I needed some soothing flowers to calm me.
The girl doing the prep work for the stress test for my dad prepared him for walking on a treadmill. When I questioned did they walk on the treadmill with a chemical stress test, she gave me a funny look and asked is that what he is supposed to have? She called someone and told them that wasn't the message on her voicemail. I've heard about the miscommunication in hospitals and now I have witnessed it. I don't have any solid answers yet. Today I go in for my annual eye exam.
16 comments:
My mother had quite the time of it with some of the cardio lab techs she had to bring my step father to go see. Do you think maybe all these dim witted lab techs all go to the same university?! Sorry you and your Dad had to go through that. You should inform the cardiologist about the girl. If nothing else, it may make you feel better.
Hope your eye exam goes well.
That would definitely make me nervous. Thank goodness that he had you there to ask the questions. Sometimes people just don't think or double check and that can be a big mistake. Good for you for questioning. I hope it all gets resolved and everything goes well for your dad.
OMG. So glad you were there. Poor man. All this must get so confusing and, frankly, scary.
Hi Wanda,
Yikes!
I work in a medical setting and there are many points along the way, between information from doctor to the test that can be goofed up. Scary.
One has to wonder why the order was communicated via voice mail vs. piece of paper or via computer.
Anyway, good thing you were there as your dad's advocate.
Vicky F
I'm with ya sista! We are going through some of the same right now with 87 yr. old father-in-law...finally got him back home and he is doing good!!
It is scary to know that THEY don't know what is going on! Best to double check before agreeing to procedures. I would have thought they should have a written order.
I have heard so many stories of incorrect treatment, it makes me believe that we all need to go to the hospital with an advocate to accompany us. I recently experienced the loss of a bone denisty test by my clinic for 16 months- meaning that osteoperosis went untreated for all that time.
Sally
I am shocked that his doctor did not provide you with a written order to give to the people at the hospital... that is the usual procedure. I worked in healthcare for a long time and I have NEVER heard of an order being communcated via voicemail! It sounds like the miscommunication started with his doctor and I would question it the next time you see that doctor.
Just more proof that we have to be vigilant about our our health and not depend on doctors and nurses to know everything!
I think too many of us have experienced nightmare situations with hospitals. This is a 'red flag' sure hope it is the only one if your Dad decides to go ahead with his surgery.
J~MT
Oh my - I was 2 weeks post foot surgery (great toe joint implant) when I went my stress test (no way could I walk on a treadmill, I could barely walk on the foot at all what with the pain and my foot in the surgical shoe and all). They started my prep and asked me to be sure my shoes were tied so I didn't trip - I looked at them in disbelief and asked WHY I had to walk when I'd just had foot surgery and was told I was having a chemical stress test?!?!??
I swear - some people just don't use any common sense anymore!
I learned when my mother was ill and then again when DH was hospitalized that we all need advocates with us.
Unfortunately, it seems that errors can happen all too easily sometimes.
Sadly I am not surprised by this. There are so many starts and stops nowadays in the health care field that a person must be his own advocate or else someone must be the advocate for him/her. The best thing to do, I have found, is to document everything. When you meet with a doctor or nurse practitioner, write down what was said, when it was said and who said it. Always get a name and number for contact purposes in case when you go for a test or whatever, if that info doesn't match what you have been told, then you tell the person, "This is not what I was told but you can contact name and number to verify the info."
I have been doing all the caretaking for parents for a long time and I know that when you have two or more doctors involved, it is safe to say that the left hand will not know what the right hand is doing. If tests are ordered, get a copy of the order and keep it in your possession until it has been safely completed. Never assume that medical info will be shared and passed on. Anything that needs to be known must be mentioned at each appointment.
I'm sure you can tell by this that I have run into numerous medical miscommunications and sometime outright errors.
Always, always make sure you have a name and date of who you talked to and what was said. Copies of anything written are a necessity these days. It's not that anyone has been careless but I think lackadaisical pretty well sums it up as far as making sure everything is in order and correct.
It is so scary, isn't it. No wonder malpractice insurance is so high, and then drs. have to charge outrageous amounts, and then insurance companies have to pay, so then we have to pay high dollar insurance bills, it goes on and on, but the worst part is that it is truly unsafe to go to the hospital any more. Last time my mom was in the dr. took her off all kinds of meds that she really needed. It took several weeks at the nursing home to get them all staightened back out.
It is good that you were able to be there and ask the appropriate questions. I hope your dad is managing okay- it is always hard when you lose your spouse but that would be especially true when your parents were married as long as your's were.
Hope your eye exam went well.
Your argylle sock quilt design is fabulous- I love the black chain throughout it..
Warmest regards,
Anna
Glad you were on your toes, Wanda. Every patient needs an advocate! Hope everything goes well for your Dad.
good thing you were there...we had some upsetting things happen when my dad was in the hospital last year, none really life threatening, but we came away from it knowing that if you want to be sure they have good care, someone better stay up there with them.
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