I arrived at Saint Peter's University Hospital at 9:30am on 3/27/2013 for an abdominal total hysterectomy with pelvic floor reconstruction, a 4 hour surgery. When I got there I was sent to the Family Surgical Waiting Area, where I sat for 3 hours waiting to be called to pre-op. I had been fasting for 24 hours prior and they had cooking shows on all morning, not cool. At 12:30pm I was told ""You could go to the conference room to talk to the the Dr., the patient is out of surgery."" WHAT????? I said ""What are you talking about? I AM a patient!"" At this point I was directed to go to pre-op. I finally get prepped for surgery and I begged the Dr and the anesthesiologist to put me under before the OR as it is too traumatizing for me to see that room. Never been a problem with past surgeries, but apparently these Drs cared only about the $$$$ and not the patient. Needless to say my experience in the OR was absolutely terrifying.\r
When I woke up in recovery I was in AGONIZING pain and PLEADING for them to get my pain under control, but was not given anything until I was transferred to my room and hooked up to a pca pump. Once my pain was under control I slept most of the night other than the nurses coming in for routine checks, etc.\r
The following morning my catheter was removed and I was told there would be a large cup-like device in the bowl that would catch my urine so they could measure volume. EVERY time I went into the bathroom my roommate's identical device was in the bowl filled with urine and/or feces. Absolutely disgusting, unsanitary, and unacceptable, but I had to deal with this throughout my stay. Around 10:30am I was taken off the pca pump and given pain meds by mouth, percocet, to which I had an allergic reaction and was itching so bad I thought I would tear my skin off. I asked that the pain med be switched. Around 4:30pm I requested a pain pill and again was given percocet. I told the nurse about my allergic reaction and she insisted I was wrong and told me to take it. Within 20 minutes of taking the pill I was again tearing at my skin. After a while the itch got so unbearable that I requested a Benadryl and to have my pain med switched. At this point the shift had just changed and the nurse on duty was extremely snippy and rude with me, and told me I would just have to wait until my Dr and the pharmacist approved it. I understand that protocol needs to be followed, but I was made to suffer for 2 more hours before given a Benadryl. When I finally did get it I requested pain med with it and the nurse tried to give me Motrin. I told her I just had major surgery 24 hours ago and I am NOT taking tooth ache medication for pain this serious and I want to speak to my Dr. She told me the Dr on call was busy. At this point I demanded she be relieved of duty to me and another nurse assigned, to which the unit manager nurse responded. She had to do what the prior nurse didn't and contact my Dr. to explain the situation. After another 2 hours suffering in pain I was finally given appropriate pain medication. Being in severe pain for that long in a healthcare setting is completely unacceptable!\r
The following morning 52 hours post-op my Dr told me I was being sent home that day. He had weekend plans and he wouldn't be around to discharge me. I told him that I didn't feel ready to go home and felt that I was being rushed out of the hospital. (Perhaps they needed the bed for someone with 'better' insurance.) As much as I didn't feel physically ready to go home, I couldn't wait to get away from the cold, rude staff there. I had a heard good things about Saint Peter's University Hospital, and initially felt comfortable about going there, but overall my stay was much less than comfortable and satisfactory.
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