‘Disgusted And Saddened’ – When It Comes To Emergency Care At Hospitals In Niagara, Negative Experiences Outweighed Positive Ones

By Mollie Stovell

(A short note from Niagara At Large – This is the second in a series of first-hand accounts involving emergency services at hospitals in Niagara, Ontario, and Niagara At Large has received more than a few from residents across this region, without solicitation.

And as NAL reported in the first article for this series, we asked the Niagara Health System, the board responsible for managing most of the hospital services in this region for a response to these accounts and was told by a senior communications director that “the hospital cannot comment on or release information around specific patient cases. Our duty is to maintain patient confidentiality and respect the privacy of patients. The communications director went on to say that it is the NHS’s “desire and goal is for every patient and their family to have a positive experience.”

Those with concerns, the hospital’s communications director continued, can share them with the NHS’s Patient Relations Specialist Natalie Foster. Natalie is located at Ontario Street Site and can be reached at 905-378-4647, extension 44423 or by e-mail Natalie.Foster@niagarahealth.on.ca.)

It has been months since I have had to live through the excruciating experience of dealing with death, but I have not yet been able to make peace with the misery of my memories.

Mollie's grandparents Paul and Vickie.

My grandfather was taken in by ambulance in December of 2008.  He passed away eight days later.  My sister’s mother-in law was taken in July of 2009.  She passed away the next day.  My grandmother was brought by ambulance on the day of Mrs. Wilson’s funeral after a fall resulting in a shattered shoulder blade. 

We were told that she would likely not make it through the surgery.  She survived, and was able to return to her home.  Unfortunately, while in hospital, we were informed of a spot they had discovered on her lung during a chest x-ray.  My grandmother was taken to the GNGH (the Greater Niagara General Hospital in Niagara Falls, Ontario) on the eve of Christmas Day 2009.  She passed away on January 4th, 2010.  My sister’s father-in-law, after many trips for heart related issues, including a heart attack that lead to a triple bypass surgery in Hamilton, was most recently taken in for a mini-stroke.  He was released after one night in the ER with a prescription for a new medication.

There is no doubt that my family has been in turmoil the past two years.  Emotions have been running high, been running overtime.  Through all of this we have a chance to see the best, and the worst of the GNGH. 

My goal is not to gain sympathy for our personal experiences, or place blame on certain individuals who made these many trips to the hospital even more unbearable. But I want to point out the importance of ‘fixing’ our health care system for the sake of all of the individuals whose experiences with the GNGH, and other hospitals within the region, have made the illness or loss of a loved one both more heartbreaking and disgraceful.

Since all of these trips began with a call to 911, it is very important to me to point out the caring manner and professionalism of the EMS (Niagara Region’s ambulance and paramedics) teams and the Niagara Falls Firefighters.  Had the care and concern throughout been on the same level of these individuals, our experiences during such hard times would have been made just that little bit easier. 

With that said, there is no doubt that some of the nurses, doctors and support staff are priceless as well, treating their patients and the families as they would their own.  These people never receive enough credit.  They are the true caregivers, the ones that have chosen their career for the personal rewards, not for lack of something else to do.  I wish I had names, but I am glad to say that there would be many to list.

Unfortunately, the negative experiences by far outweigh the positive.  At each and every call to 911, my loved ones were subject to long wait times within the preferred confines of the ER on their ambulance stretcher.  Preferred only to the even longer wait times outside of the ER, in the waiting room full of individuals in dire need of assistance, helpless and waiting for a poorly run health care system to acknowledge their need.

From the wait for a bed in the ER came a wait for a doctor, came a wait for tests, came a wait for information, came a wait for a bed to open in a ward, came a wait for the doctor, came a wait for a diagnosis, came a wait for options and tests, came a wait for treatment, came a wait for someone, anyone to talk to.  All the while we watched as our loved ones suffered and we were at a loss for anything to do to comfort them.

Maybe this will never change.  Maybe this effort to write about the negative aspects of the GNGH is futile.  But I cannot keep it in any longer.

The occasion of a single rude interaction with a nurse or doctor when in such peril is inexcusable.  The ones we encountered over the two years are too many to state.  Is it because of salary, being overworked and underpaid?  Could it be because there is not enough accountability in our health care system?  Is it due to the fact that we are opting for contract agencies to staff our hospitals at times, rather than hiring more staff?  Are we so desperate for care, for more doctors and nurses and support staff that we should expect to be subjected to such poor ethical standards?  I’m certain these are all valid reasons. 
 
It is important to recognize as well that these employees are also human, often dealing in circumstances that most of us could not handle.  But as someone who has spent years working with the public, I know that dealing with difficult people is part of the job.  I know that poor service is not tolerated.  I know that I will not be employed for long if I cannot reasonably do my job in a manner which shows respect, even at times that I feel disrespected. 

Leaving an individual in pain on an ambulance stretcher in a hallway indefinitely is inexcusable.  I thought an ambulance ride implied the need for immediate care.  I thought a trip to the ER implied the need for urgency.  Where were the doctors? 

Oh wait, there is only one.  The nurses and support staff, although seemingly plentiful, are also overworked.  Both inside the ER and later inside the wards, the ones we encountered who maintained an appropriate disposition were so appreciated in between our interactions with the ones whom clearly did not care. 

Our anxiety heightened at each change of shift, wondering if the new nurse would be kind to our parent or grandparent.  Often our anxiety went into overdrive, causing more stress and tears as we had to leave for the night knowing that the individual responsible for their care could not possibly care any less about their well-being.  Often ‘keeping someone comfortable’ meant only keeping them medicated.  This resulted in them being unable to express any discomfort.

One of my last experiences was seeing my grandmother lying in her own vomit in bed, as she had thrown up through the night and the staff had found it unnecessary to change her sheets or nightgown.  Only the pillowcase was fresh.  How could she complain?  She died later that day, some time after one of the kindest nurses we encountered had the decency to not just help us, but to clean her up as we waited outside. 

After living her entire life in Niagara, contributing to our society in so many positive ways for 85 years, this is how her’s ended.

My grandfather’s last days were no better.  In the eight days he spent in hospital, he was subjected to two nights on an ER stretcher, and then moved about to four different rooms, in different wards with different staff over the next few days.  No one had the opportunity to know him, to be able to appreciate him and give him the care he needed and deserved.

My sister’s in-laws had and have experienced nothing better. 

I’m still so disgusted and saddened.

The influx of money into the GNGH that has recently been announced is not enough.  How can these terrible experiences be prevented for other patients and families with a mere $733,000?  We need more…more doctors, more nurses and more money for both…with standards of accountability higher than any other occupation.  How on earth can we allow this to happen?

Mollie Stovell is a resident of St. Catharines, Ontario.

(Visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary on matters of interest and concern to our greater binational Niagara region.)