After a lifetime of spending very little time in hospitals as a patient, I had the opportunity a week or so ago to spend four days in our local hospital, first two days in the emergency room and then two days on a floor in a private room. (I was not there because I wanted the private room, but I was there because the doctors thought I was contagious).
I learned that self diagnoses is not terribly smart idea and now I know to check with the Doctor sooner than later when I am sick. I thought I had the flu and for four days treated myself by staying in bed, and suffering with a fever, vomiting, chest pains and a headache. By Friday I was in such bad shape that my wife called the emergency number and off I went to the hospital.
The firemen and the ambulance crew were at my home within minutes and after a few tests and questions, I was moved to the hospital. The staff at the hospital that worked on me were wonderful, caring people. They responded to my questions, my needs and they were very thorough. I think I had more tests done in the four days I was in the hospital then I have had in my life. After three days of testing, the doctor took me off the intravenous antibodies and put me on to some pills, and I started to feel better and by the fourth day I was ready to leave and the doctor agreed.
The front line staff were, in my humble observations, overworked. A few things I need to comment on, the cleaning staff in the emergency ward were working very hard, but they appeared to be rushed and I noticed that they missed several areas around my bed when they were cleaning. When I was in my room, the cleaner came in once and did a very quick clean, but again missed several areas. I am not sure if she was rushed or whether she did not want to be in a room with a contagious patient.
The food once I was allowed to eat, was surprisingly not bad, however the food trays were left in the room and not picked up, once they determined I was not contagious, I took the trays out of the room and told the staff they should be picked up; I noticed that the food trays sat in the area where I left them for about 4 to 6 hours after I had informed the staff.
I was taken up to the room by an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) who told me that she was working as a porter, because they hospital was short staffed, I also talked to a Registered Nurse who had come in off holidays to work and she told me about working a 20 hour shift because no one was available. This speaks to poor management of the hospital, and my sister-in-law, who is also a Registered Nurse also speaks to me of the lack of mangement skills in running the hospital where she works.
We tend to take our health care for granted, and think it will be there when we need it, but the Federal and Provincial governments are slowly defunding the public health care system and my fear is that when we need care, it will not be available unless one has the money to pay for it.
I was struck in my two days in emergency by the fact that many of the people in the emergency were my age or older, many had fallen, or had symptoms of heart attacks r strokes. I was also struck my the level of support that many of these people had, adult children spending hours waiting with their parents. When people were in life threatening situations what was important was the friends and relationships.
Back to the food, when the last Doctor saw me on Monday afternoon, he told me I could go home and I then commented that I had found the food not too bad. The Dr. looked at me and became very serious, and then said, "I have to reconsider about you going home, your last comment tells me that you are a very, very, very sick man and we have to hold you for more tests." I recovered enough to say, "I didn't finish, the food was not as bad as I thought it would be" The Dr. laughed and said, "Ok, you can go home". We both laughed.
A sense of humour is important in all situations. My thanks to the staff, the Doctors and Nurses and EagleRidge hospital for their help, support and caring while I was under their care.
I am still undergoing tests and hope to find out why I was out for the 9 days, but now I am back to normal, I know that we have to continue to fight for our right to good medical care in Canada.
I learned that self diagnoses is not terribly smart idea and now I know to check with the Doctor sooner than later when I am sick. I thought I had the flu and for four days treated myself by staying in bed, and suffering with a fever, vomiting, chest pains and a headache. By Friday I was in such bad shape that my wife called the emergency number and off I went to the hospital.
The firemen and the ambulance crew were at my home within minutes and after a few tests and questions, I was moved to the hospital. The staff at the hospital that worked on me were wonderful, caring people. They responded to my questions, my needs and they were very thorough. I think I had more tests done in the four days I was in the hospital then I have had in my life. After three days of testing, the doctor took me off the intravenous antibodies and put me on to some pills, and I started to feel better and by the fourth day I was ready to leave and the doctor agreed.
The front line staff were, in my humble observations, overworked. A few things I need to comment on, the cleaning staff in the emergency ward were working very hard, but they appeared to be rushed and I noticed that they missed several areas around my bed when they were cleaning. When I was in my room, the cleaner came in once and did a very quick clean, but again missed several areas. I am not sure if she was rushed or whether she did not want to be in a room with a contagious patient.
The food once I was allowed to eat, was surprisingly not bad, however the food trays were left in the room and not picked up, once they determined I was not contagious, I took the trays out of the room and told the staff they should be picked up; I noticed that the food trays sat in the area where I left them for about 4 to 6 hours after I had informed the staff.
I was taken up to the room by an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) who told me that she was working as a porter, because they hospital was short staffed, I also talked to a Registered Nurse who had come in off holidays to work and she told me about working a 20 hour shift because no one was available. This speaks to poor management of the hospital, and my sister-in-law, who is also a Registered Nurse also speaks to me of the lack of mangement skills in running the hospital where she works.
We tend to take our health care for granted, and think it will be there when we need it, but the Federal and Provincial governments are slowly defunding the public health care system and my fear is that when we need care, it will not be available unless one has the money to pay for it.
I was struck in my two days in emergency by the fact that many of the people in the emergency were my age or older, many had fallen, or had symptoms of heart attacks r strokes. I was also struck my the level of support that many of these people had, adult children spending hours waiting with their parents. When people were in life threatening situations what was important was the friends and relationships.
Back to the food, when the last Doctor saw me on Monday afternoon, he told me I could go home and I then commented that I had found the food not too bad. The Dr. looked at me and became very serious, and then said, "I have to reconsider about you going home, your last comment tells me that you are a very, very, very sick man and we have to hold you for more tests." I recovered enough to say, "I didn't finish, the food was not as bad as I thought it would be" The Dr. laughed and said, "Ok, you can go home". We both laughed.
A sense of humour is important in all situations. My thanks to the staff, the Doctors and Nurses and EagleRidge hospital for their help, support and caring while I was under their care.
I am still undergoing tests and hope to find out why I was out for the 9 days, but now I am back to normal, I know that we have to continue to fight for our right to good medical care in Canada.
