Wentworth-Douglass Hospital — Local services in Dover

I gave birth to my daughter here last year and I'm giving them two stars ONLY because they followed my birth plan. Several things happened that made our experience less than stellar. First, I have a disability where I am hearing impaired. I can only understand what someone is saying if I can see them speaking because I lip read. Initially they were accommodating and wore clear masks so I could lip read. Then, after I had a false positive on a COVID test, they switched back to regular masks and I could only understand about 20% of what was being said which is very stressful when you're giving birth. I asked for a repeat test because I knew it was bogus and they said they only retest every 24 hours. This impacted our entire experience. No one could leave the room for anything or they would not be let back inside. Our phone chargers and everything were still in the car. We got there at 6:30pm and I gave birth at 9:30pm. I labored at home as long as possible because I was afraid they would try to induce me, which I was adamant I didn't want and spent every appointment the last month of pregnancy arguing with my obstetrician team about. They were saying I needed it and my last Obstetrician (who was the BEST) several states away agreed that I did not need it. I had midwives calling me from this hospital asking why I wasn't showing up to the inductions that were scheduled. I initially called to cancel them, but stopped cancelling them when a midwife from this hospital asked, "Is your OB in agreement with this?" Like EXCUSE ME, WHAT??!! This is my body and my pregnancy. I have the final say. Obviously, they have forgotten this. These people work for us, not the other way around. When we arrived at the hospital, my significant other asked for a wheelchair for me and the whole way to the room, the nurses made it sound like I was being ridiculous for wanting a wheelchair because I wasn't in any apparent pain that they could tell. It turned out that I was already 5.5 cm dilated and then their tune changed. I hadn't eaten much during the day due to anxiety so after I gave birth and got settled, I was starving, but no one could even leave to go get food due to my false positive COVID test. So myself, my mother, and my significant other were starving. The cafeteria was closed and they only had small things to offer us like popsicles. During my epidural, my mother had to leave the room (ridiculous!) and it took almost 40 minutes for her to return. This was my third birth and this has never happened before. When she asked to speak to someone higher up about this, they sent in the head nurse and SHE WAS SO RUDE! She does not need to be in charge of diffusing situations because her whole attitude and tone of voice even pissed me off listening to how she was speaking to my mother, talking over her and not letting her speak. This "lady" (more like b*tch) does not need to be having any interactions with patients at all. The coward wouldn't even give us her last name because we were going to report her. The day after giving birth, they moved us to a very secluded part of the pediatric ward where there was literally no one and I had to spend the remainder of my stay in a small 80lb limit pediatric bed. I have zero doubt this was due to the false positive COVID test. No one else was moved. Btw, my COVID test 24 hours later was negative and even the nurse commented on how stupid the whole process was. Currently expecting again and at the moment, I'm still seeing my old obstetrician office, but I'm considering changing due to my experience last time at this hospital and my OB office. What this hospital did by not accommodating my disability was illegal and I do plan on contacting an attorney to ensure it never happens again. The fact that they are stuck in 2020 with this much fear over COVID is beyond ridiculous. I hope anyone reading this decides to consider this experience before going here to give birth. I've lived in many other places and I'm convinced New England has the worst physicians and hospitals....

I went into the urgent care because earlier in that day I had experienced two separate episodes of extreme stomach discomfort followed by a feeling that someothing was wrong. I can only describe it as a gut feeling that something is going to happen. About half the time this feeling is followed by convulsions ranging from a gentle shake to a muscle tensed, violent jerk and twitch. I have seen several specialist for this and nobody has been able to tell me what's wrong. But it has been about 13 months of tests and having doctor after doctor not take me and my fiance seriously because we are in our early adulthood. I was rushed in when I explained what was going on. I got a room emedietly. Natural my fiance was very confused and scared so she was teary. The nurse who came into the room and saw me and my fiance hand in hand obviously very frightened. she asked what was going on and when i tried to explain she kept making jokes at the way i was speaking. I found this esspeccually offrensive because i already have a stutter to start and the seizure earlier had made it difficult to speak. She then asked my fiance about my symptoms and my fiance began to tear up. She interrupted my fiance several times telling her not to cry anymore. The entire time the nurse was very inappropriately grinning from ear to ear as if we were children acting beyond reason. She left the room for about 15 minutes. My fiance pointed out to me that my heart rate became abnormal and arithmetic for a few seconds. I started to have nausea at this point followed by the gut feeling i have before an episode. with everything going on didn't want to risk missing anything that may help to get a step closer to finding out what's wrong. When we asked the nurse if anything was wrong she swiftly entered the room and said to my fiance: "well if you're going to sit here and watch the monitor I'm just going to unhook him." She then without even a second thought unhooked me from the monitors I was on. I then informed her that i thought i was about to have a seizure and she smiled at me and once more told me to focus on something else and i would be fine. She then wheeled the monitors out into the hall and closed the door behind her. Leaving my fiance and I without medical supervision despite already being made aware that i thought I might have another episode. A few minutes later I did start to tense uo and quiver for a few seconds. Followed by unresponsivness involuntary moaning and light muscles twitches and spasms. As it was happening by coincidence a different nurse came in and took one look at me and said out loud with confidence that I wasn't having a seizure and I just needed to calm down. He adjusted me into bed because I had slipped about half way out of bed during the episode. He then told my fiance to not let me slip out of the bed then he walked out of the room and once again my fiance and I were left completely unattended and this time while I was mid seizure. I was now in my phase of being very incoherent and unresponsive. At this point I black out for several minutes and try to talk but I cannot get out more than gibberish from what I have been told by those who've seen me in my episodes. Because I am blacked out at this point I don't remember what happened during the next few minutes. When I became coherent the male nurse from earlier was next to my finance helping me out if the episode. He came back with pills that he without hesitation unpackaged and told me to take because they'd help. He'd just given me adivan. Adivan is a depression and anxiety medicine that they give also to people with seizures to relax their muscles. This did help me to relax after my episode. When i could speak again i talked to one of the hospitals social workers and I told her about what happened. People go to the ER because we need help. Not judgement. I only hope that nobody else had to experience the poor health care service I did at Wentworth-Douglass. And I hope the nurses responsible are...

My health odyssey started in my home state of RI at what I would describe as a sort of field hospital or front line infirmary. After a quick triage and a few night stay, the burned out staff realized that I had some concerning health issues and in a display of humility they where honest enough with themselves to admit that they were lacking and inadequate and that I would receive better care elsewhere….but where!?!?! That’s when the elder case worker spoke of a mythical healthcare facility located somewhere in the distant North and although this place be just legend to them, they felt that the risk would be worth the reward, so they began assembling a traveling party to accompany me on my voyage. Like some JRR Tolkien novel, myself and a small team of brave men set out to find the fabled medical kingdom (and cat scan machine that could accommodate my dimensions) in the fantasy land known as DOVER located somewhere in the region of Hampsire After a long and arduous journey, full of compelling and captivating action and adventure, the fellowship and I managed to locate the long sought after, storied healthcare facility known as the Wentworth Douglass Hospital and Emergency Room. Immediately upon my arrival, I was whisked away to a well kept, modern, ample sized dorm in which I would reside while under the care of the staff. The hardworking and skilled nurses and CNAs quickly came in and began their evaluation and begun thier ritual of taking note of my vital functions. Horrified by my tales of prior care, they showered me with compassion and offered me fresh food and drink, a much need comfort after my arduous voyage. Admittedly in the beginning, I was a bit standoffish. I had never experienced the level of care that I was receiving and in turn I may have been a little difficult and for that i’m sorry, for without their dedication, I would be lost today. Over the next few days and nights, a gamut of ultra scientific tests were done with results being computed by the top scientists of the land. The entire medical team worked hand and hand in a series of ebbs and flows, preforming in a precise routine mimicking that of an elite figure skating team or synchronized swimming squad, It was enthralling. Throughout my entire stay, I was visited daily by the chief medicine person, Yana, who would inform me about my status and their strategy to properly diagnose and treat me and provide me with a future battle plan to try and correct the damage I had inflicted upon my body. I was happy where I was, making friends with the locals and enjoying their culture. Sadly though, all things come to an end and after several days of unrelenting care, there was nothing left the people of WDH could do for me and it was apparent that I needed to go back from whence I came. As the brave case workers fought the evil “providers” to equip me with my various necessities for recovery, my departing vessel was prepared. As I was leaving, reality set in… I wasn’t about to leave these people… I was about to leave… these friends. I’ll never forget the time I spent at WDH, lasting connections with so many people I can’t even remember all their names. I’m so very thankful for discovering that place and for all the wonderful people that cared for me. In closing, let me summarize. The rooms were updated, clean and spacious. Food and kitchen staff was A+. The specialist I talked to were extremely informative. Case workers are very hard working. My doctor, Yana, was amazing. Clearly skilled, intelligent and educated, you really could tell that she cared. Lastly the entire nursing team from the 3rd floor, you are all rockstars!! Every single nurse and cna I dealt with was professional, attentive, compassionate and personable. You all made a scary and confusing situation bearable to deal with and I can’t thank you enough!! Next time I get a sniffle i’ll be making the 2 1/2hr ride back for some sweet sweet Wentworth...