Question:
Mt. Sinai Hospital?

CAN YOU TELL ME OF YOUR EXPIERENCE THERE? GOOD /BAD? ANY SUGGESTIONS?    — BOOMASMOM (posted on September 7, 2001)

September 6, 2001
I had my lap RNY at Mount Sinai, 8/8/01, during that horrible heat wave!I was there from a Wednesday to Saturday. Im a nurse and chose to have it there due to the surgeons reputations and references, I had 1005 confidence in the team!!! There is a nursing shortage in all hospitals and at times you needed to wait for assist. I had a relative stay with me alot of the time, it helped alot!! Some of the staff, nurses and med assistants were excellant , some not. I htink you would find that anywhere. I f I had to do it all again I would still go there. Hope this helps. Good luck
   — Sue T.

September 6, 2001
Same for me. Some staff great, some not so great. Looked clean, there was a nice hallway for walking near my room, I thought the surgical team was terrific, calm, unhurried, kind.
   — blank first name B.

September 7, 2001
SORRY I REALIZED AFTERWARD THAT I FORGOT TO PUT IN NEW YORK THANKS
   — BOOMASMOM

September 7, 2001
I recently attended the LAP RNY post op Support Group Meeting and that was a topic of conversation. Now, there were a few people completely satisfied with their care. I wasn't one of them! When I was brought to the room from recovery, they didn't give me a hand getting from one bed to the other. I felt hot, dirty and neglected the entire time I was there. My stockings didn't work and no one came to see what was wrong. At one point I experienced an unusually high degree of pain. I later found out that someone lowered the morphine pump and didn't tell me. Then, when it was time to go home, they asked if I wanted a wheel chair. I replied yes and the nurse hastily said, "Well it'll be a while!" About an hour and a half later, they guy finally showed up with the chair. Just in time for my pain meds to wear off for the ride home! I was not a happy camper! The doctor did come in to check up on me daily. My complaints are not about him. However, from what I understand, these nurses are overworked and the hospital is under-staffed. My sister was in there 6 months later and her care was great. Who knows? Bottom line is this: I don't care how unprofessional the care was, I'd still go back there in a heart beat!!! I'd walk over coals to get where I'm at today! I would suggest that, if at all possible, you try to have friends or family members there to help out. Oh! I forgot! At the meeting they also discussed implementing some sort of "buddy system" where a post op patient would try to help out a newly post op. Such things they would help out with would be answering all sorts of questions, offering diet suggestions, and generally attempting to make the newly posty more comfy in the hospital. They didn't implement it just yet, but it's being researched further! Stay tuned!! (P.S. Go to the support group meetings! They are great!)
   — Jeannet

September 7, 2001
My stay was horrific. I don't care if they are understaffed or not my experience was their attitudes are uncaring and unprofessional. I had a resident come in and realize that my IV wasn't working. I buzzed a nurse who got into a fight with me over it and wondering why I was questioning her. The pump had shut down due to a bad battery and she replaced it. I had an orderly scream at me when I asked him not to take my fan. I watched as another nurse got into a fight with the women next to me because she kept asking where and when her bag was going to be delivered as she was worried about her wallet being stolen. I had the same experience they don't deliver your bag till the next day. Then on my last day there they brought in a 77 yr old women. She had just gotten out of the recovery room and was asking the orderly for ice chips. The orderly snapped at her saying "Let me finish what I have to do here and then we'll see" Wouldn't a "just a minute" have sufficied?? Plus she never came back to say yes or no on the ice chips. One day, thanks to my sister being a lab technician, I noticed a huge air bubble in my IV getting close to my arm - thank God I caught it cause the nurse sure didn't look. I also was left from 4p-11p with a bloddy gown from recovery, leg cuffs that weren't turned on until I called someone. Also I had an orderly come in one morning to take my vitals - I said I didn't feel well. He puts the thermometer in my mouth and starts to put the cuff around my arm. I took the thermometer out and started vomitting - he kept taking my blood pressure, didn't say a word and then walked out. The cuff didn't even get tight. Not a good reading I wouldn't think. Oh also, twice the resident doctor caught that they had put the wrong name & chart on the end of my bed - something that could potentially have been dangerous. Neither chart belonged to my roommate. Needless to say I would NOT reccommend staying at Mt Sinai unless you either have someone with you all the time or hire your own nurse. The resident doctors however were fabulous.
   — Elizabeth A.

September 7, 2001
I had on surgery on 8/16/01 at Mt. Sinai in NYC. It was an experience I will never forget. First be aware that this is a teaching hospital and there are tons of interns who want to check you out all the time. The nurses were just ok not very compassionate. I used Dr. Pomp and his team of doctors and was very happy to see them when they came in to check. All I can say is be persistant! Dont let up and keep bugging them until they get you what you need! Its even better if you have a family member with you to go out to the nurses station to tell them exactly what you need. Good luck and let me know how your experience turns out. Also, I had to go back about a week ago for some very minor complications and the ER was not any better, I did get admitted and was on a different floor in the Hosp. and they are all the same...not too caring..again good luck!
   — Melissa S.

September 8, 2001
I had my surgery at Mt. Sinai on May 21, 2001, with Dr. Pomp... And I have to say I had a WONDERFUL stay there! Every nurse or orderly that came into my room was friendly and helpful. Lots of people (residents, nurses, etc.) came in to check on me throughout the day and evening. I luckily got a private room (don't know how that happened) and was very comfortable and clean and attended to. And the one night my mom stayed with me, the nursing staff tried to make her comfortable as well... They got her a fold out couch for my room, and some sheets, and even closed the door to my room for the night so we could both sleep! They were really so nice, and I'm so sorry that some people have had bad experiences there.
   — Vicki A.

September 8, 2001
I had an open BPD/DS on 4/11 with Dr. Herron. My experience overall was fine. I had one problem with 1 nurse. She didn't like coming to check on me because my room was so cold.(I loved it that way)and also because I stayed in bed. I waited to get up and walk around when she left. I had requested something for nauseau since I physically can't throw up. Well, the only time I didn't get anything was with this nurse. The next morning I said something to Dr. Herron and there wasn't an issue ever again. I was in for 5 days and I didn't mind all the residents and all. Those residents really have a lot of power. I had trouble with my bladder shutting down due to the anesthesia(just how my body responds)and the Dr. on the weekend wanted to release me early and the residents told him no that they would release me the next day after my catheter was removed at midnight. He had no say what so ever. I also had a resident appologize for not being able to catheterize me earlier. They had to wait a certain time frame and all in between due to the risk of infection and all. So, I truly can't complain. There is good and bad(even mediocre)with every hospital. There are incidents that absolutely should never happen. If you have someone who can come to stay than I say do it. We live in NJ and I was by myself except for the surgery and the day my husband came to get me. I was fine! Good luck to you
   — Linda M.