Bristol Hospital — Local services in Bristol

My mother experienced stroke-like symptoms, EMS was required to transport her to the nearest hospital, Bristol. It was determined she indeed did suffer a stroke. By early afternoon, the same day, she was doing well, she was walking, talking, and eating. She had mildly slurred speech and needed a walker to ambulate but issues that wouldn’t impact her daily life too badly as long as she had physical/occupational therapy. Later that evening (approx. 9pm) a vascular surgeon determined my mother needed surgery on her right carotid artery. We, her family, found out about this surgery from my mother, we never spoke to the surgeon despite our repeated requests to speak to him prior to taking her into the OR first thing the next morning. The surgeon never called afterwards to discuss the surgery, how it went, and how she was doing post-op (not allowed to visit her the same day due to restrictions on visiting hours in the ICU). I did speak to the ICU RN taking care of her that night and was told mom was doing great. I walked into the ICU the moment visiting hours began the next morning, I found my mother completely unresponsive. I demanded the ICU MD and RN respond to the bedside immediately. The ICU MD came storming into the room and yelled at me for disturbing him during his rounds and the RN stated my mother was talking right before I arrived, completely lied. I was informed that the hospital cannot call family with every change in status. Mom had been admitted two days at this point and none of her family was ever called by anyone, RN or MD. The ICU RN reluctantly admitted that prior to my arrival my mother was given THREE rounds of Narcan without improvement in mentation. I demanded a brain MRI and a transfer to another facility better equipped to handle strokes. I was told my mother was too unstable to transfer?? OK, did I miss something? Wasn’t I just told she was talking and “fine”?? My mother experienced brain damage from lack of oxygen and never again walked, couldn’t talk clearly, and she chronically aspirated her food and saliva into her lungs necessitating a feeding tube. She also could no longer control her bowels and bladder. Mom also became quite confused and scared. Instead of posting a sitter with my mother to prevent her from pulling on her IV’s, feeding tube, and to comfort her the hospital resorted to placing her in restraints which increased her agitation exponentially. We asked that she not be restrained and asked to stay 24/7 but both were refused. My family and I were at her bedside from the beginning of visiting hours to the end with her restraints off but as soon as we left she was again restrained. After many weeks a MD called a family meeting, we were told that there was nothing more to be offered. Mom was placed on hospice and died shortly afterwards. I also lost my father recently after he was forced, by EMS, to go to Bristol (he begged to go to St. Mary’s). He sat in the ED for 6-7 hours, with all three of us (his children) at the bedside, two of which are nurses mind you. He had critically elevated cardiac enzymes that indicated he was having a heart attack but we were told he had pneumonia. None of us were informed of his critical troponins being in the 2,000’s, normal is

I was brought to this hospital and in the ER stated I didn't want a male nurse taking care of me because I was assaulted in the past by a male medical staff at Yale's ER. The male nurse who was supposed to take me found out and had a public tantrum in the hallway in front of staff, patients and me. I caught the staff in lies many times. I only saw the doctor once' despite asking a dozen times. I found the staff to be rude, none of the female nurses were nice. They snapped at me. I wanted to leave and the staff physically prevented me from leaving. I was not suicidal or homicidal, but I was kept despite my wishes to leave. I was threatened with security and despite telling them I didn't give them rights to put hands on me they still did. The staff lied to me why they wanted to take blood and urine. They never discussed the results to me, but talked about my personal info to my husband without my concent. I heard the staff talking about me behind my back. I have to take certain medications every six hours or I get really sick. I asked for my meds from around 11pm till 3am. I finally fell asleep and was awoken by a very tall large male nurse giving me my medications 3.5 hours late. I was not to have alone contact with male staff and they knew it. I felt violated even though the male nurse was nice and didn't touch me.

I didn't feel safe at this hospital. I was held against my will till around 8am. I was told you are discharged without discussing my discharge with anybody. I just left as fast as I could scared they would change their minds. Later on the discharge papers I was found to be diagnosed with something I don't have. I will never go to this hospital again. My rights were violated and no...

I have been to BH several times over the years for family members and my own personal output services. The experiences have varied wildly, from easy and pleasant to horrific. My most recent experience will lead to them loosing all my future output business. I went to see a specialist whose office is in their cancer center. Because of this, it is somehow legal for them to charge me twice. Once for the doctor and again a facility bill. I was shocked at such a policy, but I needed to see this specialist and she has no other office. I have been steadily paying off both of my bills monthly since. Would you believe that in the middle of a global health crisis where people’s lively hoods are threatened, when I was consistently paying them a monthly amount they sent a $20.32 balance to collections. What is wrong with these people? Is that the kind of company you are. One who puts $20 over the well-being of members of your community. Nor was I given any warning such would occur. I received no phone call, no e-mail. No letter advising that if the balance wasn’t immediately paid my account would go to collections. I made my monthly payments, obtained receipts proving such and waited till the next month to pay, because it’s not like these are my only bills people! Really, $20 to collections. $20 on a bill that is not even 6 months old. You are probably paying more to have them harass me over a debt I have already fully paid then the $20 you were trying to collect. As I said, I will be taking all of my out patient...