[Semper911]

This is a great thread, Doc. Thanks for starting it. Since FR is read by thousands and thousands of posters and lurkers, you are sure to have prevented future deaths here tonight.

Also, thanks for the work you do. It must be exhausting, both physically and mentally.

[scott7278]

Let me ask for your professional opinion about this. There is a hospital in my area that shall remain nameless which has a reputation for slowness in the ER, regardless of your condition.

I fell down the steps about two weeks ago and banged my head on about five steps, hurt my neck, shoulder, elbow, and hand, but the worst was what I thought was a broken ankle.

After a two-and-a-half hour wait, I had my Mom wheel me out and take me to a hospital with a better reputation that got me right in.

The lady next to me had been there for five hours without being seen...she was an elderly accident victim. In the meantime, patients with no visible symptoms who walked in on their own power and were laughing and drinking coffee were being called in before those who seemed to need the help more.

As Mom was wheeling me out, one of the nurses came out and offered a wholehearted apology -- "I'm so sorry," she said. "It's these d$#@ people who come in here and treat the ER like a doctor's office."

What gives? Is that poor management, or are some people "entitled" to immediate healthcare because of their lack of insurance? If it's such a problem, why take them before someone that you have to apologize to for suffering from it?

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Been in a hospital lately? Following the bureaucratic chain of custody for handling a patient, along with the attention span of some of the medical personnel, can be an eye-opening experience.

What was that movie with George C. Scott and Diana Rigg? Hospital?

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[60Gunner]

Okay, guys. I have to hit the sack. I'm on tomorrow! Take care of yourselves!

[woofie]

I am alive today after a full scale cardiac arrest in 1999

My thanks and prayers to ambulance people, paramedics, ER folks , Doctors and all the support folks


Thank you all so much

[RobbyS]

Good article.

[FairOpinion]

Here is a more detailed article about it:

Coroner says patient's death is a homicide

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0609150317sep15,1,1209480.story?coll=chi-newslocalchicago-hed

[kcvl]

many frequent flyers with anxiety attacks

lol! It's actually not funny but the way you said it (typed it) it was.

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

I had a ridiculous experience in an ER waiting room. I had a head injury falling off a ladder working in a hospital building remodel. I was escorted across the street to the ER (this is a major medical center in a large city) and NEVER GOT TREATED for hours. I just sat there with my head covered in blood.

I finally approached the desk and ask if I could go back to work if they weren't going to do anything. "Oh no," the woman said, "you might have a serious head injury."

I walked out of there, untreated, recognizing I was not the only person present who needed his head examined.

I found out later this negligence is more the rule than the exception.

I will take a taxi to the Boy Scout Council Office next time. At least the Boy Scouts can render first aid.

A hospital emergency room is a dangerous place where you will likely not get treated at all.

[wideminded]

chest pain + shortness of breath + nausea = heart attack until proven otherwise

I've heard recently that the symptoms of an approaching heart attack in women are often different from the symptoms that are common in men. Do you know anything about this?

[Sarajevo]

While reading your article, I had the sudden vision of Rambo in a sewt of scrubs, firing his M60. Instead of bullets, he was firing 60cc syringes filled with sterile water and tipped with 14ga. catheter needles!

[maine-iac7]

Hooray for the coroner! Most would not rule it a homicide but only a heart attack.

I wonder if the coroner has had to cover just one too many of such deaths from this hospital?

[Bernard]

I'm not familiar with the specific facility, but since it is in Waukegan chances are it's not a rich neighborhood. And that would mean that the people who visit the ER don't have regular medical care, so it would not surprise me that the patient just sat and died while waiting for attention.

After all, you make the comment that symptoms are taken more seriously when the patient comes in with a full reservation - ambulance, EMT's, etc. if the patient can't afford an ambulance ride along with medical care at the hospital, having this woman die in the waiting room should not be a surprise.

[Sabatier]

Good post, thank you. Very useful info. A friend of ours was a very heavy smoker and recently died of a heart attack in his early 50s. Don't think he believed it could happen to him.

[Shery]

One question: Was she even seen by a triage nurse first? I would hope that there was one, but maybe not.

[Shery]

Are they not taking comments any longer? I've posted twice, but it didn't show up. Anyway, my question, being an RN is this: Was there a triage nurse on duty, or present, at the time she presented herself with the complaints? Seems strange a nurse would instruct a patient that way.

Also, to answer another's question...NO, the cough doesn't work. If you are having aheart attack, you would probably not be able to muster a large enough cough to do the job that the compressions from CPR do.

[lastchance]

Recently our local hospital decreed that certain conditions presented at the ER would be considered non emergency and sent to a local clinic or physician. Among these conditions was respritory trouble in otherwise healthy adults. This worried me because females often have atypical heart attack symptoms. They often do not have chest pain or arm pain but do have shortness of breath and fatigue. I know I used to joke with people that if they wanted to be seen quickly at an ER. They needed to complain of chest pain, even if they had a bone sticking out from their skin or a large bloody gash on their head. Guess now even that has changed. I suppose you could always shoot yourself in the foot.

[Shimmer128]

I have an acquaintance in a nearby town whose husband, age 36, died in a manner similar to this. He went into the ER, complaining that he couldn't breathe. Let's see, this was the day before Thanksgiving, 3 years ago.
They didn't even triage him, hour after hour he complained and was told, essentially "soon" each time.
Finally, after 3+ hours, they brought him into the little room to take his BP, etc
He collapsed and died on the floor in front of the person. It wasn't heart attack, his throat had closed up due to something or other. He left a young, stay at home widow, children, 12 and 9.
I heard she's suing. I told my family they'll NEVER get me into Perry (GA) Hospital, unless i'm unconscious and have no say. (and as soon as i come to, i'm outta there)
Took my mom there once. She didn't die, but the experience was awful (muddy, dirty sheets on the bed in exam room, billed other people's expenses on her bill to Medicare)
Took my son there once, he'd had a bad frostbite burn on his hand. We left after 1 hour 45 min, never triaged.
They'll never get any of my loved ones in there again.

[trussell]

Ping my friend...have you seen this one yet?