SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital - St. Charles — Attraction in Saint Charles

This is one of the greatest opportunities in my life. I want nothing more than to share my experience at Saint Charles SSM Saint Joseph’s Hospital, being im still alive no thanks to them. I’d fallen and I felt the pain through my whole leg, I told my husband We needed to go to the hospital. We were closest to Saint Charles SSM hospital so that is where we went. My husband got me a wheelchair pushed me into the ER. I Explained the situation to the nurse. She was pushing my wheelchair. She pushed me into a room started an IV and the next thing I remember a male doctor was there digging in my knee because I had infection in my knee. I don’t remember anything in between because I was given so much pain meds. the next thing I know I hear my husband yelling and I don’t know what’s going on. We’re in a different room and I’m in a bed just laying there. I told her that she was hurting me because she kept messing with my IV I was a fall risk so I had to use the commode next to the bed , I don’t know what she was doing. She didn’t say anything to me when i told her she was hurting me. She yelled at me and said I’m not doing it on purpose. My husband and I just looked at each other. Then she couldn’t find the commode my husband told her they were in the restroom she came back. She had a syringe that she put in my IV , and it wasn’t but A split second my husband said because I do not remember any of this. he couldn’t even get my eyes to flutter. He thought I looked dead. The nurse refused to speak to him. He got the head nurse they had no record of anything being given to me , so they called critical care team to try to reverse whatever been done to me or given to me, but they didn’t know therefore they couldn’t reverse it. The nurse was banned from my room, I didn’t remember anything until the next day, when I woke up, my husband was yelling. What’d you give her to which he got no reply.. the “fun” didn’t stop there, two nights later my nurses aid was a young male, my sons age, 21, with a big bushy beard. Because i was a fall risk i had to call the nurse every time i had to go to the bathroom, well this kid, anytime i rang came to my room and proceeded to turn on every single light in my room, it looked like an operating room. He did this a few times before i stopped him before he turned them on when i had called, i said sternly,” DO NOT TURN ALL THOSE LIGHTS ON “! To which he replied,” i have to help you. I then said I’ve been here several nights and I’ve been to the hospital several times and never once in the middle of the night because i had to pee, were any lights on, except the dim light in the back where the nurses computer was. I told him do not turn those lights on again. Well then the next time came that i had to pee, they were pumping me full of fluids. I pressed the nurses button several times no one ever came. I sent my husband to investigate. He found the young bearded aid at the nurses station with head phones on, ignoring not only my calls but any and everyone else’s. My husband got his attention and told him i needed to go to the bathroom. He came, turned on the lights, i yelled to turn them off, my husband angry and tired got up and left for the cafeteria. I sat down to pee when i was done, i got up to turn around but instead the young man, grabbed my butt with one hand and my hip with the other. When i looked at him like he was crazy he told me, i was about to fall, to which i replied, no sir i was not. I fall a lot but i know when im going to fall i can feel it. I was not about to fall, i shrugged him off, wrapped my gown around my backside and laid back down. Telling him, this is the absolute worst hospital stay i have ever had and that no matter what i would never return. I was only there a day or two more and they let me go home. If i could give “NO” stars, I WOULD, but it...

Zero stars and a warning not to ever utilize this ER. Took a family member to the ER with symptoms of a heart attack. The doctor - Adam Stenger - and nurses acted like it was no big deal - ER was empty except us and they took their time, acting casual. Family member has allergies and sensitivities, is prone to nosebleeds so requested the saliva test for Covid. Was told by nurse Heather it wasn't possible then they left the room telling the other staff we "refused the covid test", which we didn't.

At one point the family member went to the restroom and I stood outside the room so they could find it again since we had never been there before - was told by a nurse in a lovely african head scarf in a hostile tone that I couldn't be standing in the (empty) hallway in the empty ER, and she would tell them where it was. I complied, thanked her and waited in the room.

The doctor - Adam Stenger - came into the room hostile, as did the nurse who had previously told me not to stand in the hallway. Because my family member is sensitive to blood draws (gets weak and faints), I asked them to take pediatric vials or quarter vials (this request has been honored before in previous circumstances and has been confirmed to be all that is needed by multiple medical professionals). They refused.

Family member asked for a minute to confer privately with the family. They left for ten seconds then came back in with security guards, refused to treat us and escorted us out of the ER.

Refusing care to someone presenting with emergency symptoms is illegal. Patients have a right to refuse certain treatments while accepting others under federal law. What they did was illegal and dangerous.

What happened to my body, my choice? We have a right to advocate for ourselves when we know certain treatments can be tricky for us, do we not? We never declined anything, only asked for safer ways to do them.

We will never ever use this hospital for anything again and would advise others to stay away if you want any kind of compassionate treatment. The only compassion shown here was with the intake staff, the nurse who pointed us to the restrooms, and the x-ray tech, who were kind.

Once back in the ER, I have no idea...

I went to SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital ST. Charles ER for a suspected kidney stone, and it was indeed a kidney stone. When I got to the ER they said "we're pretty much at full capacity" but still managed to find me a bed. I really wanted to stay home and ride out the pain but soon I was in the most pain I've ever felt thus far in life. The extreme discomfort and sharp pain became unbearable.

Luckily I had Dr. Emily M Hatke and her amazing staff. Special thanks to the amazing Nurse who helped me when I needed it the most. (I apologize, I don't remember her name and I tried calling to find out)

See below my experience there and why I am giving ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️'s

• General wait time in ER lobby: 5 minutes • Attaining my General info time: 5 minutes • Wait time to be seen by ER Doctor: 5 minutes • Wait time to receive treatment for pain management: 5-10 minutes • Wait time for CT scan: 45 minutes

What was your pain on a scale of 1-10? How did the ER staff manage your pain? Did you receive a summary of your visit in the ER?

I had an 8 on the pain scale, and yes my pain was well managed. The Nurse alleviated all of my pain.

Yes, I received a green folder with a summary of my visit to the ER and what steps to take next. On my summary It showed who my ER Doctor was, what medications to take, where to get my medications from, and how to schedule an appointment with DR. Kevin Enger MD.

AFTER THE ER

As instructed, I called Urology to make an appointment with DR. Kevin Enger MD. I was told they didn't have any openings for three weeks but after telling them my situation they were able to make my appointment at 11:15 AM that day. I was seen by DR. Kevin Enger and he was amazing. He was able to show me my kidney stone on my CT scan and identify the factors as to what caused it in the first place. He later educated and advised me on what to do and what not to do. I am scheduled to get an X-Ray and see DR. Enger. again. All in all, my medications are working great for me and pain management is under control.

Thank you for the good care! I hope you get around to reading this!

Sincerely...