Medical Care….lets be honest
Before I start this I want to say that I know there are great doctors and nurses out there and I understand they do not have an easy job. The good one deserve respect.
BUT lets get into the sad facts of our health care today. oh gosh like 8 or so years ago I had this crazy pain on the side of my belly. I wont say what state I was living in but i ended up in the ER. They were busy and I understood that i was just really scared because I didnt know what the pain was being caused by and had never been in pain like that.
I waited 8 hours not in my own room (which again i get with so many people going in) and never saw a doctor. I have an IV in my (and though now I am not afraid to take them out myself) I was scared to take it out. Shift change came and I got a new nurse who was actually filly in from a different hospital. She say my blood pressure (which rises with extreme pain) and my mandatory drug test came back clean. At this point i was in tears. Somehow she got a doctor to give me a scan and about an hour later she came back to give me something for the pain and explain i have kidney stones.
She also told me she herself was angry because the doctor wouldnt see me before because he thought I was faking it. He probably thought i wanted pain meds or something. 8 hours. A doctor who wouldnt even see me until a nurse forced him to. I was so shocked.
I understand there is a huge drug problem in our country right now. But lets be honest if a doctor wont give people pains meds it really isnt hard to get them on the street, not that you should. Doctors are supposed to treat people and at least pretend to care.
Years later I moved to a different state. I was in a real small town and most people had state provided health care. I was talking to some friends one day and one of them had just been to the ER and was treated awful. The doctor actually asked her “so what do you want me to do run a test or scan or something” she had no idea she was in pain (and not asking for pain pills just wanting to know what was wrong) and she isnt a doctor how should she know what tests to run. She just got up an left and days later went to a different hospital and the doctor there found an actual problem that needed medical attention.
As we talked about this one girl said it was because she was on state paid insurance. And that makes patients a low priority. Just like when a young patient comes in with pain staff right away thinks they just want pain pills. I know people who have waited longer then 8 hours after checking in. Nurses have been known to have horrible bedside matter (not all) and doctors dont see patients they see poor people and drug users.
Now not everyone needs scans and x-rays and whatever but when you go to an ER its scary most people dont want to go. And then to be treated like dirt, like another problem to deal with and get them out as soon as possible. I have had a family memeber who actually almost died because one ER literally just sent him home without looking at the problem, they gave him a pain shot and of course he felt better but it didnt fix him. Within 48 hours he was almost dead and the head of surgery as a different hospital was preforming emergency surgery.
Hospitals, especailly ERS are almost a waste of time and a place where most dont feel better just worse or scared. I have found it better no matter what kind of problem serious or not to just call my primary doctor and wait it out. I have been dealing with kidney stones for years and i can pass them with asprin and water and no ER.
It does make me sad thoughI understand the stresses these doctors and nurses go through but asuming people arent worth it or drug users. Making people way 8 hours before ANYONE checks in with them what if they only had 8 hours left. All I can say is that at least the paramedics seem to be nice :) Lets hope things change lets hope people get the actual care they need. And maybe someday going to an ER (which i hope none of you has to) will not make you feel worse, judged or sent away with out knowing whats wrong.
