I had the worst hospital experience of my life. I went to the ER at 6 PM and noticed that patients who checked in after me were being called back for their vitals first. When I complained, they claimed they had called my name, but I hadn't responded. It turned out they were calling me by my middle name, which is how I was registered.
Once they fixed that issue, I was taken back for triage. However, the setting was not private at all; staff members were walking in and out and having casual conversations while I was trying to discuss sensitive health information with the nurse. I was then sent to a bathroom in the lobby to provide a urine sample and had to bring it back through the waiting room to leave with registration, after which I had to wait again.
After another hour, I was called back to provide my financial details and then sent back to the waiting room again. While I waited, I saw patients who had arrived hours after me being called back for less serious conditions. When I asked the receptionist about this, they explained that they had 23 beds and 26 patients, so they prioritized those less likely to need to stay overnight.
Keep in mind that I was there because we suspected I had appendicitis. After another hour, I was called back for bloodwork and then returned to the waiting room. I was nearly ready to leave and find another hospital after a 45-minute wait when I heard that they were prepping a room for me. I was finally called back at 9:30 PM, and as we walked toward the room, I noticed nurses sitting and chatting, with five empty rooms available.
The nurse who saw me was nice, but the female doctor, Megan Guffey, was rough and rude. She lacked bedside manner and didn't seem to listen. After forcefully pressing on my stomach in multiple areas to find the source of my pain, she lifted my leg and struck my heel with her palm to jolt my body, asking, "Does that hurt?" I was confused because I was there for a possible appendix issue and replied, "Yes, that leg was broken eight months ago!" She then moved to my other leg and did the same thing before asking if I felt pain in my abdomen.
She said she would schedule an ultrasound and that my bloodwork looked fine before leaving the room. The nurse mentioned she would give me morphine and Zofran, and I asked for a cracker since my stomach was empty. She said she would ask and let me know, but she never returned with an answer.
After the ultrasound, which the tech was nice during, the nurse returned and asked if I needed anything. Still waiting for results, I requested a sip of water or ice chips. Once again, she said she would check and vanished. The doctor (Guffey) returned at 11:35 PM with her personal belongings, clearly preparing to leave. She said I had a small amount of fluid in my fallopian tube near my ovary and that there was nothing more they could do.
I mentioned a hard lump in my abdomen that was sore, just to the right of my belly button and below my rib. She said my labs were fine, so she had no reason to examine it. I expressed my concerns, but she insisted nothing needed further investigation, stating she would discharge me and that the nurse would come in shortly to assist with my discharge.
The nurse never arrived, and since it was midnight, I decided I had waited long enough. I got dressed, removed my own IV, and walked out to find several nurses sitting at the nursing station. When I asked about my discharge papers, they looked confused, and one nurse said, "Oh, she didn't get them yet? They're on so-and-so's desk."
I finally got my paperwork and left. I do not recommend this hospital for any emergencies--steer clear of that place!
Less than 12 hours later, I was admitted to a different hospital for an abdominal infection that was spreading rapidly. I had to be treated with four different antibiotics, three of which were administered through an IV, for 3 days!
I can only imagine where I would be right now if I hadn't sought a...
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