My Mother was recently transfered to an Specialty Select Care facility that is located within the St. Joseph Hospital in Ann Arbor, MI. After suffering a Massive Stroke. She was in the ICU at St. Joseph hosp. For 2 weeks before being transfered.
While in the ICU at St. Joseph hospital there was concern that she would not be able to keep her airway clear on her own she was put on an ventilator to help her breath while she was sedated and recovering and a week later a tracheotomy and stomache tube. We were told that in the event she regained strength and started to recover that the trach and stomache tube (for feeding) could possibly be removed. She was making good progress, smiling, laughing at things we said to cheer her up. The respritory therapist was weaning her off of the ventilator and most days she was actually breathing on her own without the ventilator at all.
When she became stable enough to be removed from the ICU unit we were informed that the only facility that would take someone on a ventilator would be in Howell MI (about an hours drive). Then the Social Worker at the Hospital informed us that Select Specialty Care which was located within the hospital but not part of the St. Joseph Hospital itself could admit her. We were told that she would receive physical therapy, a complete assesment, speech therapy and would be in a room near the central Nurses station due to the ventilator. We were assured the Medical Staff was very competent, that they had their own Respiratory Therapists, their own pharmacy and Physical Therapist.
Within 1 week of admission. The tracheotomy somehow got pulled out, dislodged in her throat and she almost died.
A day later my daughter found her in a pool of blood in bed because the pic tube (a port inserted into an artery in her arm for easy access for IV or blood draw use) was either pulled out or removed. My daughter used the call light to no avail as my mothers nurse (my daughter didn't know at the time it was my Mothers Nurse) casually walked past the room not even glancing in. My daughter found another nurse and showed her along with the respritory tech. They both tried to find my Mothers Nurse even calling her on the PA. This went on for 20 min. The Nurse showed up and told my daughter that when my Mom got her bed bath that evening that her gown and sheets would be changed then. This took place at 4:30 in the afternoon. My daughter was so distraught she didn't know what to do. Thankfully, she ran into the first nurse she had showed the blood to and when she asked my daughter if everything had gotten taken care of my daughter told her what the Nurse had said. This Nurse did get upset and told my daughter that she herself would make sure it was taken care of!
Since my mother has been in this facility she has not been off of the ventilator at all! She has gone from smiling and laughing to scowling and crying. She can not communicate at all. She has become very agitated and her heart rate is very rapid. My sister inquired about the antianxiety medication that my mother has been on for the past 20 years and was told that she hadn't been receiving it because it is only as needed and my mother had not asked for it!!! What the Hell! She can't communicate how is she going to ask for it! She has been on this medication and it is a standing order every 6 hours. My sister was told she would have to speak to the Dr. And the Nurse didn't know when the Dr. Would be in. This is not her family physician mind you it is the Select Care attending physician.
I personally have had to take 3 vacation days off of work (I work 4 10 hour days a week) because I do not feel secure in the care that my Mother is receiving and I feel like someone has to be there at all times to police the Medical Staff. It is totally ridiculous.
The equipment in the facility is another joke. No bedside commode was available, the armature that the tracheotomy, ventilator tubes clip onto (like a gooseneck lamp) is broken and flops around so that the tracheotomy tubes pull tauntly at times on the neck. There is only 1 electrical outlet in the room that works so the IV pole with the IV lines and nurishment connected to the stomache tube have to stay on the opposite side of the bed when they have her up in the chair and this causes those lines to be pulled across the bed tauntly.
Admission paperwork included some crap consent form to be able to photograph or videotape the patient. Excuse me??? I was informed this was basically for wound care if there were wounds present.
I can not believe that the Health Care standards in this Country have Declined to this level of care! I feel at a loss because I am being told there is no other facility available to send a patient with a ventilator. What about an actual HOSPITAL!!! Isn't that what a hospital is for??? Tommorrow is another day, the first of my 3 day weekend and I am so stressed out about what I'm going to walk into again that I'm sure I won't even be able to sleep tonight. I pray not only for my Mothers speedy recovery but also for restraint for myself.
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