Dorothy Kalkbrenner
Google
On Christmas Eve, December 24, 2024, I found myself at the St. Rose Siena Campus emergency room—certainly not where anyone wants to be during the holidays. I was in severe pain, with shortness of breath, discomfort under my rib cage wrapping to my back, and pain extending to my chest and abdomen, along with a horrible headache. I was concerned about the possibility of a gallbladder blockage, an upper respiratory infection, or something more serious.
When I arrived, the patient registrar made an unprofessional and rude comment to her co-worker: "They just keep coming in. Do they not want to be with their families on a holiday?" This was disheartening and almost made me leave, but I stayed because I needed care.
Fortunately, my first interaction with the nurse, Chastity, was positive. She was caring, attentive, and professional, asking appropriate questions and charting my information. Sadly, she was the only staff member who seemed to prioritize patient care.
The attending physician breezed in and out within five minutes. She asked the same questions as the nurse, ordered some tests (blood work, urine sample, a CT scan, and an abdominal ultrasound) but skipped a chest X-ray and EKG, and left without asking for my input or addressing my concerns. It felt rushed and dismissive.
The phlebotomist was equally unkind—no greeting, just a curt "Which arm?", before drawing my blood and dismissing me with, "You go now."
The next nurse, whose name I couldn’t catch because her badge was backward, moved me to a room beyond the ER with sliding glass doors and essentially abandoned me there for two and a half hours. When I informed her I still had my specimen cup and asked if I should use it, her response was a dismissive, "I don’t care." After that, she left and never returned. I didn’t receive the IV fluids or pain medication that had been ordered, nor any follow-up care from her.
The physician assistant (PA) had to track me down because the nurse didn’t inform anyone in the emergency room where I was at. When the PA finally found me, she acknowledged the understaffed situation: "There are only two nurses today. We’re supposed to have six. Nobody wants to work holidays." She apologized for the neglect but still downplayed my concerns.
Ultimately, I was discharged based on incomplete information, because not all of my test results were back and "There are others in here that are really sick", as the PA explained. I later learned (from another medical practice) I had a severe upper respiratory infection, tachycardia, and extremely high blood pressure—all of which were overlooked in the chaotic, understaffed environment.
The words "I don't care" linger in my mind four weeks later, as they perfectly encapsulate my experience with this hospital. From the dismissive registrar, neglectful nurse, and indifferent PA, the lack of professionalism and compassion was shocking. While I understand the challenges of staffing during the holidays, patients deserve proper care regardless of the date.
There is no excuse or apology strong enough to undo the damage caused that day. This was my first visit to this hospital, and it left a horrible first and lasting impression.
