Orlando Health Lake Mary Hospital — Local services in Lake Mary

Review of Hospital Stay During my recent hospital stay to give birth to my newborn, I experienced a mix of technical competence and inadequate emotional support from the nursing staff. While some nurses demonstrated excellent technical skills, their lack of compassion, empathy and patient advocacy was disappointing.

Negative Experiences: • Nurse Brittany: Brittany was not welcoming and often left tasks incomplete. When asked to change the sheets, she only changed the white ones. She checked my vitals but left the pressure monitor on. She did not ensure one of the medication fluids was releasing properly, leading to a leak I discovered. Brittany also rushed my husband out of the labor room while he was ensuring our newborn was fine, making us feel like we were being evicted. • Nurse Bailey: Bailey did not place the hat in the toilet and asked us to record the amount towards the end of her shift at 6:38 PM. She showed concern for my IV needle but dismissed the swelling as normal, despite the redness around the incision. It's been almost 3 weeks and my arm still hurts and I feel bumps in my blood vessel. Bailey did not pick up dirty linens and did not provide guidance on feeding the baby or using the bathroom post-delivery. She did not offer any extended knowledge for newborn care. On day two, when asked about what to look for in the first few days for feeding the baby and bathroom use, she simply pointed to the daily chart without offering further assistance. She did not help when I wanted to shower or provide tips on how to use the bathroom properly due to my womb. When it was time to leave the hospital, she did not help put the baby in the car seat, saying they were not allowed to touch the baby in the seat or make any adjustments. She walked me out of the hospital, and when my husband came back from getting the car, she was not there, and no one inspected the baby’s car seat to ensure it was installed correctly. Bailey's lack of support was very disappointing.

Positive Experiences: • First Nurse & Midwife: The first nurse and midwife were very welcoming, making me feel as if I was in good hands. • Nurse Kirstin: Kirstin was comforting and checked on me frequently. She was very helpful, except when handling the cervix balloon, which the second midwife struggled with. • Nurse April: April was amazing in the level of care she provided for me. She was very attentive and had an eye for detail. She always changed my dirty pads and bed sheets. Her experience was evident, and she made me feel very welcome. • Nurse Nefertiti: Nefertiti was amazing. She was warm, welcoming, attentive, and knowledgeable in caring for both baby and me. She provided verbal guidance and hands-on demonstrations, which were very helpful during the stressful process.

Overall, while some nurses like Nefertiti, Kirstin, and April provided excellent care, the lack of compassion and guidance from others like Brittany and Bailey made my stay less than satisfactory. Nurses should not only be technically proficient but also have empathy towards the person they are caring for and be a patient advocate in order to provide emotional support and practical advice to patients and...

Where do I begin??!! This place is nothing short of amazing! The labor and delivery nurses and staff are kind, professional, compassionate, and very skilled in all they do. I ended up in the OB ED and had to deliver via c-section early. I was nervous as this was not my provider, my provider is 2 hours away and I couldn’t wait that long. Dr. Dance was confident and I trusted her from the moment I met her, that she would take great care of us and she absolutely did. I got to do skin to skin immediately with my baby once she was out and the Anesthesiologist was perfect. She was so compassionate and I felt like I had known her for years. I was floored by the teamwork and synergy that flowed in the OR. This was my 3rd c-section and by far the best experience. Every nurse was amazing, the pediatricians were gentle and compassionate, the housecleaning staff were respectful of privacy and time. You can order meals online and the food is good for hospital food! The mom and baby rooms are large and comfortable. The couch is still a hospital couch, but by far one of the most comfortable to sleep on and it pulls out to create a larger space. Everyone came to see you! The lead and charge nurses personally introduced themselves each shift change, the nurses handed off the patients personally and with introduction, the lactation nurse comes by, the case manager, the techs, and task nurses. They all take the time to be present and let you know they are available and are there for you. And this place is so clean!! Now for the stars of the show, the nurses 🥰, they were top notch. I cannot even begin to explain the level of compassion, understanding, gentleness, and skill that came with these nurses. Kirsten, Allison, and another sweet nurse that I cannot remember her name 😬, in L&D were all exceptionally kind, thorough, and personable. They made me feel comfortable and welcome, never a burden. They were SO good at their job! The momma baby nurses: Christine, Shevon and her trainee, Natasia, and again there is one I am missing… she was with me all day on Thursday, they are nothing short of perfection. Kind, compassionate, patient, understanding… I could go on and on, but I am telling you, if you are on the fence about this place or are just looking for the right place, this is it. I will hands down be back here if I am blessed with another child in the future. I am thankful for Orlando Health...

My daughter called me hysterically crying at 3 am.. I told her get to the ER I would meet her there! Getting in a room was fast! They drew blood and when I stood up I saw a blood vial in the sink.. I opened the door informed the nurse station that there was a vial of blood in the sink.. (me thinking it was missed or forgotten) they told me that was “normal” protocol incase the lab needed more blood! Pretty sure this is not taught in medical school! 😱 No doctor or nurse washed their hands.. She ended up getting an antibiotic, her puppy got ahold of the bottle.. (the dog is fine) she went back to the ER to show them her dog chewed up the pill bottle, they looked at her chart and said, that’s ok you didn’t need the antibiotics.. what?? Like why did it get prescribed anyways then? I will have more reviews but first need to get my mom out of this hospital!! Ok so I have had to come back to this hospital many times in the last 5 months. Once to the emergency room with my mom, the nurse there let my mom sit and cry in pain in the room, while he had to “teach” the new intern the computer, before he would administer her the pain meds the doctor ordered. Unfortunately my mom’s had to have a few surgeries over the past 5 months and this is the hospital her doctor uses.. 1 surgery she had 1 male nurse and like 4 students.. 1 googled the meds that was prescribed, they ungowned my mom from the surgery gown to put on a cloth gown, but just stood around her as she laid their stark naked.. (to let her air out and cool off… imagine 4 men standing over your moms naked body 😳😳 Everyone, I mean everyone has a little side kick (student). X-ray comes in to take X-rays, has a student, transportation comes to get you for surgery.. they have a (teen) their name badge says TEEN! My mom had to moon that poor teen getting up from her chair to get in the hospital bed! We had 4 students trying to figure out how to place the stickers on her for an EKG.. it took 45 mins and one was reading the instructions 🤯. If all you care about is a clean hospital.. this is the place, if you want a decent bite to eat for your money this is the place. If you want competent care without a bunch of kids poking, proding, and using your body for their educational gain.. this is not the...