Poor Health Care

Last night, I was taken to the ER with possible AFib. I didn't want to go in an ambulance because they cost so much but knew if we drove ourselves, we'd sit in the waiting room more than 6 hours before being seen. (Been there done that!) So I let them take me. 

Without going into all the details of ineptitude I experienced from hospital staff, I'll just say it was a very bad experience. I was at the ER until almost 2 AM (over 8 hours)!

It was freezing cold in there and I'm so glad I know how to unhook the machinery to get up and go to the bathroom, otherwise I'd have wet the bed. No one came to check on me regularly and I finally told them, at the 7 hour mark, that they could either discharge me or I was going to leave AMA. When I said that, through the call button to the nurse's station, I was told if I left AMA that Medicare wouldn't cover my ER visit. I checked on that and found it to be untrue so I called back and said if the doc wasn't there in the next 15 minutes, I was leaving. Funny how quickly that got their attention. 

I'm not nasty person but good grief. What happened to quality healthcare? Aren't nurses supposed to have hearts of mercy and want to have compassion on their sick or hurting patients? 

I always wanted to be a nurse when I was growing up. I have a heart for people. I wanted to serve them and be kind to them. But I decided a starting a family was more important. 

Our healthcare systems in the US are definitely not like they used to be. I think Covid had a lot to do with it. Many medical professionals left their jobs after the long hours and trauma they experienced then. I sure wish things would be like they were many years back where doctors and nurses loved their jobs and did their best to help others. Too bad we can't get housecalls anymore.