normiss 622 #1 July 17, 2007 So I was fortunate enough to spend the ENTIRE night in an Orlando emergency room last night. wow. I could not believe it was only Monday. People do stupid things to themselves and we have a shitty way of taking care of old folks. 1) kids that cannot behave in public - parents with no desire to actually parent 2) kids that behave impressively in public - parents that love and care for their children and it shows 3) rednecks that should not be seen in public, rude manners, rearranging the waiting room furniture to their personal liking at the expense of those around them, mother saying in full earshot of everyone "Fuck I hope they give this child some drugs cause she's driving me crazy" - husband figure was the patient....kid was being a kid with no discipline 4)bitter drunk lady in her mid 40's, abused by husband, in the middle of breakup, drinks to kill herself - should succeed soon according to dr's 5)poor old lady who had suffered a stroke in the past, fell and broke hip and knee, all she could do is screm HELP ME - ALL EFFING NIGHT LONG 6)VERY old sweet black man, fell and split his head open, also ripped out his catheter and was bleeding all over 7)mother of three, blood alcohol content at .30, kids at home, she was knocked out FINALLY after fighting with staff and threatened repeatedly with arrest 8)woman attempted suicide with alcohol and pills 9)a very large gentleman was baker acted after getting violent in public, brought in handcuffed, restrained on gurney by 10 security guards and cops 10)large number of people, some speaking only Spanish, who simply needed office visit type help with colds and general checkup stuff.... God what a fucked up system we have in this country...what a sad night last night was. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Squeak 17 #2 July 17, 2007 why were you there?You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SWATcop 0 #3 July 17, 2007 ORMC? Kevin Muff Brother #4041 Team Dirty Sanchez #467 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 622 #4 July 17, 2007 Winter Park Memorial ER (a Florida Hospital Collection Agency), my fiance'e has been having some chest pains and left arm tingling...so she's going through all the heart testing routines. so far all is good...fuckers insisted on full payment of deductible prior to admitting her Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SWATcop 0 #5 July 17, 2007 I spent the WHOLE day in that same ER with my grandfather two months ago. Heart problems and no beds available. Kevin Muff Brother #4041 Team Dirty Sanchez #467 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 622 #6 July 17, 2007 we arrived in the ER at just after 4 pm...she got a bed at 3:15 am Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hobie331 0 #7 July 17, 2007 Quote fuckers insisted on full payment of deductible prior to admitting her Must have decent insurance. I wonder how many of the ones decribed above were required to pay anything even after care was given? It's a gift, I don't try to explain it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 622 #8 July 17, 2007 I wondered the same thing MANY times last night. Especially the d00d they brought in handcuffed. You KNOW he received immediate care and was in and out in short order... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hobie331 0 #9 July 17, 2007 Quote Especially the d00d they brought in handcuffed. You KNOW he received immediate care and was in and out in short order... I've worked emergency services both in the ER and in the field. I prefer the field, all those bright flashing lights and screaming sirens aren't nearly as annoying. However, in the ER, you can't always hear the crap going on in the waiting area. One of the funniest things I every saw though was a large, very drunk women with a knife wound who was completely out of control. She kept screaming that she didn't want blood because of religious reasons. The trauma surgeon on call was a slightly larger than average size female. Also, the patient wasn't that seriously wounded. Finally, when the doc had had enough and called for restaints and the patient went totally crazy, the doc jumped about three feet in the air and landed in the middle of this gal like (insert your favorite WWF wrestlers name here). ER's can be entertaining, as long as you're not the one in need of care. It's a gift, I don't try to explain it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 622 #10 July 17, 2007 OMG was it ever entertaining. Very sad at times as well. I've never seen someone tied to a wheelchair with bed sheets before...just to go out for a smoke break no less! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jenfly00 0 #11 July 17, 2007 Quote I wondered the same thing MANY times last night. Especially the d00d they brought in handcuffed. You KNOW he received immediate care and was in and out in short order... While in school, I worked the graveyard shift as an EMT for 4 years at Miami's Jackson Memorial's ER ... best show in town!! First, they can insist on all the payment they want. Tell them to shove it. It won't affect your admission. Second. Large, out of control, restrained Baker Acts get treated and streeted rapidly as no one wants to put up with their shit and you have several people (cops, and other staff) pulled off other duties till he is dispoed. It's usually a fairly quick matter of medical clearance then off to jail, psych unit.----------------------- "O brave new world that has such people in it". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymedic 0 #12 July 17, 2007 Quote God what a fucked up system we have in this country...what a sad night last night was. Sounds like every day and night at the ER. I've brought people in for everything from multiple gun shots to a stubbed toe. Had a homeless guy the other day who said he just wanted a shower...nothing wrong with him..but just wanted a shower. We still have to bring him in...even though we have multiple shelters in the area. Oh well Marc otherwise known as Mr.Fallinwoman.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SWATcop 0 #13 July 17, 2007 Quote I wondered the same thing MANY times last night. Especially the d00d they brought in handcuffed. You KNOW he received immediate care and was in and out in short order... You paid for him too.Kevin Muff Brother #4041 Team Dirty Sanchez #467 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ACMESkydiver 0 #14 July 17, 2007 Characters aside, it's the doctors in some ER's (Ok, just one in particular) I would like to ban from existence. How in the f*%$ do you miss a tumor the size of a baseball next to a man's heart that comes in half-crippled from chest pain and send him home after a day telling him that he must have had indigestion or muscle pain?!? I haven't ever seriously wanted to sue a doctor until a few days ago... I hope your fiancee is doing better. ~Jaye Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jenfly00 0 #15 July 17, 2007 Quote Characters aside, it's the doctors in some ER's (Ok, just one in particular) I would like to ban from existence. How in the f*%$ do you miss a tumor the size of a baseball next to a man's heart that comes in half-crippled from chest pain and send him home after a day telling him that he must have had indigestion or muscle pain?!? I haven't ever seriously wanted to sue a doctor until a few days ago... I hope your fiancee is doing better. Damn, I'm sorry for your pain. I don't know what to say. Experience and competence in hospitals is the pitts ...and getting worse. My undergrad major was pre-med, buy after watching the 'care' given in the ER where I worked, I decided I didn't want any part of it. I sincerely hope the person you refer to was able to get competent care.----------------------- "O brave new world that has such people in it". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viking 0 #16 July 17, 2007 I'v personally seen a few homeless people try the I need a shower deal. Like We have motel 6 taped to the side of the building or something. When the triage nurse basically tells them to fuck off they pull the "I feel chest pressure" or "I feel like i'm gonna hurt myself" Shit pisses me off. Then while these ass holes are taking up a bed we get the morning rush of elderly people being brought in who fell on there way to the tiolet. Who have to wait in the hallway on the gurney. Had two of those this morning. One a full blown stroke the other just had a busted shoulder and rib pain. I hate people that play the system and I hate people that bring there kids in for simple shit like a low fever and cough...........grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Can you tell i just got off work? Oh well the occasional hot chick that get to have her take her bra off b/c its gonna get in the way of the chest x-ray makes up for it. I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver My God has a bigger dick than your god -George Carlin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildcard451 0 #17 July 17, 2007 Quote we arrived in the ER at just after 4 pm...she got a bed at 3:15 am Good stuff. YOu got a bed fast. Remember people, ER's are designed to handle emergencies. Not office visit shit. Those people are bogging the system down. Unfortunately, EMTALA requires that everyone be seen by a licensed provider, regardless of complaint. We need to start having an NP out in triage to deny emergent evaluation after a cursory eval. That would cut a LOAD of people out of the process. Also, the abusers of the system know that if they call an EMS unit they will get brought right back.. We have started taking these people off the stretcher and placing them back in the waiting room after a quick eval. As far as quality of service goes.....it's hit or miss. I know our ER has approx 70K patient visits a year. Sometimes you just get overwhlemed. As far as the tumor thing ACME, that's inexcusable, but I'm not surprised. Recently, our entire radiology dept basically told the system to fuck off and walked out over a salary dispute, and now a lot of our reads are tele-medicined to AUS and other locations.. The reaeds we get back sometimes don't even look like the same patient. I'm appalled by the whole thing really. We do have a broken health care system in this country, I won't contest that point with you. However, I think you'll find that those people who work in it will disagree with the general population as to exactly where the break is. It's going to take some serious social engineering to change the way we do this business in this country. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jenfly00 0 #18 July 17, 2007 QuoteWe need to start having an NP out in triage to deny emergent evaluation after a cursory eval. Would seeing a NP satisfy EMTALA requirements requiring a medical screening?----------------------- "O brave new world that has such people in it". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildcard451 0 #19 July 17, 2007 QuoteQuoteWe need to start having an NP out in triage to deny emergent evaluation after a cursory eval. Would seeing a NP satisfy EMTALA requirements requiring a medical screening? To be honest, I think it is a licensed medical provider. I have not reviewed the actual wording of the legislation. I think I may go do that now. Now that I think about it, if it would, why aren't we doing it? /sigh Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 622 #20 July 17, 2007 They were doing that...to some degree. Apparently the drunks, overdoses, non English speaking kid with a stye, old man who fell and split his head open, and the baker act got the MD. The chest pains with numb arm got the NP and spent 11 hours completing tests, then got a room, and has been waiting for the cardio doc to get off the golf course and decide when he would like to do her stress test. In the meantime she's parked in a room with no tv and the bedside call button doesn't work, nor have they fed her...cause they're waiting for the cardio doc to review her test results. I'm assuming that takes a few fucking days??? glad this isn't anything important like her heart or anything. next time, I'll either feed her alcohol or knock her down before we go. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyinchicken 0 #21 July 17, 2007 WoW! Next time I hear a Canadian complaining I'll keep this in mind. Our system is over abused as well, however money is never an issue when being treated in the ER. Hope your gal is ok. "Diligent observation leads to pure abstraction". Lari Pittman Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildcard451 0 #22 July 17, 2007 Quote They were doing that...to some degree. Apparently the drunks, overdoses, non English speaking kid with a stye, old man who fell and split his head open, and the baker act got the MD. The chest pains with numb arm got the NP and spent 11 hours completing tests, then got a room, and has been waiting for the cardio doc to get off the golf course and decide when he would like to do her stress test. In the meantime she's parked in a room with no tv and the bedside call button doesn't work, nor have they fed her...cause they're waiting for the cardio doc to review her test results. I'm assuming that takes a few fucking days??? glad this isn't anything important like her heart or anything. next time, I'll either feed her alcohol or knock her down before we go. I hate to tell you this, but your reaction is a little irrational, but that's to be expected because it is your loved one, and we always see their care with blinders on. Lots of times the NPs are just as capable as the MDs, and I know a few that I would rather have see me than the ER doc...there is however one PA from the other day that I am going to bitch smack if I see him again. Side story, sorry. The care your describing here sounds like a heart attack rule out protocol. A set of cardiac enzymes were checked on presentation, and likely some oxygen/morphine/nitro given....if you weren't seen by a cardio immediately then I'm going to assume that those tests were negative. If she was still having the pain, she went into the rule out process, to see if there is going to be an elevation in those cardiac markers....they next set of which are drawn 8 hours later. If she didn't have many other comorbidities, and your hospital has a chest pain center, you likely went there... As far as remaining without food? Yeah, it happens due to some of the scheduling difficulties for getting the tests done. Your case doesn't seem like an emergent MI from what I am hearing, otherwise stress/cardiac cath would have been much sooner treatment options. I do hope that she is ok, and I'm not trying to be cold. Just trying to help you understand the other side of the process. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 622 #23 July 17, 2007 I think you're right on the spot with your comments...but why do I have to hear them in a skydiving forum and not from a health professional at the facility she's in is my complaint! Nobody has told her anything outside of "we're waiting for the cardiologist". I just hope he had a good game.Yes, of course I'm somewhat biased in my view of this particular case. They have had her in the hospital now for almost 24 hours and haven't told her anything. It's not like they're going to charge Motel 8 rates for her stay there either. Winter Park Memorial is NOT the hospital it used to be since Florida Hospital bought them out. Interesting side note there...being a religously owned hospital, don't ask for bacon in the cafeteria there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
livendive 8 #24 July 17, 2007 Quote10)large number of people, some speaking only Spanish, who simply needed office visit type help with colds and general checkup stuff.... I used to date a gal who was lead nurse most nights but triage occasionally. Her favorites were the women who would come into the ER for a pregnancy test. She would explain to them that the Rite-Aid across the street sold tests for $11 and the ER would have to charge over $200. Without fail, they would pull out their welfare-type medical cards and tell her that those wouldn't work at Rite-Aid. The script seekers are always good for entertaining stories as well...the first couple dozen times you hear the same stories. Gotta love such abuses of our taxes. Blues, Dave"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jenfly00 0 #25 July 17, 2007 Quote They were doing that...to some degree. Apparently the drunks, overdoses, non English speaking kid with a stye, old man who fell and split his head open, and the baker act got the MD. The chest pains with numb arm got the NP and spent 11 hours completing tests, then got a room, and has been waiting for the cardio doc to get off the golf course and decide when he would like to do her stress test. In the meantime she's parked in a room with no tv and the bedside call button doesn't work, nor have they fed her...cause they're waiting for the cardio doc to review her test results. I'm assuming that takes a few fucking days??? glad this isn't anything important like her heart or anything. next time, I'll either feed her alcohol or knock her down before we go. Room? TV? Call button? Meals? At JMH, the large county facility where I worked, the average time to seen by a doc (average for all cases from boo boos to Level I trauma) was 19 hours. That would be a stretcher in a busy hallway with an ancient portable monitor (that nobody was watching and even if the alarms worked they would be lost in the background noise) stuck under the stretcher. Only admitted patients get food (otherwise, the sizable army of homeless that live on the large hospital complex would fill the ER. Average time to admission is well over 40 hours and dozens of patients are screened, admitted and treated for several days (they were placed in a converted maintenance storage room called Ward H (H for Holding) and discharged ...without ever leaving the ER. I worked 11-7 and would come back two, even three nights later to find the same patients, on the same stretchers, perhaps in a different spot in the hallways, still waiting for disposition. When the newly issued and clueless interns were released, things really came to a stop. It was a real challenge to stop them from killing patients. They look in their handbooks, review the symptoms and order every test known to mankind ...and 8 months later, they are legally free to set up private practice (but that's another issue).----------------------- "O brave new world that has such people in it". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
