The great fall of 2010, part 2

I spent the next morning on the phone canceling afternoon appointments, then made my way back to the hospital, arriving 15 minutes early for my injection. I attempted to check in at the front desk in the outpatient department and was told that they didn’t have my chart and that I should have it. Back and forth for 10 minutes, explaining that I had been in Fetal Assessment the previous night, still no chart. I was told to go down the hall and find a midwife. Fabulous, here we go again.

A very nice midwife approached me and after a few minutes of searching, found my chart. I was then handed over to a nurse who I found to be not only professional, but very pleasant. Good thing, because she had to break the news to me that the bloods taken the previous night were LOST. Lost as in never made it to the lab. Lost as in they couldn’t give me the injection until more blood was taken and then processed in the lab, which would take at least three hours. I asked if the blood work could be rushed. Blank stare at the word “rushed”, but at least an apology and promise that the blood would be taken to the lab and handed over directly.

After making a few phone calls to vent about the latest, I walked around the hospital, wondering if my plane ticket for the U.S. had been purchased; I was D.O.N.E. I arrived back in the outpatient unit and the wonderful nurse said that the blood work was back. She administered the injection then mentioned that I was welcome to go to Fetal Assessment for another ultrasound. I told her that after my experience the previous night, I would have to decline. She apologized, then offered to have the doctor in the outpatient unit do an ultrasound. I told her that I would really appreciate that and would find it very reassuring, particularly since we were heading into the weekend. A fabulous doctor soon appeared, READ the chart, asked questions, did an ultrasound, asked more questions, and made notes in the chart. ::blink, blink:: We had a nice conversation, she handed me my chart, and said that I should come back in if anything changes. What a difference! An attitude like that would have gone a million miles with me the night before.

To top off my annoyance and disappointment with the Fetal Assessment Unit, please notice the comments the midwife made in my chart.



Yes, that says, “parents anxious.” I’m also rolling my eyes about being seen “right away.” Clearly our definition of “right away” is very different.

Again, fortunately everything is fine. When I saw my doctor a few days later, we discussed the situation in Fetal Assessment and he wrote in my chart that if I'm admitted anywhere for anything, he's to be called immediately. I also learned that had I been brought in by ambulance, he would have been called right away because I'm a private patient. I certainly didn't think the fall was ambulance worthy, but at least I understand the system now. Things are just done differently overseas, very, very differently.