Woman dies in hospital waiting room.

This story really angers me.

By now everyone has heard of it......

I have to watch myself when I see S like this. This is one of the most unforgiveable sins here in the United States.

It really makes me ashamed of having worked in the 'industry' for so many years and seeing that there are AHs that took no notice of that poor woman.
Not only the employees, but the other 'people' who sat there and did nothing.

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During my employment, I was told more than once that I was "not to get involved with patient care" because of the rules. ARRRGGGGHHHH!

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The blame starts at the people/receptionists who register the patients.

The inform the nurses and the nurses tell the doctors.

IF A RECEPTIONIST GIVES THE PAPERWORK TO THE NURSE AND the nurse fails to let anyone else know.......But, the receptionist should have known and seen this woman in the waiting room- there were three effing shifts that were on duty while this woman was sitting there, dying.

Even more sickening is the way that the nursing/doctors notes were written to make it sound like something else had transpired.

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Never, ever take things for granted when you are under or seeking medical care. Too many times we take doctor's opinions as gospel.

I don't mean for you to diagnose or medicate yourself without a medical consultation, But do not hesitate to inform yourself and do not hesitate to
ask questions when the care of a loved one becomes your priority.

The media has made it a priority to take the hospital to task but where was the family of the woman? 24 hours is more than enough to give someone a call.

UGH!

We were talking about this over dinner last night...

What angers ME about the situation is how everyone, in response to the video, is saying how the health care system is to blame... HOW?!?! I don't know what site it was with those comments, but I was just floored reading what I did!!! How in the WORLD is the "poor health care system" to blame for people (patients and employees alike) just STAND there and watch the poor woman seizure and not even TRY to get help.... and not only that... but CLEARLY the woman was NOT OK when she is lying face down on the ground.... and the receptionist clearly sees it, and doesn't do s***!!!!!!! :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

I think more people need to stop worrying about who is going to sue them and just HELP OUT a little!!!

Heard a story about how a man was hit and run over by a car in front of a bunch of people. The driver kept driving, and onlookers who saw it happened turned and kept walking. The man laid in a gutter for an HOUR or so before anyone even thought to dial 911 or get him help!!!!!!!! What IS IT with people these days?!?!??!

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Originally Posted by RICHARD

Never, ever take things for granted when you are under or seeking medical care. Too many times we take doctor's opinions as gospel.

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You are 100% right there, RICHARD. Too often people (myself included) think to ourselves, 'They are the doctor; they've been to medical school; they must know more than I do.' We fear to question our doctors, sometimes because we think they will be insulted, other times because we simply assume them to be right.

Doctors are only human; they will make mistakes and we as paitents need to understand that and not worry about hurting feelings if we ask for a recommendation for a second opinion (don't be down-right rude though!). Our health is important and we deserve the best care we can find.

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Originally Posted by Jessika

We were talking about this over dinner last night...

What angers ME about the situation is how everyone, in response to the video, is saying how the health care system is to blame... HOW?!?!

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It's the the world we are living in.

If someone disregards the 'rules' and runs into a burning building and saves a person the are heroes. Sometimes the 'rules' blind people into turning away from any incident where they could make a difference.

I really hope everyone involved get that little little voice in the back of their heads repeat the scene over and over again.:mad:

I just heard about this on the radio today. It's just unbelievable that so many people would see it happen and do absolutely nothing. I know there are still good people left in the world but stories like this make me wonder sometimes. :(

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Originally Posted by lady_zana

You are 100% right there, RICHARD. Too often people (myself included) think to ourselves, 'They are the doctor; they've been to medical school; they must know more than I do.' We fear to question our doctors, sometimes because we think they will be insulted, other times because we simply assume them to be right.

Doctors are only human; they will make mistakes and we as paitents need to understand that and not worry about hurting feelings if we ask for a recommendation for a second opinion (don't be down-right rude though!). Our health is important and we deserve the best care we can find.

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I'm one who has learned to question the dr. and I paid dearly for it. I've been on pain meds for quite some time for neuropathy; my regular dr. was out of town and her associate was filling in at the time I needed a followup visit. She wanted to start me on a strong anti-depressant for pain and, never having heard of that for treatment before, naturally I asked questions. I told her that I really was hesitant to start on heavy duty meds like that and asked her what the side effects were. She

When my regular dr. returned, I spoke w/her on the phone and told her that I had done research on the med and that I didn't want to take it. That wasn't my real sin, I guess, because I told her how her assoc. didn't look at me while we were talking. Two days later I received a certified letter stating that she was giving me 30 days to find another dr. She wouldn't even refill my Rx for pain meds and I was only taking one a day, so it isn't as though I was abusing them. I called her and asked why she was being so harsh and she said "I don't consider this a harsh move". I said "Really? Telling someone that you will no longer be her dr. because she asked questions? Or is it because I said something about your assoc?" Silence on her end. So I said "Surely I'm not the first person to comment on this" and she said "No, actually you aren't. But that's just the way it is." She referred me to another dr. who just happened to be a friend of my ex-husband's and mine before our divorce, so I was hesitant to go to him, too, but it's turned out to be a good relationship.

We're always hearing that we must get involved in our own health care. Yeah, as long as we don't dare question our dr's. course of action or state that it would be nice to be looked in the eye and treated as a person and not an income. If I was treated this shabbily, it comes as no surprise that this poor woman was treated so badly. The video made me furious!

There is a weird dynamic about doctors and the way medicine is these days.

Doctors USED to have to diagnose a person, so their word was 'law'. They did the work before they sent you out to a machine, scan or specialist.

Some of the older doctors still haven't embraced the idea that they cannot look at a person, or do a phone interview and diagnose a person based on a chart or patient history. Sometimes they think the old ways are the best.

They also take it as an affront to their experience and knowledge.

Some of the younger doctors put too much emphasis on modern technology and don't try to find time to know their patients.

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Their are other reasons why doctors will/will not prescribe or order additional tests.

With meds, some doctors do 'deal's with manufacturers and sales reps. Discounts, freebies and other perks are common. The more they prescribe the more they are rewarded by the drug companies.

With diagnostic procedures and tests some physicians are not reimbursed in a timely manner by the government or insurance companies when they bill for them.

As the elections go on, and if the topic of health care isn't buried by other issues, you'll see some of the health care pros oppose the idea of a government backed health system. Sadly, it comes down to money.

I pretty much knew everything you said, Richard, and I've learned to cope w/most of it as best I can. However, it's my body and my health and when I question a dr., it isn't out of disrespect; it's on a need-to-know basis. I'm always very respectful when I speak to them, to everybody actually, and to receive a certified letter w/out even the benefit of a telephone conversation first from my dr. to ask what transpired between me and her associate is callous. I also haven't forgotten the phone conversation that I had w/another dr. recently who was on call and, when I needed a refill for one of my meds, told me that I was inconveniencing him and interrupting his dinner. Gone are the days of the old time dr. who used to make house calls, I know. I guess that's the price we pay for better medicine but it sure does make ya feel bad. And feeling like you matter is all part of the healing process, IMO. So it doesn't surprise me in the least when I see videos like that one or hear of reports similar to that situation. It infuriates me but, sadly, it doesn't surprise me.

Medusa...sort of off topic but my husband was prescribed the anti depressant for neuropathy to get him off of the other pain drugs, it has worked out great for him. Another friend of mine is opting for that treatment also.

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Originally Posted by caseysmom

Medusa...sort of off topic but my husband was prescribed the anti depressant for neuropathy to get him off of the other pain drugs, it has worked out great for him. Another friend of mine is opting for that treatment also.

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I'm not against the treatment itself; it's that particular med that I wasn't too keen on trying. I did try another one and, for a time, it worked well but later on it gave me strong stomach cramps that lasted for hours every day. Plus I gained 9 lbs. in a matter of weeks. Ugh. I tried to wait it out for several weeks w/no success so I had to stop taking it. I do know that there are some people who have successfully gone this route for neuropathy and I wish I was one of them but, unfortunately, I'm not. :)

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Originally Posted by Medusa

I'm not against the treatment itself; it's that particular med that I wasn't too keen on trying. I did try another one and, for a time, it worked well but later on it gave me strong stomach cramps that lasted for hours every day. Plus I gained 9 lbs. in a matter of weeks. Ugh. I tried to wait it out for several weeks w/no success so I had to stop taking it. I do know that there are some people who have successfully gone this route for neuropathy and I wish I was one of them but, unfortunately, I'm not. :)

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My hubby was taking way too many narcotics for the pain, he even took so many he had stroke like symptoms and was rushed by ambulance to the hospital, he was put on notriptlyn (anti-depressant) and it getting some non narcotic relief finally. I know the neuropathy is horrible I feel for you.

Is this the woman that bled to death in the ER waiting room, or is this another?

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Originally Posted by critters

Is this the woman that bled to death in the ER waiting room, or is this another?

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The woman who bled to death died at the now closed King-Drew hospital here in Lost Angeles....

I didn't hear about that; what happened?

I'm trained as a citizen responder, and was appalled by the people just sitting in the waiting room and the two(!) security guards' actions. I would have been making an @$$ of myself at the receptionists' so they would either have to treat the patient or kick me out.

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Originally Posted by Genny

I didn't hear about that; what happened?

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A woman sat in a pych hospital waiting room for 24 hours. They have a video tape of her falling out of her chair and dying on the floor while other patients and staff looked on.

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STE,

I hear you.

Sometimes you have to step over the line and make things right, rules be damned.:(

I was reading the paper the other day and I saw a hospital that is putting ATM style machines that will be used to check yourself in for doctor's appointments...


I can hardly wait to see that Cluster F go into operation!!!!!:rolleyes::eek:

I saw this on the news the other day and was appalled. I also know the annoyance of questioning doctors. When Nina died, I questioned the doctor as to what possibly could have happened and I ended up getting YELLED at by the doctor. :mad: I never did get a real answer either.
The whole medical system in this country is fouled up, and it only seems to get worse. People afraid of getting sued and always wanting to pass the blame onto someone else, sometimes even on to the patient. Its incredibly sad.
I wonder how many more incidents of people not getting help will have to happen before people stand up and start doing the right thing.

I read that the two security guards, the head of security, and several medical personnel were fired over this. It won't bring the poor woman back but points up egregious failures in some of our systems.

I had not heard of this before and am shocked that it happened. I have been very lucky at the ER here in town. Last year I was given a drug for restless legs that started doing other weird things to my body - even chest and back pain to the extreme. Carl dropped me at the ER door while he went to find a parking place - the ER was quite busy that night. Some ambulance drivers evidently had just dropped a patient off and saw me obviously in a lot of pain. One of them escorted me into the ER, rang the bell for someone to come, when they did not come immediately he went back into the ER, brought someone back with him and even though I told them I was pretty sure it wasn't my heart but was chest pain, they had me into a room to be seen immediately. Of course, they couldn't just go on my word it wasn't hear related seeing how much pain I was in so they did an EKG right away. It took time and they couldn't come up with what was causing the pain but they did get me to the point where the pain was aleviated and I could go home. A lot of people complain about our ER and sometimes it is slow but
having been there with Christy's kids several times this year, I think they do an excellent job. I also cannot imagine the receptionist or security guards not doing something if someone was having some sort of obvious trouble.

Along with that, after more testing and testing, and no results to what was causing the pain and other symptoms, I started to do my own research. I also talked to my pharmacist because they often know more about the drugs and the side effects than the doctors. The two pharmacists at the store we go to both did research and found the information I needed. The drs. office called and I told her my findings. Later that day the dr. called me personally and questioned me. He was on is computer and started telling me that the other symptoms were not listed. He was going alphebetically to make sure I knew nothing like that was listed. He was only on letter i and I told him to skip to the p's and was this listed. He didn't reply to that but just said okay, we need to get you off that medication.

I do agree that doctors are too often swayed by drug companies and use whatever they are told is the best and newest on the market. And for a lot of people it works -- but they can't write off that others are crazy when they start having unusual symptoms either!

Apparently she died of DVT. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25645621/