Holy Family Hospital – Methuen — Local services in Methuen

I was voluntary patient of holy family's ED and inpatient of their psych ward called St. Dymphna's.

The ED: Had a lot of noise, yet they would not give me ear plugs because apparently, they are a potential risk to psych patients. My phone was taken away immediately, which is often typical of for psych cases. I waited in the ED for many hours and was told I may have had to stay in the ED waiting for 2-3 days until a bed clears in the hospital psych ward or another facility's. At some point I was moved to a holding room for psych patients in the ED to make room in the hallway and it literally felt like a jail cell. ED noises were still very audible even while in the room. Since it was difficult to sleep due to the noises and there being literally nothing to do, the experience was agonizing.

Being an inpatient in the Psych Ward called Saint Dymphna's upstairs: I got my own room and didn't have to share with another patient due to the low staffing not being able to accommodate more patients despite bed numbers. They were more strict about what you could/couldn't have as opposed to another facility I was at. No drawstrings, no metal spiral binding books, no hoodies (even if you took the drawstrings out yes), no typical "long" colored pencils?..., and no media hours (meaning no phone and computer access). The cafeteria room has a tv that inpatients can watch. No caffeine in any of the drinks and no outside food or drinks allowed. Visiting hours were 6-8pm and visitors had to call saint D dept first to arrange the visit. Yes they do mandatory strip searches of your body by two staff of your gender at this facility when you first enter.

Nurse staff Oliver, Michelle, and Aggrey were bees knees. Other memorable staff were (sorry if I get spelling wrong) Laurie, Liz, Robbert, and Bobbie. Robbert always helped lift the mood of a room and supplied plenty of dad jokes and stories. OT staff Adam was pretty funny and charismatic too whereas OT Lily's wavelength was easy for me to relate and chat with casually during the many craft groups I attended with her. The OT psychoeducational, cbt, and dbt groups at this facility were really well guided by the staff and I felt that during my experience in this facility's groups that I was able to digest a lot more content per group and apply it to my life issues or goals before the groups ended than I have been able to at other facilities or groups.

I wasn't a fan of the charge nurse Isaiah because the shifts he had ran were the shifts where I had the most issues with night staff barging into my room without knocking while I was naked or on the toilet. One staff member Ed was kind of frazzled that I asked him to knock after he walked in on me in the bathroom getting changed, but he continuously did so after I asked him. The following day's night shift another staff member named Magna waltzed in and even had the audacity to go back and forth with me with the door wide open when I repeatedly told her to close the door multiple times with each time increasing in volume. She had opened the door after closing it briefly to have a round 2 with me (still with me on the toilet pants down) on why she felt it was necessary to just barge in without notice, concern for my state of decency, or how I felt about my dignity being taken away. I called the human rights worker ext provided by the hospital in hopes to address it, but the worker never showed any signs of life by the time I was discharged. That was very disappointing as if the issue had persisted, I would have been reliant on them to help me resolve the issue, but they were nowhere to be heard from or found. I am a SA victim and I had to fight the staff more than I should have to get the respect I deserved regarding this.

The weighted blankets were kind of meh and weird. They were heavy vinyl cloth slabs that easily slid off of you or took your body heat. The dessert options were criminal or just outright lies. custard = vanilla pudding and frosted brownie = gluten free chocolate brick WITHOUT frosting. 😭 At least they...

I very rarely write review s but I am not only floored in regards to the treatment I received, I would also say that it was indeed ABUSE. I have been a nurse since 2013. I have gained a lot of experience working in LTC, a subacute private practice for a very reputable MD, on a COVID unit at a reputable hospital, and a retirement home for Nuns. I became a nurse because I genuinely enjoy helping others. I took my oath when sworn in as a Nurse very seriously "Do No Harm." During my practice, I have made mistakes, and when I did I was forthcoming. I treat every patient with respect, dignity and compassion no matter if I'm overloaded, exhausted, overworked, whatever may be going on in my environment. Never shaming, assuming, rudeness, or treating someone as if I am above them. I went to HFH Methuen 6/24, I could barely drive myself there, I had pain shooting from my lower back down to both ankles, I had urinary incontinence, the pain was 10/10, dizziness, nausea, weakness, disequilibrium. I described this to the woman at intake (who was very kind) I could not sit in the lobby chair and knelt in front of the chair until the triage Nurse "Amanda" called my name. I waved and said Hi, would you mind getting me a wheelchair. She said "Why?" I said "because I'm having a hard time walking" she huffed and puffed, was very put out by this request. She came back with the wheelchair and stood there while I tried to lower myself into the seat, my back was in full spasm and I was in tears, she didn't offer any help. I was in the chair and she angrily wheeled me toward triage room, audibly sighing, and I found myself apologizing to her, saying I was sorry for the inconvenience. We get in the room and I tell her my symptoms and history, that I was concerned it could be a spinal injury.Another Nurse came in and took my vitals, I continued having severe spasms, and the Nurses kept looking at each other making eyes almost as if they thought I was putting on a show. The other nurse handed me a urine spec cup, I asked her if someone could assist me in the bathroom, I couldn't stand well. She bent down and looked at me and said in the most demeaning tone "Does someone at home help you to the bathroom?" I couldn't believe it, I screamed at her, and she began backpedaling denying what she had just sai, and asked an associate "can you help her to the bathroom" giving him the eyes, wheeled me back to the lobby. I hobbled myself to the bathroom and was shaking and couldn't stand well trying to get the sample, I urinated all over my hand. Hobbled back to my chaa phlebotomist came and took me back and drew my blood. I said do I give my sample to you? She said "They'll take it when they call you" an hour went by, I held the sample up asking theNurse who triaged me "Do I give this to you?" She quickly said "They'll take it when they call you " I sat there a total of 3 1/2 hrs with my urine on my lap, when I finally had enough and decided to leave. As I pulled out of the parking lot, they were calling me. I was so humiliated, horrified, and in pain that I just drove myself home. I endured extreme pain until I could could reach my PCP the next day. This will indeed...

Totally incompetent facility. On 10/6 arrived at 11:22 pm location the ER called into a room at 4 am on 10/7 well near a room in the hallway, sitting across from the desk and finally seen by a doctor to ask what’s going on at 6:35 am to be told it will probably be another 4-5 hours of testing. Also told I will give you pain medicine after 7 hours waiting in the waiting room clenching my chest in agonizing pain. Watching people leave one after the other that had been there for five hours plus waiting and they couldn’t wait to be seen any longer. Watching smaller problems getting taken care of watching the secretaries take more people then they should over and over again lying about the wait time and say just take a seat and the nurses will be with you soon. Yes the nurse will be with you soon to take your vital signs and check you in so they can charger insurance while you sit there for 7+ hours with no care. Zero compassion from anyone I sat there in pain, struggling, but didn’t cause a scene struggle to keep it together and watch others cause scenes going up to the window over and over again being told is three or four people in front of you there’s no beds etc lies and staff talking ignorantly to the customers. What a big joke this place is. People sleeping everywhere. Looks like a Third World country or a socialist country we’re free care cause long wait times but you are collecting money the minute you stick a thermometer in my mouth. I left and went to the Mass General and receive the best care of my life. Everyone at holy family that day regardless, if it’s their fault or not being understaffed was ignorant, rude, heartless, and cruel. The doctor was condescending to me, and you could tell he and all of them were overwhelmed. But don’t worry when the bill comes from you my portion and the big one that comes from the Mass General. I will be bringing you to small claims court and you’ll be paying for all those bills plus damages for me sitting there for seven hours in the waiting room, struggling in pain and witnessing and documenting everybody leavening . Also I have videos from once I finally got into the room of you’re two orderlies sitting in front of me, African-American men talking inappropriately about patience, patients. Patients privacy being spoken of by other staff. I had to sit there and listen about a person that passed away his all his information because I was sat in the hallway in the emergency room. Someone who died at 0418 hours as you stated of septic shock that was born in 1940 then I have video of your orderly or whoever they are nodding off multiple times head falling back in the chair watching TikTok and using the computer at the desk for personal use. You guys are unbelievable. The elderly man in the room behind my special hallway room wall was yelling for help because he was cold and the TikTok sleeper staff member was upset he had to respond to give him a blanket. You’re a joke and should be held accountable. The state will be contacted to report you and I will be holding you...