Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Trip to the ER

Now Phillip has had his turn in the hospital. Last night he came running down from his bedroom crying and saying "help me!" His two fingers were just gushing with blood. Once we had them cleaned up we discovered he had cut the flesh completely off the one finger and the other had a big flap. When we got bandaids on them I was able to get him to show me what happened. They had a whiteboard in their bedroom and the edges were off. I guess it had been a larger one and part of it broke so they just hung what was left. It was behind the door and I never paid much attention to it. Phillip was trying to erase the board and got the metal edge. I took him to the ER sure they were going to put stiches in the one finger. I am so sorry I ever went to that hospital. I don't know why I never learn. I usually go to Hershey but one of Phillip's friend's mom works in the closer hospital's ER and he knew that and wanted to go to her. She ended up not being in the same area and wasn't his nurse.

The whole experience was terrible. They acted like they were just practicing on a dummy and not a real person. The PA was not able to relate to Phillip at all. She told him, yeh, him and not his mother, he had two options. He could get a SHOT with a NEEDLE, and they could SEW his finger up and then he would have to COME BACK and get the stiches removed, OR he could let her just clean it up and wrap a tight bandage around it. What do you think he chose? She just didn't want to take the time to put stiches in! I now have a job to change that bandage without tearing the cut open again because there are no stiches. I just wanted out of there. When Phillip cried because he hurt while she was cleaning the cut, she told him she had other patients to see and if he was going to make a fuss she would just go get a couple of nurses and one would hold him while the other nurse cleaned it. Can you believe that is what she told a 5 year old? I was so mad. When she left the room I went to the cupboard and got the cleaning stuff out myself and cleaned up his wound before they got back. They were coming in the room as I was finishing and poked around looking at his cut making it bleed all over again. The one nurse was doing this without gloves on! I should have been more vocal but I just told them we would be leaving if they would just put the bandage on please.

If you are ever in the Lebanon area I would strongly caution you against ever going to the Good Samaritan Hospital. They have a nice looking facility and have alot of updates but the service is still the same.

4 comments:

JenLo said...

That is just crazy! I would have walked right out of there...you should call and complain to their patient relations representative.

laurie said...

Looking back I don't know why I just didn't take him right after we saw the first nurse. He opened the wounds and spilled blood all over the floor and just said oops. I will be contacting them. I have an appointment with his pediatrician next week and I will show her what they did. She delivers babies at that hospital. I found out too that the reason they didn't give stitches was because they would have had to call a doctor and apparently one was not available. Another nurse told me this.

Truckin Teeds said...

Poor Phillip...actually poor you!! You're children are probably about to drive you insane with all their pitiful sicknesses. :o)

Dana said...

Laurie,I have also had several horrible experiences at the same hospital.When Michael was little.I had to take him to the ER for something.I can't remember what it was anymore.Anyway,I had Michael covered with a blanket while rocking him as we waited for a nurse to come into the room to treat him.When the nurse finally came in she said that I needed to take the blanket off of Michael.I couldn't figure out why the nurse would tell me to uncover Michael since he was cold.Then,she wanted to lye him on the table so she could insert a suppository up his butt.I finally spoke up and asked why he would need a suppository.Then she realized she had the wrong patient!!! Duh!!!!
Poor Michael!!!