Vanderbilt Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Vanderbilt Stallworth — Local services in Nashville-Davidson

My husband had a brain injury after a heart attack and we were sent to Stallworth after the initial critical care unit experience. He was anxious, not sleeping and having trouble swallowing. I never left him by himself - they allowed me to sleep on a cot next to his bed. I am a nurse. The nursing/medical staff are not up tp par. They are understaffed and therefore, many things are overlooked, or untimely done - too late. I would never leave my loved one by themselves at Stallworth. The speech therapist recommended that he be sent across the street the the main hospital for a swallow test - his Stallworth Dr (assigned to us) said they don't send patients out for those test while at Stallworth. My husband was choking on water. He was dehydrated, not eating (choking) and not sleeping well. I insisted they send his urine for culture and that took 48 hrs to happen. He did have a kidney infect (my husband was born without a bladder - so his urine drained in to a Foley bag that hung on the side of his bed - very easy to see - his urine was the color of dark tea). This infection caused problems physically and mentally as UTI's can do in many people. The the therapists labeled him as unwilling to do therapy. When he arrived at Stallworth he was extremely motivated to recover - and kept saying, "I promise, I WILL walk again!" "I am going to recover and go back to work". He is an overcomer and has overcome so much in his life, but this facility was horrible and set him back greatly. He left depressed and sick. We left Stallworth when discharged and was taken across the street for a swallow test. The swallow test showed he was aspirating what went in his mouth into his lungs. He should have been given regular tube feeding and water into his PEG tube that he came there with. His care was so mis-managed. Therapy is their strong suit, but if there is anything medical that makes therapy difficult STALLWORTH CANNOT HANDLE IT!!! I am a Vanderbilt Nursing School Graduate and I was so disappointed. My brother and I had a group meeting with my husbands Dr, case manger, CEO, and charge nurse on his floor to let them know about the unacceptable care we had been given. They tried to put things into place that would help the situation, but were unable to carry them out. We were unfamiliar with Brain injuries and the resources that were available to us. We found out a year after leaving Stallworth that they had a resource guide to give patients/families with Brain injuries and nothing was ever mentioned about it. It sure would have helped greatly to have had that information a year earlier. So...

While on vacation in Nashville, TN in early September, I took a nasty fall and shattered the tibia plateau just below my knee. After 2 weeks at Tri-Star Hermitage Hospital, I needed to select a 24/7 Rehab facility and, after investigating several in the area, I heard tremendous things about Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation. I had to wait a number of days for an opening to emerge and from the very start, I knew I would be in good hands. Dr. Johns was my physician and he and his team saw me on a daily basis to ensure I was getting good care, explaining the course of treatment, answering all my questions and making sure all of my concerns were addressed. The nurses and techs were extremely respectful, compassionate and made sure all of my needs were met. The custodial staff were so polite, respectful and efficient in everything they did. The Physical and Occupational Therapist were AMAZING! I was not able to bend or place any weight on my injured leg, so they had to ensure that I could navigate using a walker, and a wheelchair. They had to get my body in shape to handle all of the day to day activities of managing my altered world with only one good leg. What I was able to accomplish in 3 weeks time was remarkable. I was pretty out of shape when I arrived and, when I was discharged last week, I felt confident and prepared (with the help of good friends at home), to stay safe and injury free while my healing continues. I will start the next phase of rehab next month to begin using my injured leg to get my life back back to normal. The foundation the dedicated staff at Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehab created for me has been critically instrumental for my road to recovery. They are a facility "par excellence"! I wholeheartedly recommend Vanderbilt Stallworth for...

Our experience at this facility was not in the least conducive to TBI healing and rehab. In fact, where we had progressed with TBI during hospitalization at VUMC quickly regressed and fell apart at Stallworth. We went from transferring and toileting well at arrival to lying for hours in cold, soiled adult pull-ups. Room temp was set at 55. Tried calling nurse, but call remote was unplugged from the wall. Wrapped in blanket and walked to neighboring bed away from windows, then was restricted to no getting out of bed and a 24/7 aide/watcher in the room, who did nothing to help and closed the curtain to avoid seeing us clean up soiled diapers ourselves. PT/OT was good, but fell extremely short overall in the nursing care needed for a TBI and sanitation requirements for post surgical with being forced to lay in soiled pull-ups for hours. Cell phone went missing on Day 4, but charging chord was neatly unplugged and wrapped atop the bedside table. Additionally an earache went unchecked for 3 days, after a doctor popped in and said he would return. Never came back, even though we asked 3 times. On day 5 we were readmitted through Vanderbilt ER with Staph and sepsis. This facility was negligent in nursing care and poorly slow in responding to tell tale signs that an infection was brewing. When transferred to the VUMC ER from Stallworth, was left sitting in a wheelchair, in a full ER waiting room, unaccompanied. Not the way any TBI patient should be discharged/discarded. The phone made its way back a week later to VUMC patient room. That’s about the best thing we can report of Stallworth. Should not be listed as a...