That's a great idea - call the administrators.

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.

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.

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:

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.

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.

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.

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

Are you there? I'd like to help.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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????!!!

Aed
 

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.

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.

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...

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.

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.

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).