[travelguy]

A number of years ago I was waiting to be discharged and finally gave up waiting. I walked out; the next day I got a phone call wondering where I was. It took them that long to figure out that I was no longer in the hospital.

[Mack184]

Originally Posted by gerryann

You are certainly correct that they NEED the beds, but going about releasing the beds is another matter. I was at urgent care recently. The Dr. wanted me to get a particular test that had to be done in the hospital. He told me to walk across the street to the hospital and he would send the orders over for the test. I walked over, they admitted me into a bed in the emergency room....walking past MANY sick and injured folks on gurneys in the hall way. I explained that I do NOT need a bed...only a test. they admitted me anyway. After blood work and a couple hours wait, they took me for the test....then back to the room that I didn't need. They kept me waiting in the room for another 4 hours while I waited for results, then a Dr to release me...all the while taking up a bed (really the room, I never got in the bed). On my way out I still saw many folks in the hall that needed a room. Two in particular had very bloody heads. Didnt have any idea why this incident happened this way....I was not sick, nor in an emergency situation...Is it possible that they saw that I had private insurance and not Medicare??? I hope thats not the case, but I did feel ridiculous taking the room away from those that needed it.

There are a great many rules & regulations that govern hospital operations, treatments and so forth. It's an absolute gobbledegook of federal & state silliness. I certainly don't know about your personal situation, and I'm not going to pretend to know much about all the rules & regs. However with that said, there is most likely a reason that you were given that room that had something to do with procedures that some agency requires the hosptial to do in your particular case. A lot of times none of it makes sense, but you would be surprised just how many picky rules hospitals have to follow to get paid. It may not make any sense to you, and it most likely makes no sense to the doctor or hospital, but they have to follow these rules. Very likely that was the reason that you were assigned a room in the ER.

[Warren Kiefer]

Originally Posted by Warren Kiefer

I accept the idea that our hospitals and nursing staff are taxed to their limit. I recently had am ambulance transport to our local hospital and using an ambulance was certainly warranted. I was placed on a gurney type bed in the ER hallway, I did receive care but spent 10 hours in that hallway never be admitted to a ER room.
My purpose with this post is to say we know of the long admission process thru the ER's. But what sense is there in it taking 12 hours getting discharged from a hospital ??? Several days later and another kidney stone attack landed me in the Leesburg hospital. Eight hours anain thru the ER process, four days in the hospital. Kidney stone removed, early in evening on the fourth day, both doctors tell me , I will go home tomorrow. Early the next morning (8:AM) The IV, etc are removed. I WAS NOT DISCHARGED UNTIL 5:30 PM. There always seemed to be another thing that need to be done, final release from the DR. Meds and that sort of stuff. It in unbelieveable that the discharge process took 9 and a half hours !!!! Basicallty, I layed in that hospital bed and watched TV for an entire day.

I might add a few things, Both doctors had conceded that I would be discharged the next day. The nurse in charge told me that I would have to wait until the hospital doctor signed the discharge papers. This was a "hospital" doctor I did not know, had not seen until that evening and had not hired. It was his signature I needed. After 7 hours I asked the nurse when this doctor was expected, she stated she did not know. I asked her to get in touch with this doctor, she said she couldn't do that. This was the point where I told her in one hour if this discharge doctor had not shown up, I would sign myself out. Soon she came to the room and said the doctor would appear in an hour or so. And he did. As far as I know this doctor was at home watching Tiger win the golf tournament while I fumed. Two more hours for the nurse to prepare two papers for my signature before I could leave. Hospitals like this simply must do better !!!!!

[graciegirl]

Warren, what happened to you is a normal happening and it happens in the best hospitals in this country including The Cleveland Clinic.


The doctor who probably signed you out is called a "hospitalist", someone who is assigned your case to over look for your admitting doctor.

He MAY have been watching Tiger at home or he may have been administering life saving care to someone. Your nurse probably wasn't doing her nails either.

The important thing to keep in mind is that they did finally let you out and fixed your Kidney stone difficulty and the terrible pain from it..... and all is better than it was.

[Mack184]

I would like to add that your doctor is not a machine and requires sleep, food & time in the toilet just as you do. No doctor is on duty 24/7. Often times there is another doctor who belongs within your doctor's practice who is "covering" your doctor. This is very standard practice. Doctors cover each other so that they can have a weekend off..see their family occasionally, go to church from time to time and so on. The nurse who told you that "she couldn't contact your doctor" was not trying to give you a hard time. They cannot simply dial up your doctor because you wish it. They must go through their charge nurse with that request. If your doctor is being "covered" then a phone call to the covering doctor will be made, and he/she must be located. G-Person is right..you were most likely signed out by a hospitalist acting under orders from your doctor or the covering doctor. Nurses cannot simply make up your discharge papers out of thin air ahead of time. They CANNOT write up the paperwork until whatever doctor officially discharges you actually does so. They then have to take down whatever orders the doctor issues and then do all of the paperwork which is quite lengthy. And...if they make a mistake on the orders it's on THEIR license & could cost them their jobs!

BTW..here's a helpful hint..Do Not bark at your nurse and order them to do things as if they were your servant. She/he is not. They are highly trained professionals and they deserve RESPECT at all times. They put up with more than enough BS in their 12 hour shifts and if you start barking, they start going deaf. Treat them kindly & with respect and you will get things to happen much..MUCH faster!

[Warren Kiefer]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Warren, what happened to you is a normal happening and it happens in the best hospitals in this country including The Cleveland Clinic.


The doctor who probably signed you out is called a "hospitalist", someone who is assigned your case to over look for your admitting doctor.

He MAY have been watching Tiger at home or he may have been administering life saving care to someone. Your nurse probably wasn't doing her nails either.

The important thing to keep in mind is that they did finally let you out and fixed your Kidney stone difficulty and the terrible pain from it..... and all is better than it was.

I appreciate all the words encouraging my understanding of Doctors and Nurses and their tremendous responsibilities. BUT and this is a big BUT, when a person has had a hospital stay, they are usually very stressed already. To sit in a hospital room wearing their street clothing for 10 maybe 12 hours for a doctor's signature on a discharge paper brings that stress to an unbelievable level. Somehow, someway this simply should not happen. Being well and leaving a hospital should be a celebration, not a horrible experience. A patient is entitled to a major degree, an explanation what is to take place.

[ilovetv]

Originally Posted by Warren Kiefer

I appreciate all the words encouraging my understanding of Doctors and Nurses and their tremendous responsibilities. BUT and this is a big BUT, when a person has had a hospital stay, they are usually very stressed already. To sit in a hospital room wearing their street clothing for 10 maybe 12 hours for a doctor's signature on a discharge paper brings that stress to an unbelievable level. Somehow, someway this simply should not happen. Being well and leaving a hospital should be a celebration, not a horrible experience. A patient is entitled to a major degree, an explanation what is to take place.

I agree. "To sit in a hospital room wearing their street clothing for 10 maybe 12 hours for a doctor's signature on a discharge paper" makes a patient feel like they are nothing more than a brainless, inanimate object.....like a slab of meat.

Respect has to go both ways.