Hospital Waiting Rooms

[MrPsychic 1]

I was thinking about this today, I've been to the emergency room at least 6 times in the past year, mostly for a dislocated shoulder. Anyway, I was thinking how to make them better for the family waiting. Th hospital makes millions of dollars each year, well, some of them do. The ones making all that money, I was thinking they could have a free video game arcade for the younger kids. They don't always know what's going on, and it's not fun for them to just sit there, and a lot of the times, they just run around and upset the parents even more. For the parents, they could have a free snack and soda machine. That way they can get something to eat and not have to leave the hospital. It also provides a break for them, just sitting there and thinking the worst. Anyone want to comment on this?

Edited February 16, 2005 by MrPsychic

[Sorfiwien 0]

I think that's a good idea. I have to say, that never would have crossed my mind no matter how many times I would have to go to the hospital.

[Yillara Skye 1]

I have been in hospital waiting rooms over the last two years due to an injury that left me partially, but permanently disabled. One of those occasions having to do with having nerve block surgery(ok, ok... procedures as my doctor keeps insisting they be called). And that was for my arm as well. I can agree with what you are saying about things needing to be made so it is a little more comforting to be in the hospital. :) :P Especially when a lot of the nurses' bedside manners leave a hell of a lot to be desired! :P You gotta comfort the patients and their families somehow a little more. Especially if the situation is more tedious or sensitive. And ER situation.....oh Lord do NOT get me started on THAT frame of mind! After my severe car wreck last year(three days after I had that second nerve block done, nonetheless)... and being taken away by ambulance in a neck brace and on a back board. you'd think those people would be a little more gentle. They would have been more gentle checking my injuries with a sledgehammer. :P I had severe whiplash, that was diagnosed the day of the wreck.. and when I came back having severe pain in my back and leg, they added sciatica to the list of injuries and recommended getting an MRI done of my hip and knee (which I have not done, just let things heal though I still will occasionally have pain almost a year later. MRI's though would have been a world of help I think... are sadly way too expensive, though insurance would have pitched in at least a bit.). For the record, the wreck was not my fault. The guy who rammed my car(I was stopped at the stop light) and sent me into the car in front of me was charged with reckless driving (he rammed into me at 45mph).

 

I can thoroughly understand a need for changes to be made, I truly agree. If not an arcade or the likes, then just make it more homey. For both patients and their families.

 

I also have been there recently when my sister gave birth to her daughter. Though I did not make it over there when she had her gall bladder surgery. Same thing, even in the maternity ward it could have been a little better.

 

 

 

However, not all hospitals are this way I am sure. And surgery centers are a different breed of medical facilities entirely. My first nerve block was performed by my doctor at a local surgery center, and I have to give a major shout out to the team there as they did a wonderful job of keeping me comfortable as well as my parents who came to check on me and drive me home (the procedure is outpatient, so I was still coming out of anesthesia when I was taken home) I wish more places were like them!!! :huh:

[MrPsychic 1]

Outpatient surgery is so much easier on you than inpatient. I've had three outpatient surgeries, two on my shoulder and one to have my wisdom teeth out. They were very nice to me, and even worked a way to use a new type of stuff to use on me, since I'm allergic to morphine. It dropped me quickly, although I was hallucinating..

[Yillara Skye 1]

Outpatient surgery is so much easier on you than inpatient.  I've had three outpatient surgeries, two on my shoulder and one to have my wisdom teeth out.  They were very nice to me, and even worked a way to use a new type of stuff to use on me, since I'm allergic to morphine.  It dropped me quickly, although I was hallucinating.. 

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It also depends on the hospital. The surgery center was awesome, the hospitals....well at least my personal doctor was great and a couple nurses from his office, the hospital nurses well them I would like to forget.

 

But overall I think I can agree outpatient was nice.

[Theunicornhunter 2]

It depends on why the little kids are there - if they're well enough to run and play the family should probably try to get into their regular doctor or an acute care facility rather than an emergency room. In fact, one of the things that makes waiting in the ER so tedious is that people with non-emergency situations go there.

 

As for ER or regular waiting rooms - if the kids are just there with the family - there really should be relatives that would volunteer to sit for them while the rest of the family goes to the hospital.

 

Having been to an ER as a patient - I'd rather they spend the money to hire more nurses rather than put in an arcade.

[Yillara Skye 1]

Having been to an ER as a patient - I'd rather they spend the money to hire more nurses rather than put in an arcade.

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Like I had said, maybe not an arcade per se.. it could be an idea for those with longer stays in a hospital... but just a more comforting place anyhow. A very good start is maybe the more nurses, but be sure that their bedside manner is a vast improvement over a lot of the current nurses.

 

 

Personally I have always been very very uncomfortable in pretty much EVERY doctors office I have ever been in. Exceptions were the surgery center here in town, my pain management specialist's office, and my current regular physician(have not actually had to go to her yet... but she is my cousin's wife, so I grew up around her and she is very good and a comfort to people who have gone to her. I am so glad she set up her office here in town!!) My problem is often the demeanor of the nurses and one of the biggest thing that gets to me is the antiseptic smell. I know it is there for a purpose (and being someone in the chemical field, I actually get surrounded by it on occasion unfortunately. Lab classes are a real "treat" on those days when dealing with those specific chemicals, Iodoform being one of them.. ) but it actually gets my blood pressure up if I smell it. It makes me tense, and I have been that way pretty much always. Not to mention the fact you wait forever in the waiting room(back to the topic... notice) where watching paint dry is more entertaining and the day seems to completely disappear even though you got there when the opened the doors. Then they get you in there and you are lucky if they take your vitals before ditching you with the promise that "THe Doctor will be right in to see you..." and leave you in a room where you are freezing your keister off! And then you finally get to see the doc, sometimes he/she is only in with you for 5 to 10 minutes at max (that gets into the topic of them double triple or quadruple booking plus taking walkins...and that could get going on a tangent so I will leave it there)

Edited February 17, 2005 by Yillara_Soong

[Theunicornhunter 2]

Like I had said, maybe not an arcade per se.. it could be an idea for those with longer stays in a hospital... but just a more comforting place anyhow

 

You have to be pretty bad shape to have a long stay in the hospital. Even with brain surgery and they send you home in two days.

[Yillara Skye 1]

Like I had said, maybe not an arcade per se.. it could be an idea for those with longer stays in a hospital... but just a more comforting place anyhow

 

You have to be pretty bad shape to have a long stay in the hospital. Even with brain surgery and they send you home in two days.

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I agree you have to be in pretty bad shape. And it is truly sad..

 

But in my case, I know people who have had longer stays. Both of my grandparents on my mom's side passed away while they stayed in the hospital. both had long stays in the hospital at least once before they passed on. Both had health problems for a long while( I remember I was very little when I learned of it. I was terrified when I heard my grandfather was going to have heart valve replacement surgery. And learned about my grandmother being placed on dialysis)

Edited February 17, 2005 by Yillara_Soong

[Sorfiwien 0]

And then you finally get to see the doc, sometimes he/she is only in with you for 5 to 10 minutes at max

At one point in time my father was hit in the eye with a nail. It wasn't to serious but the doctor made us wait for THREE HOURS. My god. My dad got hit in the eye with a nail, the doctor shouldn't make us wait that long. So some of the money should go to hiring some more doctors and such but overall the idea for like an arcade or something is a very good idea

[Odie 0]

And then you finally get to see the doc, sometimes he/she is only in with you for 5 to 10 minutes at max

At one point in time my father was hit in the eye with a nail. It wasn't to serious but the doctor made us wait for THREE HOURS. My god. My dad got hit in the eye with a nail, the doctor shouldn't make us wait that long. So some of the money should go to hiring some more doctors and such but overall the idea for like an arcade or something is a very good idea

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As emgergency rooms are understaff that was the reason for your father's wait not the doctors fault. It also depends on how many patients that the doctor had to see at that time. Since your father condition wasn't life threating he had to wait until the doctor could see him.

[KIMIMELA 1]

I had to go to the hostpital just before christmas after dislocating my knee my slipping on a rug across a wooden floor. I had to be carried to an ambulance outside. It was cold and dark outside and I was in my pjs. I screamed that loud I must have woken the whole street up :P .

The ambulance was ok, but every bump in the road we went over and I kept yelling "What's so bumpy?!".

When you're waiting in the A and E department it is ok when you are on a bed (apart from the pain). Then they wheeled me down the corridor and I kept shouting for my dad all the way down. Everyone looks at you!!

 

I think they should give you foot rests when you're in plaster from angle to top of your leg because you can't sit up properly and it gets so uncomfortable!!!

 

Anyone else dislocated something??

Edited February 17, 2005 by xXTrekkieCaraXx

[Kyra_Ashleigh 0]

Good topic!

 

I was just in a hospital, visiting my father in law before he passed away over the weekend. I really wish the waiting rooms for families of patients with an extended stay in the hospital were more kid-friendly.

 

Most of the ER's I've visited have at least had a toy or two and a few children's books.

 

The waiting room for this particular wing of the hospital had absolutely nothing to entertain a small child. And my father in law had wanted to see my daughter, so we brought her and when she got cranky, I took her to wait. There wasn't one darm kid-friendly thing in the whole waiting room!

 

From now on, we bring our own toys, but it's disappointing knowing that there isn't at least one item in that place to entertain a child with.

 

I also agree with the poster who said that small children should be left with a sitter or other family member if possble. Of course, there are those times when the sick relative will want to see the child, like in my recent situation.

 

As a child, I spent many hours waiting in hospital waiting rooms. With the exception of one hospital, where they had a kid's play room, none of them had anything that would even remotely interest a kid, other than the TV. Blech.

[MrPsychic 1]

Anyone else dislocated something??

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Oh Cara, I've dislocated my shoulder about 8 times... I've also had to have two surgeries on it. It's not fun. I'll tell you one thing, when you dislocate your shoulder, it doesn't flop around like they show on tv.

[KIMIMELA 1]

8 times? :P :P :huh: Oh you poor friend that really must hurt! :P How?! Do you have weak joints or something?

[Gotabite 0]

I work at a very large medical center, where I have also been a patient many times. I think that hospitals can be very scary places. And ER's are especially scary. For patient's and their families are dealing with an unknown about a loved one. There are several things that bother me about these settings. First there is the waiting time for both the patient and the family. While I do understand that information must be taken regarding finances and insurance. But when a loved one is ill, that is the last thing on one's mind........Sometimes in a rush to get to the hospital, people don't even think about their insurance cards. Again, I realize financial information is needed. But at the same time, medical records staff need to be more sensitive to the situation, and in the way they approach people during stressful times. Another thing that bothers me is that when people are waiting for long periods; I wish there were staff who were trained to come out; sit and provide comfort to family members during their stressful waiting periods. I too think it would be nice if in the waiting rooms there was fresh coffee, water, soft drinks, magazines and books that reflected different age and ethnic groups. Televisions should be a given....I just feel that comfort and sensitivity to people's stress levels as they wait, should be taken more seriously....It has gotten better. But still needs improvement.

[Yillara Skye 1]

Anyone else dislocated something??

:yes:

 

 

From the time I could walk to the time I was about a year and a half old I had dislocated my left wrist and elbow six times. I was known as something called a "drop spin kid". They are not as rare as one would think, it is just more rare that they do lasting or severe damage to themselves. Watch a little one holding hands with their parents or grandparents, ever see them kind of revolt and drop to their knees or "fall down" and dangle from their parent's hands? Well that is what I did, I would also twist around too.. which is where the dislocations came from.

 

after the sixth and final time of that, my parents were told that I needed to be in some sport that would allow me to strengthen my left arm. Which led to me being in gymnastics, though the doctors never guessed I would advance as high as I did. Ironically(maybe not the best word, I know) that is the arm that was severely and permanently damaged two years ago. The arm functions but is very week, and I have a nerve disorder/disease/condition(it has been worded all three ways) as a result of the accident.

 

 

 

With my chosen sport, I have had an accumulating list of injuries. But at the levels I made it to in said sport, it is completely possible to do so as the risks increase. Not to mention, most of the time growing up my mom would have to drag me in from outside in the evenings after I spent pretty much all day outdoors.

 

Another thing that bothers me is that when people are waiting for long periods; I wish there were staff who were trained to come out; sit and provide comfort to family members during their stressful waiting periods.

I completely agree with this.

[Gary Phaserman 0]

I'm a frequent visitor to the ER. It would be nice for some more kid-stuff there. I always see these kids fidgetting and stuff, cus they are booooooooooooooooreeeeeeeeeeeeeed!

 

 

By the way, never dislocated anything. Hit a tree with my car, got injured when someone tried to rob me while I was delivering a pizza...ya know, the usual stuff.

[Odie 0]

Here is an idea. Maybe if the ERs are fully staff and people stop going for minor problems that can be seen by the doctors' appointments. Even better that people can get affordable insurance so they don't have to use the ER to get medical care. It just a thought of mine.

Edited February 22, 2005 by Odie

[Yillara Skye 1]

B) ARRARRARARARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

 

 

B)

 

Well, I do have to say my wait to go to the ER for my sickness was not too bad. But their so called walk in clinic???? HA! B) B) :P B) I was told by the receptionist when I arrived at 9:45am to try coming in right after their lunch break at 1:30, and she was going to write my name in and I would be seen as their first walk in RIGHT after their 1:30 appointment. I came back, and well was I seen??? NO!!! And was I seen soon??? Nope! I asked how much longer at nearly 5pm... and she told me well yeah your name was written in but you are a walk in and the appointments all have to be seen first. A peek at the printed schedule, I went nuts at her! It says.. appt, appt, walkin, appt appt walk in. The little snot had crossed out the walkin spaces!!! I asked to be removed from the list and left. All I got was if you really needed to be seen you should have made an appointment back a few days ago. Well I went back and asked how soon today could a walkin be taken and today's receptionist was honest and said it would probably be a few hour wait due to three walk ins being taken in already and the appointment people. But I really should try going through the ER.... which I did. And I got in quite quickly and was taken care of quite well by this nice doctor. I now have the medicines I need for my bronchitis, and she also seemed quite upset with the attitude and behavior of yesterday's receptionist. When I go to my follow up it will be with my regular doctor though, and will probably be at the same time as my mother's who is also very ill.

[MrPsychic 1]

I've learned from first hand experience that even though there's no wait at the emergency room at 6 am, there's also no doctors... My friend spent the night, and she (that's right she, nothing happened though :P) and a systemic allergic reaction... That was the fastest I drove that early in the morning, I literally laid tire.

[KIMIMELA 1]

I spent all night from 9pm to 4am in the morning to get my delocated knee back... can you believe it??? :P

[MrPsychic 1]

I spent all night from 9pm to 4am in the morning to get my delocated knee back... can you believe it???  :P

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Yea I can, I guess doctors don't see a dislocated joint as a priority, so they'll treat others first...A dislocated shoulder isn't how you see in the tv shows, where you can flop it around. It stays in one place and friggen hurts! What really hurts is the fact that all the muscles around the joint start to contract and the joint can push against nerves, causing more pain.

[KIMIMELA 1]

i know it hurt all my back and everything. i had a kid in the next room who was sensitive to sound and i was screaming my lungs off everytime i moved :P

[MrPsychic 1]

Well hopefully you don't have the same problem I had. I'm allergic to morphine.. o.O

[KIMIMELA 1]

:P B)

[Yillara Skye 1]

I've learned from first hand experience that even though there's no wait at the emergency room at 6 am, there's also no doctors... My friend spent the night, and she (that's right she, nothing happened though :lol:) and a systemic allergic reaction...  That was the fastest I drove that early in the morning, I literally laid tire.

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TRUE! :lol: My sister had a really really long wait during one of her many gall bladder attacks. Once waiting 6 hours in excruciating pain. And let us not discuss some of her other trips to the hospital.. one of her trips had me so angry with the triage people I actually came close to punching a nurse in the nose. But I did end up keeping my cool because I did not want to upset my sister more than she already was. If she comes online and wants to share her experiences with the ER and doctors, then she might do so.. I do not think it is my place to share it so I will leave it here.

 

But she talked to me about some of her gripes about the hospital when we were waiting for me to go in. At our hospital they actually give you little beepers/pagers, kinda like the ones you get when you have to wait for a table at a resteraunt(like TGIFridays, or Longhorn Steakhouse, or Outback Steakhouse, et al) . That was beyond freeking strange IMHO. But like I said when I was finally seen I got a doctor who was excellent, and she was a "tell it like it is, no candy coating" type doctor! And those are the types I like! Especially since most doctors get freaked out when their patients proceed to speak in the same technical jargon they try to baffle you with(but what can they expect, I am a scientist in training!). I guess they say it like that to make it so you have to spend the afternoon with WebMD open on your computer to translate what they said. And if they were more like this lady and be direct with you people would be a lot better off.

 

Yea I can, I guess doctors don't see a dislocated joint as a priority, so they'll treat others first...A dislocated shoulder isn't how you see in the tv shows, where you can flop it around. It stays in one place and friggen hurts! What really hurts is the fact that all the muscles around the joint start to contract and the joint can push against nerves, causing more pain.

No apparently not. I do not recall much about when my arm was being relocated when I was teeny, but I do remember being at the doctors office when they opened at 8am and being made to rot in severe pain and had no idea what damage was done at the time in 2003.... they took walkins that came in AFTER me and I sat there for three hours. I had no use of the arm, it was on fire, and was spasming and they basically ignored me... then misdiagnosed me several times and it took a month before they sent me to a specialist and to get an MRI done (those people at that clinic are,.... well they are..... umm, it is a family board and what I truly want to say about them I do not think is even appropriate to say in Kronos :P !!!!!)

 

This same clinic was a bane when I was little too, but at the time they were the ONLY walk in clinic in town. I was 10 years old, and once I finally was seen it was discovered to have severe tonsilitis, pharyngitis and a bad bad case of laryngitis. In short I was a real mess! My neck was swollen to the point it formed a straight line from my shoulders to my earlobes. There was no curve at all, it looked like I was wearing a neck brace. I had no movement in my neck, and was having a bunch of other difficulties not to mention being in severe pain and could not sleep. They made me sit in that waiting room for 4 and a half hours. The lady next to me had a severe foot injury and apparently had blood poisoning. She NEEDED a doctor's care! A guy was having an asthma attack. A pair of kids were constantly going to the bathroom to throw up... and all of us had to sit and suffer because they said they HAD to take the "Well Baby Check ups" first. In otherwords, instead of going to a pediatrician people were coming to the walk in URGENT care clinic and getting their baby's checked! But people in need of URGENT medical care were told they had to either wait or "You could have gone to the ER, yah know" I can think of one thing I can say and that is they need to get prioraties straight! If they are going to be an URGENT care and a WALK IN clinic then they darn well better live up to their names! Whatever clinic it is and whereever it is!

 

Hell on a day I was coming in to have a so called follow up for my arm injury(With my condition until I finally received the pain block... I was in severe pain for seven months straight. And the pain from my condition is actually compaired to and is on the level of childbirth without medication or having a limb amputated.. only difference is with the condition the pain is constant 24 hrs a day 7 days a week, until treatments like nerve blocks are done and those only limit the pain and allow you to function relatively normal). Anyways I came in to be checked, and I sat in the little doctor room waiting for 45 minutes(after the fact that I waited two hours beyond my scheduled appt time) in severe pain. There was a couple in the room next to me who had been waiting about 15 minutes longer. I heard the woman try to get the man's attention when suddenly WHAM! The bed slides against the wall, and I hear him hit the floor with a splat. His wife starts screaming for help, they finally come in and had to call the paramedics. They were able thankfully to resucitate the guy.. but he was essentially dead for a couple minutes! He DIED waiting for them!!! :biggrin: These people need to get their damned acts together!

Edited February 27, 2005 by Yillara_Soong