Hospital workers - need some advice post-op

I had a TAH last Monday the 13th at a very well-renowned hospital in the area. I have no complaints on my Doctor's care, HOWEVER....

I had asked for a private room, but ended up in a semi because the hospital was full. Well, Monday night while I was still woozy and trying to visit with my few relatives that were able to attend (who only came to my room 2 at a time), my roommate must have had 47 relatives (including children) that traipsed into the room in groups of 5-6. ZOO!!! Tuesday daytime was relatively uneventful, as I remember, but nighttime? Hoo buddy! I had to ring for the nurses just after midnight as my roommate was going bananas, ripping off her gown, and ripping out her IV, to include slinging BLOOD all over the place! AACK! I ended up wrapping myself in a couple of blankets and finding a big chair at the end of the hall, in which I stayed until about FIVE a.m., when roommate finally zonked out. I got less than one hours rest, as the shift change came on at 6 a.m. LOUDLY announcing as they entered the room that it was time for meds and vitals. Gawdamighty! Oh they knew I wasn't happy, but I'd sure like to have gotten more than an "I'm sorry". Those were the first words out of my Doctor's mouth Wednesday morning, after which she proceeded to tell me I would be discharged. Yippee!!

My question is: Is there anything I can do about this treatment now? I got the bare minimum of care and feel I was treated VERY poorly. Had I had my wits about me, I might have demanded to be moved to another hospital closer to home with PRIVATE post-surgical care. I don't know that I can do anything at this late date, but I'm just so very disappointed and disillusioned with my treatment. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

You could write a letter to the hospital stating your displeasure of your treatment. I had one nurse who was really rude and not nice at all. My dh went to the head nurse and took it all the way up to the office. He actually spoke with the person in charge of all the nurses. My treatment got much better. The rude nurse actually made an effort to be nice.

When I got home from the hospital, customer service called asking about my stay. I told them what happened. They were apologetic and who knows, maybe this nurse learned a lesson in the end.

I am sorry you had a bad experience. Unfortunately we can't pick our roommates. I had a bad one when I first got in the room, luckily she was gone by the time I woke up again. I had the room to myself for a day, than they brought someone in in the middle of the night. Poor lady was very sick. It wasn't her fault, but it made for some sleepless nights for me.

Agreed, the best you can do is discuss your experience with the patient rep staffer. Good to move on, leave it behind you, focus on getting better. Confronting and just plain living in a world with difficult people challenges us, and we define ourselves by our behavior and, thankfully, not by how others behave.
I bet you will hear from a gaggle of hyster sisters who've had challenging hospital experiences. Here's just one of mine: I had just lost a full-term son and the hospital worker turned to her co-worker and said, "Ugh, it's gonna be one of those nights."
I'll never forget it, and I certainly can let it guide how I treat others.
Good luck, sorry to hear it was difficult for you. Get strong and do unto others, indeed! shaden3

In the future if you are ever hospitalized ask to speak to the nurse manager of that unit.If that doesn't get results demand to speak to the hospital administrator.If you'd like you could still write a letter stating your disatisfaction with care. They really do look at those things especially if it's in writing.I'm glad you are o.k. Time to start the healing process

The hospital sent me home with an eval. form to fill out. I was wise to wait a week before calmly explaining my complaints... not unlike some of yours. I know they call the hospital the castle on this site, but home is the real castle for me! I am certainly treated more like a princess here than I was there! Your disgruntlement with your hospital stay will mellow with time... use that energy to take good care of yourself... best wishes.

Write a letter to the hospital administration letting them know exactly what happened during your stay and how you feel. If you are really not happy - report your hospital to the JOINT commission and they will open up a huge investigation into your hospital and they will make sure they will find out exactly what happened during your stay. Lynn -
p.s. know that for a fact brother a doctor, sister a NP, daughter a PA

all of the suggestions to you were good. In the future (god forbid) if you should ever have to stay in the hospital again, you ask for the patient representative or house supervisor. You demand a different room and if your roomate has too many visitors you can ask to have most of them removed. You should write a letter too. That is just about the worst care a patient could get. I am sorry that your recovery was like that.

Thanks for all your replies, especially in whom I can speak to with the hospital that could assure this doesn't happen to someone else in the future. I'm holding no grudges nor bitterness, life is too short and it's been a long time since I indulged in childish things. I did then and do now have pity for my roommate, as she was going through health problems that none of us would want in our nightmares.