Manatee Memorial Hospital — Local services in Bradenton

Thank you for reaching out for my feedback. I appreciate the opportunity to share my experience during my recent hospitalization at Manatee Memorial Hospital due to a 6.8 mm kidney stone. While I am grateful for the care I received, I encountered several challenges that I believe should be addressed to improve patient experience.

ER Experience & Room Assignment

Upon arrival at the ER, I was informed that I needed hospitalization due to the size of my kidney stone. However, due to limited room availability, I spent several hours in the hallway receiving fluids before being assigned a shared room. My roommate, an 83-year-old patient with a DNR order, moaned throughout the night, and despite my reports to the nursing staff, I was told she was “just dreaming” or had dementia. Her IV fluid alarm frequently went off, yet nurses only responded when I called them.

Additionally, my hospital bed was programmed to move every five minutes, which made resting even more difficult. Due to the medication I was given, I was going to the restroom every 15 minutes, which completely removed the need for the automatic bed movement. I requested multiple times for the bed movement to be turned off, but my request was denied, forcing me to endure unnecessary discomfort throughout my stay.

I strongly believe that routine patients should not be placed in shared rooms with terminal or end-of-life patients. This can be distressing for both individuals and may prevent appropriate rest and recovery for non-terminal patients. A more thoughtful room assignment process would greatly improve patient experience.

Room Transfer Delays

On my second night, I requested a room change due to the unbearable conditions. At 3 AM, I was told a room was available and that I would be moved shortly. However, after the shift change, the new nurse informed me that I would have to wait for another room. By 9 AM, I was still waiting, only to be told that the room originally assigned to me had been given to someone else due to an “emergency.”

I was in distress, unable to rest, and struggling with pain. After escalating my concerns to another nurse, I was immediately moved to a private room, which made me question why my transfer was delayed for so long.

Discharge & Inaccurate Medical Report

On the morning of my discharge, my urologist told me that since my kidney stone had not passed but I was no longer in pain, I could continue treatment as an outpatient. However, the nurse repeatedly told me that my kidney stone had already passed—even though I had not seen it in the strainer and no one had confirmed it. Despite my insistence that I had not passed the stone, my discharge report incorrectly stated that the stone had already passed.

The next day at home, I passed the stone in my urine, proving the discharge report was inaccurate. This raises serious concerns about how medical documentation is handled, the accuracy of patient records, and whether assumptions are being made without proper verification.

Feedback & Suggested Improvements

I am providing this feedback in the hope that these concerns will be reviewed and addressed to improve future patient care. Specifically, I would appreciate clarity on: • How room transfer requests are handled and prioritized. • The hospital’s approach to patient comfort and rest, particularly in shared rooms. • Ensuring discharge reports accurately reflect the patient’s condition and are based on verification, not assumptions. • The possibility of revising patient placement policies to avoid mixing routine patients with those receiving end-of-life care. • Reviewing the automatic bed movement policy and allowing patients to disable it when it is unnecessary, especially when they are frequently mobile.

I have also completed the requested survey to provide structured feedback on my experience. Please let me know if you would like any further details or if there is a formal process for addressing these concerns.

Thank you for your time and for considering my...

Horrible hospital ER! Horrible experience with my son! After we spent an hour searching for parking and another 71/2 hours in the ER, Never seeing a doctor, only a nurse practitioner, my son was finally discharged still in immense pain, not even having the nurse practitioner meet with us prior to leaving, and No diagnosis!!!! The nurse in charge of the "chair care" waiting room wouldn't even get the Tylenol that I had requested for my son as she was more interested to giggling and griping about other employees and patients with her friends than doing her job! 5 minutes after my request she grabbed her backpack and bolted for the day! There was also another very kind lady with us as well in the area waiting for her results. NO ONE came to replace the hateful and rude "nurse" so I had to look for someone. Finally, a very nice nurse (I wish I had gotten her name) that was assigned elsewhere, took pity on us and my son was finally discharged. The ultrasound that we had been waiting for had been released BEFORE the previous "nurse" left but she, apparently, didn't feel the need to release my son who was suffering and just wanted to lie down. The other lady, who had actually waited 30 minutes longer than us, was still waiting on the results of her CAT scan before she could leave without an AMA. I pray that her results were what she hoped for and that she was discharged shortly after us. I hated leaving her there alone, but I had to get my son home to where he could lie down and take some Tylenol since the hospital didn't give him any or even a diagnosis!

Thank you Manatee Memorial for absolutely NOTHING, except for the one shining nurse that finally stepped in and got my son released! I will NEVER go to your ER again! This, I'm sure, doesn't phase you as your lack of care and caring is remarkably obvious! I will be filing a formal complaint with my insurance company.

Unfortunately, I was taken, by ambulance, to this er again in August even tho I begged them to take me to the er on 14th. I had abruptly been taken off of meds that i had been on for 15 years and had spent 6 hours vomiting. I knew i was severely dehydrated but they refused to give me any fluids! I begged, but was denied! 4 days later, still severely dehydrated, i had my neighbor take me to the er on 14th. Although they're connected to mmh, they actually care! The only issue I had was the lack of care when I first arrived by the male nurse. I explained how weak I was and was also experiencing chest pain at that point. I've had heart issues in the past and was terrified! He told me to sit down as there were a lot of ppl in front of me. By the time they called for me i walked 3 feet and hit the floor. My bp had dropped to 74/42! But hey, make me wait.

Once in a room however, i was immediately given fluids...4 bags! The doctor, Dr. Mapes i believe, in charge also ran a plethora of tests on me. He wanted to admit me into the hospital, but after my experiences with the hospital er I refused to go. He took great care of me and if he's reading this i hope he knows how much I truly appreciate that! It took me several weeks to fully gain mobility back again, all quite possibly due to the LACK OF CARE at the hospital er! I wasn't begging for pain meds for Christ sake, I was begging for fluids and was Denied something so simple and so obvious! Had i waited to go back to an er one more day, I wouldn't have been here anymore! Maybe the doctors at the hospital er should be less concerned about looking "elite" in style and be more concerned about...

I believe that many wonderful doctors are there at MMH. My husband does not remember couple of male cardiologists who have very much knowledge and gave him great care while he was in the hospital. However, my husband was in the hospital ER in past November, and he was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed as acute heart failure. He was under the care of several doctors including Dr. Nguyen. When he was released from the hospital, Dr. Nguyen prescribed him several medications including blood pressure medication even he never had any blood pressure problems in the past. Even through, he was prescribed valsartan 80 mg. He is a tall and athletic figure guy, and 120-130 blood pressure is normal. His other medications effect to blood pressure, so why he needs to take 80 mg.....I have blood pressure issues past years; however, my doctor has never given me high blood pressure medication more than 25 mg. Since then his blood pressure has been under 100. He feels so cold and shaking daily. Due to the heat failure, his entire body has been swelling, and the meds which she prescribed has not helped him - actually his condition got worse then he was again admitted to the hospital after the new year. Dr. Nguyen prescribed him different medications at that time when he was discharged, and those medications made him seeing nightmare daily and his left hand has been shaking. He even can’t walk more than few steps now. My husband called her office to change medications a week ago. as his condition is worsening every day with the new medications He can’t breathe normally either. He called his family doctor in East coast Florida today and the doctor thinks the combination of medications causing his issues, and indicated her prescription looks like “textbook prescription”. Experienced doctors normally review patients and their family medical history and then arrange medications for each patient. We understand some side effects by medications; however, clearly he has no improvement and is getting worse with the medications that she prescribed. We are seeking for another doctor to help him asap. He needs right doctor who prescribes right medications for him. Worst experience I’ve never had with medical professionals - those strong medications can potentially cause fatal.side effects.

Since his condition has been continuously worsening with the medications, I took him to another doctor early this week. His new doctor and nurse practitioner took a lot of time to listen his experiences with Dr. Nguyen and prescribed medications by her. They changed medications and gave him different tests and opinions. It has been just a few days, he stopped unnecessary blood pressure medication and with new medications, visually he looks better and he started loosing fluid, and his walking slowly getting better. We now can have a hope!! Like I mentioned, maybe he had improved by now if he had another doctor to prescribe medications at MMH but unfortunately he didn’t have the right doctor at the hospital. We would never recommend Dr. Nguyen anyone.

The attached photo is the medications that Dr. Nyguen prescribed him and my husband can now throw away. Because those meds made him worsening daily!! He had second visit with his new doctor today & he walked by himself to doctor’s office with nonstop. Only one week he has been improving with right...