Memorial Hospital Central, Colorado Springs, Colorado December 6th, 2021
3500 Block
Jessi, Charge Nurse Day Shift
When I arrived at 0800, my Beloved was thirsty.
I poked around, found a paper cup, procured a straw, and after securing the lid, I returned with nectar thick liquid.
I had found it was better to order more fluids from food service than what we needed and stash them in my bag.
After a long pull at the straw, She told me she asked for a drink hours ago and never received it.
No longer partched, she was hungry, so I ordered breakfast.
The requested drink came by nurse long after her request, just a smidgen late.
All of a sudden, it was almighty important for medical professionals to be in the room. There was unspoken and spoken tension.
After a big show of checking vitals, asking questions, ect. The attention dwindled to nonexisting. I had already seen this behavior in a prison hospital and blew it off.
The call button was answered but not responded to in person. In one notable instance, we waited about 30 to 45 minutes for a bed adjustment. As my wife cannot move herself and she stated her neck is injured, I did not want to do it myself.
I went out to the nurses station and waited. I told them what I needed and went back to the room where my wife lay helpless.
10 minutes passed and I went out and asked for assistance again. I was given a yes.
10 minutes passed and my wife decided to take her pulse oximeter off.
A few minutes later, she got what she wanted and she was finally moved into a comfortable position.
This process of hitting the call light, asking, asking again and then taking off the pulse oximeter repeated.
My wife needed assistance with a bedpan. I had already used the call button and got a muffled response. I had already asked two people that came into her room, but to no avail.
I told Jessi, the charge nurse, that my wife needed a bedpan. She directed me to use the call light and said I was clogging up her hallway. I assertively notified her that they needed to answer the call light.
She was livid. I turned to go push the call light.
But Jessi wasn’t done talking to me yet.
“Turn around, I’m not done talking to you yet! ” she stated in an aggressive manner.
She proceeded to glare at me and give me a rundown of how I was clogging her hallway and was not allowed to be there.
I retreated to my wife’s room and the whole time she sustained an aggressive, angry stare. I was not about to make a scene and be asked to leave.
A few minutes later, a group of nurses came in and I thought my request was answered.
Nope.
The nurses told her she needed to stand. My Beloved told them she could not. The nurses said it was in the notes that she had stood all by herself.
I let them know that from the very start, I had been there and she had never stood all by herself.
They did not acknowledge me, administering what appeared to be some sort of assessment of her physical ability.
Assessment complete, they began to leave.
I said, “she needs a bedpan. I thought that is what you came in for.”
Jessi did not relay the message apparently.
The nurses provided her a bedpan. I let them know I would be making a complaint.
The manager arrived shortly after and I was as meek as a lamb, but I did describe what happened.
There was no way I was going to describe my frustration or give them any leverage to take my visit rights away. They look for reasons. ( I know the signs, I work in a prison.)
The manager apologized and said the behavior was inappropriate. She stated that she knew I was just trying to be an advocate for my Beloved.
That was a rough day. I am bringing it up as the patient advocate failed to follow up and see if it was resolved.
Author: Benjamin
Benjamin Thiel is a community leader, urban farmer, and author of The Ongoing Tale at Brothers Campfire. He might know a guy...
Yikes. I know that front line service is stretched right now, but….Sorry you are having to go through that Benjamin. Hope it improves soon. What do those who have noone to advocate for them do? Allan
Hello Allan, she is on a good floor now. I waited before posting this for various reasons. After she is out of the hospital, I will push a little bit more.
Oh, shit, Ben! Document this stuff! What they did was wrong and constitutes patient neglect! And she had the gall to tell you to turn around? Oooeee! That burns me up! I guess I’m a stubborn old broad because I’d have asked her who she thought she was talking to, but I understand the threat of having your visiting rights taken away. And you can’t be there with your wife, there’s no telling what they’re likely to do…or not do. It seems that since COVID, hospital staff have been given free-pass to abuse their positions. I’m so sorry they’re treating you both so horribly and I pray that you get it taken care of. God bless you both. 🙏 🙏🙏
Thank you. I know you are an advocate against bullying! We are on a better floor in a good place. I put distance between the event so there would not be retaliation. When we leave the hospital, I will leave a Google review and follow up with the patient advocates.
You’re welcome, Ben. And you’re doing the right thing.
🤠🔥
Keep advocating, stay firm. You are handling this situation well by being polite but resolute. This is your task as advocate and I have no idea how people who do not have a loved one to do this for them handle hospital. Many probably don’t. I’ve had to be in your role several times and it’s hard and frustrating and makes a person boil with anger. Keep going, you’re doing well and a big hug to your beloved.
That’s awful they treated you both that way. I pray they see the error of their ways and treat you with respect. You handled that better than I would have. I don’t do well with arrogant doctors or nurses. Praying blessings for you and your wife.
Thanks Ryan. I wanted to make a stink but knew better. I will follow up after we leave.
Praying your wife is doing better. And will be home soon. You both are blessed to have each other. I pray there is another hospital in your area, that is available if needed in future.
Thank you. Your prayers are appreciated and necessary. I am blessed to have friends like you!
Yes, me and my Beloved are blessed to have each other.
There is a better hospital for personality, but Memorial Central has more effective technology.
Besides, the ambulance took her to the nearest place, which is here.
We are on the rehabilitation floor now, so things are looking up!
Praise God, that is wonderful news! 🙏
Thank you Kate, you are an encouragement! I need people like you in my life and I dont take it for granted. If you ever need any thing let me know!
Oh my now that needs to change I hope for better care to begin.
We are on a different floor. That was a couple days ago. I will follow up after we leave.
Oh, that’s good to hear!
Oh, gosh. This made me so angry.
Me as well. I am just biding my time to follow up.
Speak with your wife’s physician as well about the poor patient care. If it is possible to change hospitals, that might be good.
On the surface level, I have it resolved. I am going to dig deeper soon. There are a few hospital management types that know and are influencing outcomes.
It would be nice to know what standards of service if any the hospital sets for the issues you’ve experienced.
From my experience, the hospital may have impeccable standards. However, I have noticed that when events bring negative attention, changes are made; disciplinary action, terminations, etc.
So sad to read this post 😢 she asking water nurses no bother , luckily you went there 👍🏻♥️
They knows she cannot take water own self and they want to be kind , she can walk slowly
you bring her home and take her to physiotherapist and you can care her in home , she saw child
sure happy and fast recover 👍🏻♥️😊 you are so loving husband and your wife so lucky to be 💕👩⚕️
Grace wishes and praying her healthcare 🌷👏🙏
Thank you. She is in very good hands now.
Ok ✅ so happy and thank you so much 😊 🙏
And thank you for your care and concern!
Same thank you 🙏 because if our friends very sad and worried expressing us means so we also worried and check our friends feeling and we think how we can help , that is guarded 👌🙏🌷
All ok means we also happy 😃 truth of life 👍🏻🙏♥️
Life is beautiful… And precious.
🙂
My heart hurts reading this. Continued prayers. 🙏🏻
Thanks. We are on a better floor now.
infuriating and unacceptable Ben.
Sooo sorry.
We have to be advocates. I had a home birth with my son and a week later he got a fever and we ended up in the hospital and I stayed in the room for 4 solid days and I can’t begin to tell you how many times they were about to give him the same meds he had had.
So sorry and good for you, you stood your ground. Love to both of you and the kiddos. 💖
Thank you for your support and encouragement, Cindy. I appreciate it! 🤠🔥
you’re so welcome Benjamin. You’ve always been here for me and I wish there was more I could do!💖💖💖💖🙏🙏🙏🙏
It can’t be stressed enough how important it is for someone to be with a family member all the time, especially one who knows the patient well. Even before Covid but now they seem to be worse. What a dog!
She was not the most impressive.
This is terrible. No compassion. What the Hell! Stay strong and level-headed.
Thanks! I am giving it a try!
Oh dear, that is very concerning, and if I were you I would be deeply anxious about having my beloved in a situation like that. We recently had a friend in a hospital in London for around ten/eleven days. She said the nurses were wonderful and we were so glad to hear that she had a good experience. We know how much pressure the NHS is under so we were nervous for her. But she said everyone was very kind and quick to respond to her calls.
Thanks Lady A, for sharing this wonderful experience! She is on a better floor of the hospital with excellent care. I waited a few days to post this.
I appreciate your support, friend!
I’ve read enough comments to know that I wouldn’t say anything that hasn’t already been said. I can appreciate that you waited until your Beloved was moved to a different floor to make this public. You are an amazing soul, my brother. I can certainly sense the presence of Jesus within you. Please know that I am continuing to pray for you all.
Thanks for the support Jeff. When she is out of the hospital I will engage in this further. I appreciate you.
This is horrible! I worked in healthcare and mental health from 1992-2021. Things have deteriorated to the point where customer service and patient care no longer matter. As a registered nurse, I apologize for my co-professionals and their lack of professional behavior.
Thank you Dawn. No apologies necessary. I do appreciate a health care professional seeing where I am coming from. There are excellent medical staff here;she just was not so helpful, and downright evil to my wife by her lack of compassion and inability to communicate.
Dawn,
Thank you for your service helping others all those years! You are a gift from God. I cannot begin to fathom how hard 2020 was for you.
Benjamin.
I’m sorry you went through that! 🙁
Hospitals can be rough, tough places…covid or not.
One day at a time, God will get you through this!
Thank you friend!
Your experience of working in the prison system helped. And you picked the right battle to fight by being meek and not giving them any excuses to refuse your stay. It took tacks.
Thanks Friend! Your comments have weight with me.🤠🔥
That had to be frustrating. I’m so sorry. It’s not how it is in all hospitals but when it happens to one you love that doesn’t matter. Maybe we should be praying for Jessi.
I agree.
So hurting moments.
Yeah, she was a troll, but we have moved on to new places.
WTF??? Hospitals are supposed to be a place of caring and concern, not a place of stress and struggles. I am grateful you both have each other. ♥️ Sorry for these issues. I have been to hospitals, too, and I have come to fear them.
It is good to have an advocate along! 🤠🔥
You bet! 👍
I’m so sorry!! I had no advocate when hospitalized. The night staff was great but the day staff was horrid. If you haven’t already, please ask about a patient advocate.
I did, and they said they would “call down there.” My email has not been responded to and no one has followed up to make sure it was ok.
I am so sorry you did not have anyone at the hospital with you, Bubbles. 🤠🔥
The hospital thing was a good lesson in compassion for people on the hospital.
Something like that. Compassion fatigue is real.
A person doesn’t tend to realize a lot of things till they see or experience them. Before my stay, I didn’t know how loooong hospitals days feel! Nor how horrible flowers can smell when you’re sick. Nor how much missing a meal can break you (I had to eat without getting sick in order to be allowed to leave; but meal service skipped me and I had to stay an extra night… almost happened again in the morn too!)
Ooh, that sounds rough staying another night.
I cried! But it all worked out 9kay.
I am sorry 💔.
Thank you. But it was awhile ago, makes for a good story, and taught me a lot. All’s well that ends well!