Howard University Hospital — Attraction in Washington

I gave birth on 12/20/2023. Many nurses and doctors were nice/ well-rounded, others could have been different. Unfortunately, shift changes were difficult for me because these professionals were not communicating with each other as they are suppose to. My experience was overall bad but I tried to stay positive given the fact that my son was having seizures and no one told me of the episodes until 3 hours after they were happening. I asked what the procedure was from what I believe was the supervising pediatrician at the time, Dr. Wonodi. It was stated (while another professional stood witnessing our conversation) that it was more important to take care of the patient first then notify family. This is understandable if the patient was an adult, this was a newborn and the mother (myself) was only around the corner from the NICU. It was stated that it was so “busy” but that it was an “emergency.” An emergency is enough to notify the parent within a 3 hour period when I’m nearly 15 feet away from the NICU. I also pondered if anyone would have told me if I ever asked to see my baby, timing that the episode “started” 9am, timing that I asked to see my child was 12pm which Dr. Jane was the pediatrician in the NICU at the time. This was heartbreaking that I wasn’t able to see him at first due to being placed on a medicine that causes extreme fatigue, but it was more heartbreaking that my sister could not bring him in due to his condition which I did not know of. Dr. Jane came in stating she wanted to give me an “update,” it’s not an update if I was never notified in the first place. This experience was rough and the NICU should consider better supervision. Next, I was not given directions on how to take care of myself when it pertains to stitches, symptoms to look for pertaining to infection, etc. I was sent home with info on preeclampsia of course because it must’ve been more serious. I also noticed few doctors or nurses walking around with no identification in sight. I actually explained to one nurse about this because I didn’t know how to explain who the doctor was that came in and asked me questions. With this being said, I also thought it was important that no one cared to pick up my items which laid on the counter from the night before I was discharged. (blood work) and these other items in my room given the fact that I believe it’s a HIPPA violation to leave these things around unattended where they can be slipped out of the hospital and into the wrong hands.(pictures to show). I was also bedridden for those days and it’s understandable that the nurses did not want me getting up but who wants to sit in their own blood on top of sheets of disposable paper products AND can’t shower or wash/wipe at all and you’ve been there for two days?(I was not given or offered any depends or sufficient bottoms when I needed them the most) I had to complain which only made me seem ignorant. I think the worst part of this all was the fact that I only wanted to see my son and no one cared of this fact being as though he was being transferred to Childrens Hospital. Instead, I probably portrayed this angry new mom but in turn, I was concerned for the newborn child I just gave birth to and only held for 10 minutes before he was taken from me to go to the “Transitional Unit” which he ended up in the NICU without my knowledge. Thank You to all the nurses and doctors who shared support and care in taking care of...

I brought my other half to Howard due to she got bit on Sunday by an insect with poison. She had an infection and swollen. Informed by her doctor to go to ER to get the bite area drained.

Arrived, could not believe only 4 free slots for parking for the patients being treated in the ER. If you aren’t able to get these parking spaces then you as a patient have to pay for parking( street parking if any) and paid parking lot. SHAME

Walking into the building, two drinking drunk guys sitting in front of the entrance of the ER. How welcoming?.

The Security staff on duty pleasant and kind. The registration staff one lady stated she wasn’t taking us by saying Oh, no!! I’m going to lunch!! The young lady that serve my other half pleasant and was professional. She told her to take a seat wait for her number to be called.

While waiting we are able to see into triage. He had the door sitting wide open. He was just sitting there chilling. Patients waiting and asking questions.

Finally, he decided to start triage. There were only 2 to triage. The first young lady was throwing up in a bag and my other half. Everyone else in the lobby was homeless wasn’t being treated.

The triage nurse informed my other half oh they aren’t going to drain this. They are just going to give you some cream. Sent her to fast track.

My other half said she had heard a female fussing in the back. We were sitting waiting this young lady comes out the door cussing the physician out. Later on, she apologized to the doctor and was helpful to people coming through the area.

Her friend welp can you say something wasn’t right with him. Before, she came out we thought he was a patient with mental issues. Come to find out they together. Now, they are arguing.

There an older lady sitting by the trashcan. She is homeless. The gentleman across from us. He was wondering why he hadn’t been called. The physician comes back out asked the gentleman his name came to find out he had been kicked out the system and have been sitting there all this time patiently not knowing he was not in the system.

We continue to sit and time was going by. We decided to leave. We walked through the waiting area we once sat in to see more people homeless and people with mental issues within the sitting area.

My other half had an infection from whatever bit her. Her foot was swollen and painful. She also had her foot drained unlike what the triage nurse at Howard University Hospital said. She has been placed on a few meds and required to stay off that foot and return in a few days to make sure everything is resolved. In and out. Don’t understand why this couldn’t...

Dangerously egotistical and incompetent medical care.

My fiancé and I came to Hoaward U Hospital ER this week because my fiancé was experiencing a kidney stone. The doctor told him he needed a CT scan immediately to rule out appendicitis. This is not my fiancé's first kidney stone, so he knows how it feels, and he knows the usual procedure. He asked the doctor about doing a urinalysis, which is the usual first step before moving to a CT scan. My fiancé was reluctant to do a CT scan at all because they are extremely expensive and he always reacts horribly to the reveal dye they use. The doctor, whose bedside manner was already extremely brisk, became immediately condescending and dismissive. "And when the urinalysis comes back and doesn't show blood, what then?" My fiancé responded they usually do a blood test or ultrasound first, and if nothing shows, my fiancé said he would go home and wait another 12 hours to see if the pain persists before agreeing to a CT scan. The doctor said that he would have to sign something stating he agreed to be discharged against medical advice and left. About two hours later, after regularly asking about the status of the urinalysis and having to prod anyone to do anything, one of the nurses came in and handed my fiancé four sheets of paper - the results of his urinalysis. I asked if the doctor was going to come in, and she seemed almost surprised that I expected the doctor to come in and explain lab results to us. Another half hour passed and I went to find the doctor myself, who also seemed surprised we wanted to see him again. He walked in the room and said, "yeah so there was some blood in the urine" [the test result was "LARGE" for blood, when it should be negative]. Stared at my fiancé. My fiancé asked about another indicator that came back positive in the test, and the doctor said "oh, is that in there? yeah, that can mean kidney stones." He then walks out of the room. I had to go and find a nurse to confirm we were even discharged, or what the hell was going on. We didn't sign anything, my fiancé wasn't prescribed anything, he wasn't even really diagnosed. This doctor clearly just wanted to bill our insurance for a CT scan, and when it turned out he was incorrect about the appendicitis, he just decided he was done providing care. We are lucky that this was not a more serious situation, because this man's egotisitical approach to providing medical attention could have extremely serious...