steady stream of EMTs bringing in patients. The ambulance area outside the ER looked like the Publix parking lot at Colony. Unbelievable. So, I'm not surprised it seems be an availability reason for the delay. Again, the county may be the better place to express your concern.

[rn1tv]

My husband arrived at the ED with altered mental status and loss of strength. Was triaged at the TVRH ED and waited in the ED for 5 hrs. After waiting 4 hours and noting my husband condition was declining, I went to the triage nurse as people who has spent the evening texting on their cell phones were taken before him. After about an hour, he was finally taken back. They did a CT scan, found he had a large brain bleed that was life threating and was taken to surgery. Fortunately, he was fine after surgery however I question the triage nurses' knowledge and skill to diagnose a severe problem...my husband could have died!

[JRW8219]

Just playing Devil's advocate here:

Doesn't the fact that the many stories on this post, and the many other threads that I just read from before (I just joined TOTV a few months ago), have a good ending and nothing serious was actually wrong with most of the patients in the long run mean that the triage nurse (to be honest my wife was a RN forever in Tenn.!) was doing her/his job?

All these stories are written like "it COULD have been serious" or "he could have died" or....

I read these and think that even with the long waits and overcrowding during the "in season" the right decisions are being made regarding life and death.

[JRW8219]

If TVRH is going to keep people waiting then they should have some recliners there.

That's a great idea - call the administrators.

[tucson]

We go to Munroe Regional in Ocala now, usually takes 5-15min. wait time in their ER! It takes 20-30 min to drive there though.

[TraceyMooreRN]

Your concerns are valid and I truly think the wait times are extended due to capacity. Please know as I have said it before Triage is the key. The patient with a hypertension emergency- some would ask what was the pressure? As Triage-if the pressure is 200 over 100 or greater-you can actually receive medication in the waiting room. The triage nurse can administer medication (depends on what medication)--but certainly can't write the order. Communication between the triage nurse and the physicians is key.

Vitals are checked approx. every two hours in the ER waiting room. They encourage people to notify staff of any change in symptoms. Also- remember you can always contact your primary physician and ask him/her if you can repeat your prescribed medication one time to see if that helps. Again-you must call your MD before doing that as that is the safest practice.

As far as the person texting and going back before you--most ER hospitals triage patients in "color". Highest to the patient who didn't even need to be in the ER. So-if you were triaged stable say (blue) and someone else was also stable (blue)...you go in the order you arrived. Higher acuity would be seen first.

For the person who's husband had a brain bleed--was the CT not done from triage? Most facilities allow the triage nurse to enter "protocol" orders so that patients waiting in the waiting room can have an initiation of treatment--including CT, x-rays, lab test, urine samples. Was he transferred to another facility? I didn't know the villages had a neurosurgeon. I am sorry that happed to you.

It is hard for me to believe a triage nurse told anyone they could not have a mask! If that is the case--you have the time you were there and probably remember what the person looks like--please notify administration. That is certainly unacceptable. I am sorry that happened. I do think there are several people in the ER (registration, security, housekeepers) and all should be trained to assist with basic needs- basin for vomit, privacy screens if needed, mask and location of where the hand gel and bathrooms are located. I would love to walk in an ER and have everyone wearing gloves and a mask (sorry--but I would).

Yes, ambulance services pick people up and then a triage nurse will determine if stable for the waiting room. I have even seen people come to an ER, believe the wait is too long and drive off the property call 911 and come in by rescue--most end up right back in waiting room and now to the back of the line based on the triage color.

There is no simple answer for a community with 100,000+ residents and I think a 21 bed ER. If the hospital is full (no beds available)--the ER is at a standstill. That does not mean EMERGENCIES are not seen. Yes, they are. That hospital has had 41 people in the ER. Hallways, opened recovery rooms at night...etc. Unless the hospital is on diversion emergencies will be seen.

Urgent Care--can stitch patients, they can have IV fluids for dehydrated people, the can cast a fractured leg, complete an ultrasound to find out if you have a blood clot, x-ray and determine if you need medication for pneumonia, can pull a tooth, can check children out for a fever/cough/pink eye, run urine samples and determine if you have kidney stones, do a CT to determine if you have had a stroke. These are just a few of the things they do....what the Villages needs is 24 HOUR Urgent Care that connects to a Hospital. This would significantly decrease wait times in the ER. Triage in one common area and then door to right ER waiting, door to left ER Urgent Care. That would certainly keep the flow going. I wonder how many patients are seen in the ER that are discharged? Didn't need to go and could have simply gone to an urgent care of their own physician? Just because you are from out of state doesn't mean you have to go to an ER. If you start feeling bad--see an urgent care (I think they all close by 8pm)...
I also heard Leesburg is opening an Urgent Care on the property of the hospital? I know The Villages Urgent Care is located across the street on 441, but believe they close at 8pm.

[Down Sized]

I think the E R would run much better if we had more people in The Villages with as much common sense as you Tracey Moore!!
:popcorn:

[Cobh521]

Tracey, I worked in a hospital for over 30 years. I am the hypertensive patient that was left waiting in the ER. My blood pressure was 200/98 both times that triage took it. I also had headache. We are new to TV so we were not sure of the other hospitals. The night I was there, it appears that the day shift was waiting for the 7 pm shift. No one was moving. When the 7 pm supervisor arrived she had a fit. She got things moving by ordering standard tests from triage so results would be available when patient was moved to ER. I, as well as other patients with similar conditions where taken back immediately. The nursing staff in ER were shocked that patients were in waiting room with these medical conditions. I did send a letter to administration but have not received a response yet.

[TraceyMooreRN]

Anne-Sorry you had a bad experience. I assure you I have heard many of great stories about The Villages ER. As with every topic-especially in the healthcare field most only pass on "horrible" things that happen. It is a shame that it happens but I assure you every system has a flaw and every system can be approved. Thank you for writing to administration--I hope you get a response.

It may appear shifts wait for others-but having been behind scenes in ERs --that is usually not the case. Waiting on a bed and nurse to cover that bed is usually the only reason for a wait time in from the waiting room. Most hospital staff work 12hours-some floaters, so nurses really don't care if we get a patient 15 min before end of shift--we have just reported off and go.

Again, sorry for your bad experience. Most of the nurses are compassionate and certainly are in the field to help others the best we can with the resources we have available to safely practice medicine.

[rn1tv]

I had a similar incident on 1/5/14. I presented at the ER with a very high blood pressure that I could not control. This was the first time that this happened. Having worked in the healthcare field for over 30 years, I knew that I could have a stroke. I waited in the ER for 5 hours before I was taken back to a bed. The triage nurse only checked my blood pressure twice during that time and said, yep it is very high. When I was brought back to a bed, the doctor told me my blood pressure was at a critical level. He ordered meds immediately and put me on an IV. I received great care by the doctor and staff once I was seen. They were very concerned that I waited so long. I spent the rest of the night in the hospital until I was stabilized. There needs to be communication between the triage area and the treatment area.

I couldn't agree with you more regarding communication between triage and the ED. I am a retired RN. My husband presented to the ED with altered mental status and loss of strength to the point he could not stand. We waited in the ED for 5 hours and finally found my husband had a large brain bleed that had caused his brain to shift from midline. He was taken to surgery for a craniotomy and, I thank God for his surgeon, he is doing fine. Dr. told me he could have had brain damage or death if not caught when it was. What upset me the most was the triage nurse was putting flu patients (who had spent several hours laughing, chatting, and texting) before my husband. My husband would have waited longer had I not intervened.
I believe they are understaffed and those that work there a pushed to the max. Once management stops focusing on the almighty dollar and their bonus checks, maybe we will get decent healthcare.:22yikes:

[Russ_Boston]

I couldn't agree with you more regarding communication between triage and the ED. I am a retired RN. My husband presented to the ED with altered mental status and loss of strength to the point he could not stand. We waited in the ED for 5 hours and finally found my husband had a large brain bleed that had caused his brain to shift from midline. He was taken to surgery for a craniotomy and, I thank God for his surgeon, he is doing fine. Dr. told me he could have had brain damage or death if not caught when it was. What upset me the most was the triage nurse was putting flu patients (who had spent several hours laughing, chatting, and texting) before my husband. My husband would have waited longer had I not intervened.
I believe they are understaffed and those that work there a pushed to the max. Once management stops focusing on the almighty dollar and their bonus checks, maybe we will get decent healthcare.:22yikes:


Not that I doubt you but I have a question:


Are you saying that you presented to the Villages ER with altered mental status and your husband was NOT given a CT scan? I work in the neuro unit (RN) and our policy is to have a CT done within the first hour of arrival in the ER for any neuro symptoms. If you provide the patient's name and date this happened in a PM to me I can investigate why this happened and push it up the line for you. We strive for proper stroke care protocol.

[Bay Kid]

Anne-Sorry you had a bad experience. I assure you I have heard many of great stories about The Villages ER. As with every topic-especially in the healthcare field most only pass on "horrible" things that happen. It is a shame that it happens but I assure you every system has a flaw and every system can be approved. Thank you for writing to administration--I hope you get a response.

It may appear shifts wait for others-but having been behind scenes in ERs --that is usually not the case. Waiting on a bed and nurse to cover that bed is usually the only reason for a wait time in from the waiting room. Most hospital staff work 12hours-some floaters, so nurses really don't care if we get a patient 15 min before end of shift--we have just reported off and go.

Again, sorry for your bad experience. Most of the nurses are compassionate and certainly are in the field to help others the best we can with the resources we have available to safely practice medicine.

Tracey, I am glad you are there for all of us. Thank you

[Russ_Boston]

Not that I doubt you but I have a question:


Are you saying that you presented to the Villages ER with altered mental status and your husband was NOT given a CT scan? I work in the neuro unit (RN) and our policy is to have a CT done within the first hour of arrival in the ER for any neuro symptoms. If you provide the patient's name and date this happened in a PM to me I can investigate why this happened and push it up the line for you. We strive for proper stroke care protocol.


Are you there? I'd like to help.

[LuckySevens]

We go to Munroe Regional in Ocala. I think I'd rather die on the road trying to get medical attention that die being ignored in the waiting room at TV's hospital. We have nothing but fabulous things to say about Munroe.

I just took my husband to the Munroe Regional in Ocala ER last Thurs. and we got right in. Very nice dr's and nurses and a positive experience, as far as a trip to the ER is concerned. However, I noticed 24 hours later as I was leaving at the exact same time of day we went (3 PM)...........the entire waiting room was filled with standing room only. I inquired to an employee as it seemed odd that only 24 hours earlier there was no one in the waiting room. They said that Fridays are always full because people that don't have insurance or a dr. just come to the ER. Sort of like.........oh, it's time to go to the dr (ER) when they only needed something minor. I was told that this heppens on a regular basis, as the patients know the ER has to take them.
I was shocked that the ER is used so casually. Hopefully we won't have to ever go there on Fridays. However, we did like Munroe a lot.

[Golfingnut]

Would ACA remove non emergency cases from the ER here in The Villages thereby freeing up ER Doctors to get to the true emergencies quicker. I would like to hear from folks that know this problem without any "P" spin thrown in.

[TraceyMooreRN]

The ERs will always be a first and last resort for complaints. Some go with colds, some with heart attacks. Doesn't matter about ACA or not--true emergencies, non emergencies and even the lady who drops a pencil and punctures her skin will come to an ER--The ER can not and will not ever turn down any patient.

[tucson]

I also went to TV ER for a very high BP of 210/100 and had to wait an hr to be taken!! And that was only b/c I started asking the other patients (that were waiting) how long they were waiting,etc., right after these conversations..I was called back for treatment..this is why I now go to Munroe.

[rn1tv]

Russ, I appreciate your concern. CT was NOT ordered until he was seen by the Dr. I just do not feel it is worth giving the details as I do not see any benefit. This was in the past and, thank God, my husband is ok. Again, I think management needs to look at staffing, provide the public what they need, and quit thinking about their bonus checks.

[TraceyMooreRN]

Tucson- waiting an hour for that blood pressure is a long time. However, if the triage does the full assessment and finds this is a crisis vs chronic problem that will determine if you go back faster.
Ex: Do you take BP medication? Did you miss any doses today? Did you take an extra dose today? All of these questions play into concern. Also--Have you had this blood pressure all day and finally decide ER is the last resort? OR Did you attempt to call your own doctor first and come in to get further checking. I am not trying to say waiting is okay- what I am saying the data you gave BP 210/100 is not enough data for a triage nurse to even determine what acuity you are and where in line you fall.

[tucson]

Tracy, I do now. Never did before that incidence. I always had good BP and even low at times. I did have high numbers from time to time, but while I was there, I had tests and they were normal. I was sent home with a script for 5mg Lisinopril and Potassium pills. But, what got me really upset was I could've had a stroke in the waiting room, so I just got sick of sitting there and got up and told the triage nurse that if they were too busy, then I'll just drive myself to Munroe. Right away they brought me back for treatment. That was the only way I knew to make them take me... sad,huh????!!!

[Dafoe]

AED is a device used to restore an effective heartbeat in a person who has experienced sudden cardiac arrest. Our neighborhood chipped in and bought two units which are located on the outside of two homes. We have a pool of volunteers who have been trained and are notified by phone and/or text message if there is a 911 call for any of our homes. The public safety department assisted us in setting up the program. Many neighborhoods have done this.

Your ambulance problem is a real one this time of year. A couple of weeks ago I was in the ER on a Monday morning to support a neighbor whose wife had been taken there. While we were in her treatment room, there was a steady stream of EMTs bringing in patients. The ambulance area outside the ER looked like the Publix parking lot at Colony. Unbelievable. So, I'm not surprised it seems be an availability reason for the delay. Again, the county may be the better place to express your concern.

To all who are reading these posts --- Our community of "Upper" Gilchrist has 8 AED's posted throughout our neighborhood with 30 + people trained in emergency response. This came about by a wonderful group of community members who formed a committee, went door to door to get funding and gather support. IF someone experiences a loss of consciousness and ceases breathing, the 911 call will be screened and all first responders get a text and a phone call alerting them to the location. Hopefully this community response will make a difference when there are competing emergencies and limited ambulances. I mention this to encourage all communities to consider exploring this option.

[Russ_Boston]

Russ, I appreciate your concern. CT was NOT ordered until he was seen by the Dr. I just do not feel it is worth giving the details as I do not see any benefit. This was in the past and, thank God, my husband is ok. Again, I think management needs to look at staffing, provide the public what they need, and quit thinking about their bonus checks.


Ok but obviously something that someone said must not have pointed to possible stroke. I know for a fact that ALL possible stroke victims (and many others who I don't feel fit the protocol) are ordered for CT within 1 hour. I have zero idea why your symptoms would not have fallen within protocol.

[TraceyMooreRN]

Tracy, I do now. Never did before that incidence. I always had good BP and even low at times. I did have high numbers from time to time, but while I was there, I had tests and they were normal. I was sent home with a script for 5mg Lisinopril and Potassium pills. But, what got me really upset was I could've had a stroke in the waiting room, so I just got sick of sitting there and got up and told the triage nurse that if they were too busy, then I'll just drive myself to Munroe. Right away they brought me back for treatment. That was the only way I knew to make them take me... sad,huh????!!!

I am hoping the triage nurse maybe bumped you ahead-based on high bp and then anxiety about waiting (which can certainly elevate the bp). Sorry about BP being so high and glad you well now :-)

[tucson]

I am hoping the triage nurse maybe bumped you ahead-based on high bp and then anxiety about waiting (which can certainly elevate the bp). Sorry about BP being so high and glad you well now :-)

Thanks Tracy! It is back to my normal range of 120's over 70's...

[forklift guy]

I had the same waiting issue on Sunday night after the super bowl game. After waiting 2 hours, I took my wife to Munroe regional in Ocala. We got right in and were taken care of right away. I'm really surprised with the Villages hospital. I will be looking into this problem to see what to do in the future.

[TraceyMooreRN]

Looking into the problem? The national average (I believe) is 4-6 hour wait. Two hours waiting in the hospital ER is realistic. I am so happy Monroe was able to assist. Would have been not so great experience if you were able to drive to Ocala and not get right in...besides if it was an emergency that needs an ER visit to start with--by passing a hospital or leaving one to go to another could be life threatening.

Some people just amaze me--the hospital is not a drive thru service--expect to wait, expect to get complete medical care. If you choose to drive farther to get to another hospital that is up to you--however call EMS in a true emergency--YOU WILL be taken to TVRH if you are not stable.

[graciegirl]

Looking into the problem? The national average (I believe) is 4-6 hour wait. Two hours waiting in the hospital ER is realistic. I am so happy Monroe was able to assist. Would have been not so great experience if you were able to drive to Ocala and not get right in...besides if it was an emergency that needs an ER visit to start with--by passing a hospital or leaving one to go to another could be life threatening.

Some people just amaze me--the hospital is not a drive thru service--expect to wait, expect to get complete medical care. If you choose to drive farther to get to another hospital that is up to you--however call EMS in a true emergency--YOU WILL be taken to TVRH if you are not stable.



Tracey is absolutely right.


Because of the enormous upsurge of population right now and many people here who do not have their PCP here, illness escalates and becomes painful and unbearable, but not always life threatening. It must be hard to tell someone who is feeling awful that someone is sicker.


I remember from years past in huge and very esteemed Cincinnati hospitals having to wait with family members, a lONG TIME..unless it was a breathing, excessive bleeding or heart related incident. (I can't think of all the criteria that the Triage nurse uses to place people in line) I mean hours....


If someone could find the post on the plans for the new emergency facility at the Villages Hospital, that would help people understand that this is being worked on. Hopefully improved. But triage will always be the criteria for treatment in an emergency room or an emergency situation.

[TraceyMooreRN]

18 beds are expected to be added to TVRH ER-- Not sure how many beds overall for patients that are admitted including ICU. However- it is not just an ER busy--it is when the hospital is full the ER can't move--they have to go on diversion. Nurses can't take 5 patients in the ER and expect to handle more than that--even if they did have a small space to put an extra stretcher.

If ICU is full--the ER has to keep a very critical patient and most times keep the same number of patients--even though most ICU patients ratio to nurse is One nurse for two patients. Take into count-if someone is on a medical or cardiac floor and needs to be upgraded to ICU--they get the bed before the ER. Once patients are admitted to the hospital and move out of the ER, they do not return to the ER.


Currently it is a 24 bed facility (shall I say 24 rooms out of the hall). They also can have 8 hallway beds (I have seen people in the hall beds myself). Two triage rooms and they have a rapid admit area (people who don't need to be at the hospital see a Physician Assistant and discharged without going to a room in the back). Rapid runs I think 10am-10pm. Rapid is NOT an urgent care.

Only emergencies should go to the ER--it is not a clinic, urgent care or pediatrician checkup. They do not have Labor and Delivery and they do not have pediatrics. So- if someone comes in with a child under 18 if they are admitted they will be sent out--same with a person in labor (they will be shipped out very quick).