I went to Bellevue through an ambulance thinking i had a kidney infection. Well no, turns out I had sepsis with a severe kidney infection and was diagnosed about 30 minutes after arrival and admitted.
I waited in the emergency room for a bed upstairs for 36 HOURS. Luckily, I had one phenomenal nurse who listened to my doctors (once admitted, the ER doctors stop treating you), took my vitals every four hours, and made sure I was doing okay. After her shift ended (my first 12 hours) it's like the nursing staff stopped caring about the patients that were admitted. I literally had to stop a charge nurse at one point who asked who I was -- (which goes to show, bad staff changing) but I knew better to raise my voice, pointed at the screens where they show names and vitals and told her I hadn't gotten antibiotics that day (which is what you need to get over sepsis) and she didn't call them up. I also begged for my vitals to be taken because I knew I had a fever and I wanted my charts to reflect my health both on and off the high doses of Tylenol they gave me your bring my fever down. I went a full day in the hospital without getting the antibiotics that I needed. ANTIBIOTICS.
Once I got a bed, the nurses were still troubling -- forgetting to give medication, forgetting to take vitals. I am a healthy 25 year old woman and I was shocked at not only how they treated me but my roommates. I was in the hospital for quite sometime and was shocked watching new patients come into my room and the treatment they received by the nursing staff.
The doctors were good, but on leaving gave me the wrong antibiotic prescription that a pharmacist had to tell me that they don't make it in that dose. I realize residency is difficult but time and accuracy can be vital to sustaining life.
I would ask the management to evaluate nursing practice and triage as well as the hand off procedures. Residents should ensure a doctor knows what prescription is written through a doctor nod off or something so a patient who could have died wouldn't have to spend hours trying to get the right one written, for antibiotics!
I would not advise this hospital. I felt they treated me poorly as with many of the patients. I understand how busy things can get but these are lives you're playing with.