1 Star User Review
I am/was a resident of this facility
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I hip replacement surgery the day after Thanksgiving. The following tuesday night i was sent to Palomar Heights because i am disabled and needed extra help till i could maneuver on my own. The first 24 hours were a nightmare because they have to wait to get patient meds from a pharmacy. This includes pain meds. I was told they could give emergency meds till the ones arrived, but by the next morning i had only been offered one pain pill and a tylenol. By that afternoon i called my husband and begged him to come get me out of there i was almost out of my mind with pain and was not being seen by anyone yet that was to help my situation. He came and threw a "terms of endearment" scene (in front of state inspectors i might add) and they finally seemed to have the situation fixed. i was so far behind on pain meds by then it took a couple of days to catch up. they begged me to stay. i saw horrors. only one night aid would use the belt attachment they all are suppose to use to help me when i had to go to the restroom. the aids and nurses would come into the room and never wash their hands in or out, or use gloves, or if they had gloves they were from other rooms and patients (please note i was a surgical patient who had already in my life been harmed by post surgery infection, THE WORST THING TO HAPPEN with an artificial replacement.) I would mention it and they would kind of shake it off. while i was a patient that was suppose to have vitals taken EVERY SHIFT, the only time i had my temp. taken was twice by that same aid that would use the belt. This is criminal actually. by the time i FINALLY got to meet the doctor there that was suppose to set things up for my treatment it was friday morning and i knew i had to leave if i didnt want to get infected. i told her so, and they BEGGED me again to stay till the next morning until they had everything set up. So sat morning i leave with my new prescription pages i was suppose to turn to the pharmacy for filling, with an order for a portable commode to be delivered that afternoon, and home health supposedly to start to arrive sunday. FIRST, A NURSE NOT THE DOCTOR WROTE THE PRESCRIPTIONS SO OF COURSE THEY COULD NOT BE FILLED (SO again no pain meds Or THE BLOOD thinner i was suppose to be taking.)Even with me talking to the homes patient advocate we still could get nothing fixed till monday (even though the homes doctor promised she would call and order a pain script that sat. evening..the call was never made.) The patient advocate tried everything in power but nothing could be done. the commode DID NOT COME UNTIL TUESDAY NIGHT, and home health didnt even get paper work until sunday morning. I was able to arrange an emergency visit for sunday. In other words it was one huge cluster you know what. I am only 56 years old so very aware of everything that went on to me and to other patients. i was in shock the whole time and when i am better, i intend to make their world a nightmare too with formal complaints. I cried for myself, but more for the patients who are not able at all to help themselves. the aids were all nice, but paid fetchers that all. Did the general public know that one of the things you have to sign to be admitted is a statement that you are aware that in a natural disaster they are their to only save their own lives? not kidding. sure explains the nursing homes with dead patients and no staff after hurricane katrinia. It is NOT like one would assume should happen to their loved ones. appalling in so many ways i can hardly even fathom it.
Replies to This Review
As Administrator of this facility, I take negative reviews seriously and as an opportunity to identify ways that we can improve our services. I carefully reviewed this patient chart and found:
1. Patient arrived at our facility at 8:20 p.m. on 11/29.
2. Patient received morphine at hospital via IV PCA pump; something that cannot be done in a skilled nursing facility.
3. Received first dose of 10 mg percocet at 2:30 a.m. on 11/30 (the FDA has restricts dispensing of narcotic pain medications until pharmacy receive orders directly from physician -- this does create a delay).
4. Patient received 19 pills of 10 mg. percocet + 12 pills of 5 mg. percocet during the 4 days at our facility.
5. Patient was sent home with 5 pills of 10 mg. percocet + 6 pills of 5 mg. percocet.
6. Vital signs were taken every shift and documented in the Nurses' notes.
7. Patient did not develop an infection at our facility. We are especially vigilant to guard against post-surgical infections.
8. Patient's HMO was responsible for scheduling home health services; this did not happen. Our Social Services Director gave patient one of our commode chairs and Mission Home Health agreed to see this patient (quite possibly pro-bono!).
In conclusion, our staff did the very best they could to meet this patient's needs and expectations. It is unfortunate, that this patient chose to use this forum to write such a harsh and mean-spirited review. It is truly hurtful to our team of dedicated nurses and therapists. Please, stop by and see for yourself.
Rob Zitsman, Administrator