The night before I went to urgent care, I had an explosive headache. I kept thinking that this was it. I thought about my sister, Lori, and what happened to her, and I was downright scared. The pain was so intense. Every movement was more painful than the next. So, the next morning when I woke up, I asked my husband to take me to the Northwell Urgent Care in Bellmore.
When I got there, they referred me to the hospital and insisted that I take an ambulance to get there.
Torrential Rain
As the rain pelted against the ambulance windows, I was acutely aware of the pounding in my head. Just hours earlier, I had walked into Northwell urgent care with what felt like an unbearable headache. Little did I know, this would lead to a 14-hour ordeal at Northshore Hospital that left me feeling frustrated and forgotten.
Getting to Northshore
Upon arrival at Northshore, situated on Community Drive, I was greeted by a nurse who informed me that I would be undergoing a CT scan to check for any possible brain bleed. The thought was daunting, but I felt reassured by the swift action taken by the medical team. Thankfully, the Catscan results came back negative.
Getting Meds
My relief was short-lived, however, as the headache persisted. To alleviate the pain, I was first given Tylenol, which unfortunately didn’t help, followed by doses of magnesium and morphine. The fact that the medical team was trying different treatments made me feel somewhat reassured.
Inconsistency of Care
However, my experience was tainted by inconsistency in care. Once one person completed their shift, it appeared as though they hadn’t briefed the next person about my condition or the course of action.
For instance, a young neurosurgeon told me that if the Catscan came back negative, I would need to undergo a spinal tap, and potentially an MRI. Yet, two hours later, a resident neurologist repeated the same information but omitted the part about the MRI.
The spinal tap procedure was carried out, and thankfully, the fluid was clear. There was some blood present, but this was attributed to the puncture in my back. Before the procedure, I was moved from the hallway to a room.
Uncomfortable Stay
Despite receiving medical attention, my stay at Northshore was far from comfortable. In the 14 hours I spent there, not once was I offered food or water. It felt like I was in prison rather than a hospital. The lack of basic care was disheartening and frustrating.
At one point I asked for saline hydration. It was given to me but when I went to the rest room, the catheter was removed and never inserted back.
Discharge disaster
Upon discharge, I was met with a new team who seemed to know nothing about my symptoms or diagnosis. They were unable to answer simple questions and did not provide any clear explanation about what had transpired. I was told that Northwell would follow up with me and schedule an appointment at their neurology clinic. However, as of writing this blog post, I have yet to hear from them.
My experience
My experience at Northshore Hospital highlighted the importance of consistent communication in healthcare. While I am grateful for the medical attention I received, the lack of consistency and basic care left much to be desired. I hope that sharing my experience will shed light on these issues and lead to improvements in patient care.
After all, every patient deserves to feel seen, heard and cared for during their most vulnerable moments.
