Zero Stars! I am a 68 year old single individual that had a routine procedure at Banner Payson Medical Center. I live alone, am self-reliant, and over the course of several months ahead of a procedure recommended by my PCP I was asked by several different hospital personnel if I had someone to check in with after the procedure. My initial response was that I didn't have a 'babysitter' and I was told explicitly that I didn't need anyone at my house for 24 hours, just someone to check in with. I had several people that I would be checking in with and that was acceptable. I was asked at least twice, at the hospital before the procedure if I had someone to check in with and I gave them the same answer, 'Yes, there are five different people that I have arranged to be in contact with.'
Everyone I dealt with was wonderful until after the procedure when a 'Big Nurse', 'Nurse Ratched' type butted in, claimed to be in charge, and demanded to know who would be staying with me. I told her, 'No one,' that I had several people lined up that that would be checking in on me. She said that I HAD to have someone staying with me for 24 hours and that she wouldn't discharge me unless I did. I explained again that I had been told all along that a 24 hour babysitter wasn't necessary but that wasn't good enough with Big Nurse. She didn't believe me and wasn't going to let me go home.
In July I had an in-office consultation with the physician that would be performing the procedure and he sent me home with 'Preparation' Instructions. They stated:
...someone needs to check on you for 24 hours later.
The Preparation Instruction made no mention of having to have someone at my house for 24 hours after the procedure.
At the hospital, after the procedure had been completed I was given another document titled, 'INFORMED DISCHARGE'. The 'Discharge Instructions' stated:
Have someone stay with you, if needed.
I emphasis the wording, 'if needed'. 'If needed' does not translate to 'must have'.
I got into a shouting match with Big Nurse and she finally relented and allowed me to go home. This person obviously had not read the discharge instructions issued by the hospital and she should not be in the position of not allowing a patient to be discharged if they don't match her 'expectations' while adhering to what is required to, and stated by, the hospital's own discharge instructions. She caused me a lot of unnecessary grief and distress and she needs to be put in some other capacity where she is not directly involved with the patients. She is a misinformed bully and needs to go.