Thomas Jefferson University Hospital — Local services in Philadelphia

While waiting for my fiancé to come out of surgery, the two employees in room GW8210 made it this is the last place you want to come for surgery if you have to deal with people like them. The way it started. At 6:30am, I asked Rita where the cafeteria was, what time the cafeteria opened and if I could bring food back up. Rita said it was okay and that the kitchen opens at 7. I didn't ask if I could get something to drink because I had ok in my bag that I bought from home. I go down to the cafeteria at 6:50am and got me a platter with bacon, eggs and a hash brown, and separate platter with French toast, an $8.00 bowl of fruit, a pretzel, a 20 oz pepsi and butter, syrup, napkins, 2 forks and a spoon and carried it all on a tray that I carried back upstart to room GW8210. To get back in this room, you have to walk pass Rita, who was there at the desk when I got back. My receipt shows I cashed out at 7:08am and I went straight back to room GW8210. AT 8:45AM, I was told in a very rude manner that food isn't allowed on the floor. Not only was it say in a very rude manner, but I was embarrassed because if the way it was said and in a room with over 10 people. I go Crystal and explained that I was told that it was okay by Rita because I asked her before I did anything and I also asked the young lady in the cafeteria if it was okay to take it up because she was the one who told me to get a tray for ALL the food that I had. I paid for my food and piled everything on the tray and proceed back to room GW8210. I walk in the room and go back to the seat I originally was at because I left my bag with my laptop in it as well as my bag that had work documents in it because I was told it was okay to bring my food back upstairs. After Crystal rudely made her comment to me about the food I had not being allowed, I went to the desk and told Crystal the way she said it was uncalled for because I had the okay. She proceeds to telling me the way she spoke to me was called for because they're in charge of that area and then asked if Rita was the one who told me it was okay. Then Rita tried to say she told me it was okay to bring a drink and not food but again, I had orange juice in my bag so I didn't need anything to drink. Again I reiterated how unnecessary it was to speak to me in the tone she did because not only was I given the okay but I'm in the SURGICAL WAITING AREA. Not that people waiting for someone to come out of surgery has the okay to not follow the rules but it's called being empathetic due to the situation. We had to be here at 5am which means I was tired and I kept apologizing to anyone that experienced my sleepiness. I'm a rule follower because I don't like being embarrassed so I know I did what I was told. Rita then says I can't see behind this wall to know you had food but all my food was fresh so it can be smelled. I had this tray of food on my lap for over one and a half hours so again, if it was allowed, there was plenty of opportunity to stop me or tell me within that 1.5 hours. My first encounter with Crystal was instant nastiness. I don't know if she didn't feel like coming to work but she has a nasty demeanor and Rita straight up lied about the entire encounter. I'm not a confrontational and never been that type. I'm also not the type to make a complaint against a person because we all need our jobs but I made an exception today because the entire situation was uncalled for and to be embarrassed because I did what I was told isn't okay. I will rewrite this post everyday until something is done. Crystal needs training in customer service and Rita need to stay off her phone and pay attention to the area "they're in charge of" since Crystal felt so strongly about being rude to get a point across. Would I refer Thomas Jefferson for surgery? Hell no especially if people have to interact with a Rita or Crystal. Next stop is a letter to corporate. Attached is the picture of the food I carried on a tray back to room GW8210. Rita, if you were paying attention to the area, how did I get all this past...

Our experience was horrendous! My husband had shoulder surgery by our Rothman Dr. & it needed to be at a high level Hospital rather than an outpatient surgical facility. Jefferson was where it was scheduled. Everything leading up to surgery was good, preop nurses were great. Surgery was good. No issues with our Orthopedic Drs. The trouble started after surgery in the lack of attention by Jefferson Docs & the most part the nursing staff. What was to be an over night stay has so far turned into 3 days and counting. Some risks come with surgery which we understand, my husband did suffer a mild heart attack after surgery. What was horrible was the care after the heart attack. I was not there when it happened and my husband had to call to tell me. I immediately called to speak to his nurse to get updated before I immediately drove to the hospital. His nurse Bridget on the 9th floor and yes I am putting her name on blast, this is just the beginning of my complaints about her, was not only rude, non sympathetic, uncaring, showed zero empathy, but she huffed, puffed and made it blatantly clear she could careless about anything going on with my husband “her patient” when asked if he had a heart attack & could she give me any info before I drove 40 minutes to the hospital myself, her answer was ( which a deep sigh) no idea, they are moving him to another floor and I won’t be his nurse in an hour so ask them when you get here. HELLO?! Seriously?!?! Then I said I really need information on what happened , he has cardiac history and I need to speak to a doctor, she said then you’ll have to wait and put me on hold and never came back. I then got the the hospital and his new nurse was fantastic in attention to my husband. I told his new nurse what happened and he told me he got the same attitude from the previous nurse as well. Stating when he asked for patient hand off and info she was short and would not give him what was asked so he had to go to a computer and get his info that way. Totally unacceptable! For one nurse to treat another nurse that way on a patient hand off is not only inconsiderate and rude but dangerous! For 2 days I could not get any Drs, to tell me what happened, to give me test results, course of action etc. I had to look on the portal and call friends in the medical field to explain the results to me. I put in several requests to have drs call me or come in his room to talk to me. At this point I was nervous because I’m being told he’s not being treated for a heart attack but troponine levels were high, I asked for 2 days straight if he definitely had an attack, how big, little, was it surgery related or from a blockage. No answers. Finally a doc from ortho called me after he came in to change a bandage and my husband asked him to call me. He was great and tried to answer my questions but again he’s ortho not cardiac. Day 3 a cardiologist finally called and confirmed it was a minor attack. Now I’m aggravated because he wasn’t being treated for one. Has a nerve block catheter in his neck and I was promised they would show me how to remove it and when to. Still nothing on that. Day 3 still in his neck and nobody is even attending to him. Cardiac doc this morning said they will get him up and walking before they decide to discharge him, it’s 2:30 pm nobody has come in. He is just walking on his own with no assistance to make sure he’s ok. At this point he’s just renting a room at this hospital. Now let’s address this hospital is beyond filthy. Public restrooms everywhere smell like a subway, smells of straight urine. Toilets clogged, floors wet from urine. Sinks filthy, trash over filled, birds flying around the cafeteria and the rudest employees from security to cafeteria. Everyone’s just got there heads in their phones, even calling to put an order in for patient food was a battle. I think a lot of employees here do not like their jobs and it shows! This is suppose to be a top notch university and honestly the aftercare for the most part is...

I loved the nurses and the doctors, there are none better. My nurses, Tammy, Tanya, and Bobby were the best, very concerned for my well being and took great care of me for my entire stay. The doctors are friendly and they explain everything well. I had pretty major problems however. First, because there were no rooms for surgery patients, many of us spent the entire day in recovery waiting for rooms. In recovery there weren't enough people to help, there wasn't enough attention, there was basically no food unless you begged for more than crackers, and it took over an hour after I was awake to get something to drink or even ice chips. For spine surgery you're supposed to be up and moving, but in recovery you have to stay in bed. It was extremely painful lying in one position for what amounted to 8 hours. I arrived at 4:45 am for surgery at 6:45. I was in recovery around 10 am but didn't have a room until dinner time (actually missed dinner too). A kind recovery nurse went to the trouble to find me food but it was a dry sandwich and after having a breathing tube that wasn't going to work. My poor husband sat in the patient waiting room for over 10 hours and still didn't get to see me, so they "allowed him" to visit recovery for 10 minutes before he was told he had to leave. Also there's no provision for patients to use a rest room in recovery so I had to use a bed pan when I was supposed to be up walking around. Worst day of my life for sure, and only got better when I finally had a room and some nurses who had time for me (sometime around 6 that night). This is in no way reflecting on ANY of the hospital staff who did their best, this is a problem with the way the hospital is run. Recovery nurses are there to help you wake up and start functioning (make sure you're safe) - not to care for you all day because they do not have the resources. I couldn't have my phone or anything even 8 hours after waking up because it wasn't allowed. This terrified my mother who lives out of state and was expecting to be able to speak to me. Communication with my husband wasn't the greatest either, it was hours before anyone told him what was taking so long. If I was only reviewing the hospital this score would be 0-1, I gave it 2 because my nurses deserve the highest scores possible (5's). If you're going to leave people in recovery all day, TELL the family and make provisions so the patients can be comfortable while waiting for that long. People who have fasted and had a breathing tube and need food can't eat anything hard or dry, period. Again, not the nurses fault, they were all great but had too many patients down there way past the time they should have been caring for them. I was originally pleased to be going to such a fine hospital and I will never go back. Local suburban hospitals without the Jefferson name do a much better job of taking care of their patients after surgery. I wish I could rate the nurses separately from the facility because they were all fantastic. This goes along with a pretty negative post I did about pre-admission testing too. Overall I had a horrible experience and only your wonderful nurses and doctors made it bearable. I'm a person who almost never posts reviews unless something goes very well or very wrong - and even then I am forgiving of mistakes. This was no mistake, orderlies told me it happens a lot. UNFORGIVABLE treatment when a patient is going through something scary enough as it is. The only saving grace is that your employees are professional and they really care about their patients. Please give kudos to...