Author Topic: Bad experience at a New York City Hospital (Read 10025 times)

red_Dragon888 · « **on:** May 26, 2011, 03:15:57 pm »

I was recently in a New York hospital and I would like to relate the bad experience. The situation that bothered me was that i thought i was doing the right thing by being honest to the nurse's questions. When asked if i was HIV positive I told them yes. Little did I know that the nurse would put up a sign in front of my room stating "CONTAMINATION PRECAUTION." IT basically said that the staff must "wash their hands after leaving the room," "the staff must wear gloves," "the staff must make sure that no items must cross over to the adjoining patient," etc... My room was the only room on the floor that had that sign up and there were at least 14 rooms. At first I thought maybe the other guy in the room had something, but i remembered that the sign was not there when i first went in the room.

Now i ask you, is that not discrimination. The next time, if there is one, I will lie.

skeebo1969 · « **Reply #1 on:** May 26, 2011, 03:25:51 pm »

I would have raised bloody hell. I had a situation with a urologist when I was in the hospital a few months back. I raised such a stink the director of the hospital came to visit. While situations like this can make us feel like a leper, we need to voice our discern immediately.

Personally, I wouldn't lie next time either, because you never know when your own health may count on your disclosure.

red_Dragon888 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 26, 2011, 03:56:46 pm »

Quote from: skeebo1969 on May 26, 2011, 03:25:51 pm

I would have raised bloody hell. I had a situation with a urologist when I was in the hospital a few months back. I raised such a stink the director of the hospital came to visit. While situations like this can make us feel like a leper, we need to voice our discern immediately.

Personally, I wouldn't lie next time either, because you never know when your own health may count on your disclosure.

i meant to the floor nurses, not the doctors.

hope_for_a_cure · « **Reply #3 on:** May 26, 2011, 04:07:07 pm »

Red,

I would agree that they over reacted. Nurses should know better!

Ann · « **Reply #4 on:** May 26, 2011, 04:14:55 pm »

What an outrage. Each and every last instruction on that sign is supposed to be happening for EVERY patient. It's called UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS. I would have ripped the sign down and lodged a complaint.

Red, don't let this prevent you from disclosing to health care professionals in the future. They need to have as complete a picture of your health as possible to give you the best possible treatment. Just don't let them get away with crap like this either. Sorry you had to put up with it.

Jeff G · « **Reply #5 on:** May 26, 2011, 04:22:11 pm »

About two years ago my friend Ron was in the hospital with Hepatitis and a young nurse did the same thing and put on a space suit also . I found her supervisor who told her to take that ridiculous thing off and ordered her out of the room . I'm glad I told and maybe that nurse learned something from it .

I'm sorry you had to go through that .

skeebo1969 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 26, 2011, 04:32:55 pm »

Quote from: red_Dragon888 on May 26, 2011, 03:56:46 pm

i meant to the floor nurses, not the doctors.

I understood that, they would have not been an exception to my wrath. The sign would have been placed in the garbage as well.

Trust, I understand how this made you feel. It sucks you had to go through it, and for what it's worth, I'm sorry it happened.

wolfter · « **Reply #7 on:** May 26, 2011, 05:08:25 pm »

I know exactly how you feel. I went through the same type situation but I threw a fit. I was admitted to the hospital 2 years ago for cryptococcal meningitis. They put me in a freaking HOSPICE room with that big contamination symbol plastered to the door. Luckily, my ID doctor showed up pretty quickly and promptly got me moved. Makes you wonder about the quality of care if they're that f***ing ignorant.

I still get angry 2 years later thinking about that so I imagine how raw you're feeling right now. Hope it doesn't ruin your evening. Take care.

pozniceguy · « **Reply #8 on:** May 26, 2011, 05:42:03 pm »

Had that same experience a few yrs ago Nurse put that sign up and had every one wear gowns and masks...as soon as my ID Dr arrived he ripped the sign down called the head nurse and raised Hell...made all the nurses on that floor go to a special training session... He was , still is, a senior staff member of the Hospital Board of Directors...

Nick

WillyWump · « **Reply #9 on:** May 26, 2011, 05:56:38 pm »

Utterly unbelievable that stories like this are still happening in this day.

-Will

mecch · « **Reply #10 on:** May 26, 2011, 07:16:21 pm »

Yep that sucks and was totally uncalled for.
I wouldn't lie in a hospital. But I'd raise some hell.

Schedir · « **Reply #11 on:** May 26, 2011, 07:48:14 pm »

This is fucked up...I would of gotten pissed myself and thrown a fit.

mewithu · « **Reply #12 on:** May 26, 2011, 08:02:43 pm »

Horse hocky What is next we have to carry a sign around us when we go out. That is really ignorant what they did. Probably a Law suit in the makings. Jerry

tednlou2 · « **Reply #13 on:** May 26, 2011, 11:19:16 pm »

I'm sorry this happened to you. What did the other patient in the room do and think? They must have scared the shit out of that person. I've been surprised actually at how little many in the medical field, who don't deal with HIV or infectious disease, know about HIV. Don't they get at the very least basic training in nursing school and training by the hospital?

I recently talked about how a family member, who is a nurse, was stuck by a needle from a patient known to have HIV and a high vl. She went on leave due to getting sick from PEP. When she returned, her fellow nurses treated her much differently. She said they were very cold and distant. She has actually left that hospital for another. She felt they assumed she must have tested poz, since she took that time off. If that is true, it would mean they felt they could somehow catch teh AIDS from her from casual contact. Some said maybe they just didn't know how to react to her now that they thought she had HIV--didn't know what to say to her...that kind of thing. If that were the case, they just wouldn't bring it up and continue to treat her as they always had.

I personally know nurses who I have no idea how they got their licenses. I remember one arguing with me, saying that the liver was all on your left side. Another one said people who are sick without insurance "should have been responsible and made sure they had insurance." Those kinds of comments make me wonder the kind of care many are getting, and the type of caring they get. I know there are millions of awesome medical professionals, but there are plenty of ignorant ones as well.

mecch · « **Reply #14 on:** May 27, 2011, 08:19:52 am »

Quote from: tednlou2 on May 26, 2011, 11:19:16 pm

I recently talked about how a family member, who is a nurse, was stuck by a needle from a patient known to have HIV and a high vl. She went on leave due to getting sick from PEP. When she returned, her fellow nurses treated her much differently. She said they were very cold and distant. She has actually left that hospital for another. She felt they assumed she must have tested poz, since she took that time off. If that is true, it would mean they felt they could somehow catch teh AIDS from her from casual contact. Some said maybe they just didn't know how to react to her now that they thought she had HIV--didn't know what to say to her...that kind of thing. If that were the case, they just wouldn't bring it up and continue to treat her as they always had.

I am suspicious of this. But if you say so.
She shouldn't have needed to, but if she was still HIV neg and was not happy with this behaviour, she should have confronted everyone and, like Obama finally caved, just given them a HIV negative test result and told them they were idiots anyway, whether she was HIV+ or negative.

Inchlingblue · « **Reply #15 on:** May 27, 2011, 08:43:22 am »

In New York City this happened? Amazing. Can you say which hospital?

mecch · « **Reply #16 on:** May 27, 2011, 08:58:12 am »

Good question. Didn't red say he was from upstate? Maybe this was some podunk hospital. Doesn't excuse it however.

skeebo1969 · « **Reply #17 on:** May 27, 2011, 09:36:15 am »

   In this day in age of the HIV epidemic, unfortunately, part of the responsibility to educate falls squarely on our shoulders. And, part of the ignorance stems from many of us hiding our status because we simply don't want the task of having to deal with the people who don't know the truths regarding HIV and how it is acquired. When situations like this occur we must speak up for ourselves. I know it's not easy, but regardless it is important. How else will other people ever know?

   HIV education for nurses alone comes by way of including other bloodborne pathogens such as Hep A, B, and C along with other that are even more highly contagious. It's hard for them to discern the difference because everything gets lumped together. LPN's generally take a quick 9 month course to get into the field. Some RN's only get schooled for 2 years, and the education regarding HIV is like I mentioned before. Only those RN's who seek a higher degree in their field actually get into a more detailed level of learning about such infections, and it's still lacking in some regards.

   Where I was schooling, it just so happened the anatomy/physiology professor was a retired infectious disease doctor. Many of his students will hear the truths regarding HIV because he goes into detail regarding the infection route on a cellular level, and this, of course, opens into discussion about it.

   Regardless, I admit, the fuckers should know by now. Unfortunately it's one of those things people don't focus on unless it hits them personally, and as one can see, the medical field is not excluded.

   It's easy to take offense... take the difficult route though if you want change.

wolfter · « **Reply #18 on:** May 27, 2011, 09:43:37 am »

Back when I got my nursing license, I am pretty sure we never had any coursework in infectious diseases. How much can you cover in a 12 month program?

LabRat · « **Reply #19 on:** May 27, 2011, 10:22:24 am »

Sorry you were treat like a leper...there is no excuse no matter where the hospital is located.

All the more reason to morn the passing of St. Vincent's Hosp.

I've had numerous out-patient procedures there and never experienced any discrimination or bad treatment.
All the staff there was top notch, esp. the nurses!

mecch · « **Reply #20 on:** May 27, 2011, 10:47:22 am »

Quote from: wolfter on May 27, 2011, 09:43:37 am

Back when I got my nursing license, I am pretty sure we never had any coursework in infectious diseases. How much can you cover in a 12 month program?

What kind of nurse is someone after 12 months of education?

Certainly not a nurse who is in charge of how a floor runs. Which is who should have nipped this discrimination in the bud.

wolfter · « **Reply #21 on:** May 27, 2011, 10:51:38 am »

I believe each state has different requirements, but in Ohio, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse after 12 months. The only thing we were in charge of were the nurse's aides and dispensing pills.

smiteler · « **Reply #22 on:** May 27, 2011, 11:20:10 am »

if that had happened to me,
i would of probably been taken out under police escort

red_Dragon888 · « **Reply #23 on:** May 28, 2011, 06:23:43 am »

I think all the hospitals nursing staff do this as normal procedure, like it is the right thing to do to protect the staff eventhought it is wrong. I plan to complaint to the Attorney General ,the Mayors, and the Governor of New York. It may led to nothing, but it may led to a change.

I did not make a fuss then, but I am determine to make waves; Hurricane Katrina like waves, which I hope the World will interact.

red_Dragon888 · « **Reply #24 on:** May 28, 2011, 06:30:32 am »

Quote from: Inchlingblue on May 27, 2011, 08:43:22 am

In New York City this happened? Amazing. Can you say which hospital?

I do not know the legal cosequences of putting the name of the Hospital on this forum. So only if management let's me will I do so.

northernguy · « **Reply #25 on:** May 28, 2011, 02:11:28 pm »

I thought that kind of thing went out with The Gay Plague hysteria of the Eighties. $:-\$

Basquo · « **Reply #26 on:** May 28, 2011, 11:25:47 pm »

I was admitted to hospital a few years back and they did all that with me, but the reason for doing so was that I was showing signs of possible C. Diff infection. Everyone who came into my room had to mask, glove and gown until it was ruled out the next morning. I'm confident they had a "contact precautions" sign on the door until then. That's universal for certains symptoms until they rule out the infectious agents. Without such symptoms, though, that kind of treatment is horridly insensitive and ignorant.

jp2011ny · « **Reply #27 on:** May 28, 2011, 11:59:08 pm »

i live in ny and it really is a shame. nurses don't know much and they have the worst attitude towards their patients. i had to take my friend to a hospital a couple weeks ago. the nurses had some kind of assistants who took blood pressure and what not. the nurses were basically handing out meds based on dr's notes. they did not answer any questions. they hardly made an eye contact with any of their patients. they showed no sincerity, no respect, no nothing. i so wanted to slap their faces with those latex gloves they wear.
ughhhhhh......

red_Dragon888 · « **Reply #28 on:** May 29, 2011, 05:08:36 am »

Quote from: Basquo on May 28, 2011, 11:25:47 pm

I was admitted to hospital a few years back and they did all that with me, but the reason for doing so was that I was showing signs of possible C. Diff infection. Everyone who came into my room had to mask, glove and gown until it was ruled out the next morning. I'm confident they had a "contact precautions" sign on the door until then. That's universal for certains symptoms until they rule out the infectious agents. Without such symptoms, though, that kind of treatment is horridly insensitive and ignorant.

That's the name. 'CONTACT PRECAUTION'

BJS2011 · « **Reply #29 on:** May 29, 2011, 06:45:37 am »

Quote from: red_Dragon888 on May 26, 2011, 03:15:57 pm

I was recently in a New York hospital and I would like to relate the bad experience. The situation that bothered me was that i thought i was doing the right thing by being honest to the nurse's questions. When asked if i was HIV positive I told them yes. Little did I know that the nurse would put up a sign in front of my room stating "CONTAMINATION PRECAUTION." IT basically said that the staff must "wash their hands after leaving the room," "the staff must wear gloves," "the staff must make sure that no items must cross over to the adjoining patient," etc... My room was the only room on the floor that had that sign up and there were at least 14 rooms. At first I thought maybe the other guy in the room had something, but i remembered that the sign was not there when i first went in the room.

Now i ask you, is that not discrimination. The next time, if there is one, I will lie.

That is so terrible. I would have raised proper hell. They couldn't put an alert sticker on the top of your file. Thats just not right. Sorry you had to experience that

Inchlingblue · « **Reply #30 on:** May 30, 2011, 05:12:49 pm »

Quote from: red_Dragon888 on May 28, 2011, 06:30:32 am

I do not know the legal cosequences of putting the name of the Hospital on this forum. So only if management let's me will I do so.

I live in NYC and would like to avoid this place. I don't think anyone's own experience/opinion on here reflects those of the web site (Ann, any thoughts?) If this had happened to me I'd tell people so they could avoid it.

If you are comfortable PMing me I'd appreciate it and if not that's OK too.

Ann · « **Reply #31 on:** May 31, 2011, 09:30:24 am »

Quote from: Inchlingblue on May 30, 2011, 05:12:49 pm

I live in NYC and would like to avoid this place. I don't think anyone's own experience/opinion on here reflects those of the web site (Ann, any thoughts?) If this had happened to me I'd tell people so they could avoid it.

If you are comfortable PMing me I'd appreciate it and if not that's OK too.

I do not think it would matter in general.

However if Red wants to take legal action, then it might cause problems (of the slander/libel variety) if he intends to take legal action. For example, if he loses the case, publishing the name of the hospital here may open him to being sued for slander/libel. But that's just my layperson's take on it.

Basquo · « **Reply #32 on:** May 31, 2011, 12:38:44 pm »

Red, why were you admitted to hospital?

Inchlingblue · « **Reply #33 on:** May 31, 2011, 01:10:26 pm »

Quote from: Ann on May 31, 2011, 09:30:24 am

I do not think it would matter in general.

However if Red wants to take legal action, then it might cause problems (of the slander/libel variety) if he intends to take legal action. For example, if he loses the case, publishing the name of the hospital here may open him to being sued for slander/libel. But that's just my layperson's take on it.

That's a good point. It did cross my mind that the only reason it could matter is if he planned to sue.

At any rate, he told me in an PM and I appreciate it. I still find it mind boggling this could happen in NYC in 2011!

Maybe it's worth reporting to GMHC or some other organization that might be able to confront the hospital so that the staff becomes better educated?

Basquo · « **Reply #34 on:** May 31, 2011, 02:53:58 pm »

If you answer 'yes' to two or more questions regarding fevers or respiratory problems they will test you to "rule out" TB and until they do you will be under "Contact Precautions."

If you have fever and diarrhea for several days they will test you to "rule out" C. Diff and until they do you will be under "Contact Precautions."

Everyone who goes in a CP room will have to don a gown, mask and gloves. And staff are supposed to wash their hands when they leave every room, not just the CP rooms, or use the antibacterial foam. The instructions are "foam in, foam out."

What were your symptoms?

red_Dragon888 · « **Reply #35 on:** June 03, 2011, 05:25:37 pm »

Quote from: Basquo on May 31, 2011, 12:38:44 pm

Red, why were you admitted to hospital?

edema of the hand, which i thought was cause by a bug bite, but concluded it was a reaction to new hiv regiments.

Andy Velez · « **Reply #36 on:** June 03, 2011, 06:40:32 pm »

Jeeeeeeezus! I'm late coming in on this one but man, if you have the energy I suggest you raise bloody hell about it. I suggest you get the name of the head of the hospital and send a registered letter documenting what happened. I believe it's illegal. It certainly is highly unprofessional at this late date in the epidemic.

CC all of these: the NYC Commissioner of Health, the Mayor, GMHC/ Exec Director Marjorie White, NY Times Science writer Laurence Altman, NY1, NY STate Advisory Council and NY STate Dept of Health, along with any others you think appropriate. Should be able to get addresses for all via Google.

If you're willing to put the energy into this you'll be doing a real service.

I am even thinking there should be a demo in front of the hosptial over this. You haven't said which hospital so I am not pressing about that at this moment.

Thanks for bringing this totally unacceptable situation out into the open.

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Author Topic: Bad experience at a New York City Hospital (Read 10025 times)

LabRat