Many of you know my saga regarding an allergic reaction to IV nafcillin I experienced after my cancer surgery when I developed a postop infection in the hospital and was treated with IV nafcillin and clindamycin. I developed a rash on my thighs immediately which I reported but was dismissed by the resident at MCV Richmond hospital as a side effect even though I questioned her as to why she was so sure it was a side effect and not signs of an allergic reaction. Long story short, it was allergic interstitial nephritis, not diagnosed until weeks after discharge and not only was I left with damaged kidneys but my chemo was delayed for 6 weeks until a nephrologist could get it under control. Also the pathologist did not do a complete pathology report, leaving out tumor differentiation and grade which has not been corrected in over a year in spite of letters sent by my present oncologist. So, today I called Patient Relations to complain. I had called and left messages on the nurse's line at the oncology clinic of my gyn/oncologist who did my surgery and got one return call while I was at work which I missed, and even though I continued to call and leave messages got no response. My intention is to first, get a reevaluation of my pathology with a COMPLETE report which is important since the grade and differentiation are important information...the grade tells how aggressive the cancer is...the higher the number the more aggressive. Secondly, I want the drug company to note my reaction as that is important information for them to have so that they can include that in their literature for doctors to be aware of. Thirdly, I don't want anyone else to go through what I went through with a cocky resident who doesn't consult properly with their superiors and causes someone else physical harm. I don't even know if it was even mentioned to my gyn/onc surgeon since it was charted but NEVER mentioned again. I was so sick at that point I didn't ask again. After they put me on the IV nafcillin/clindamycin I became very nauseated, weak, and felt horrible and was not really well enough to advocate for myself. I feel so much better now that I have FINALLY talked to someone there about it. This should never happen to anyone. Though I think I had a great gyn/oncologist who did my surgery, this major mistake and an incompetent pathologist are inexcusable.
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Called Patient Relations after no results
- By momanderson920
- Posted July 15, 2009 at 11:05 pm · 8 replies
- In Survivor stories
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- By Emily1
- Posted July 16, 2009 at 1:43 pm
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What a nightmare story, and a sober reminder to all who enter teaching hospitals that the patient's interest isn't always the priority. I can only address the problem you had with the resident doctor. The purpose of a teaching hospital is to train new doctors, the patient being the prop. This is very big business for hospitals. They get a ton of medicare money for being a training facility. Surgeons like it because they can cram in more operations ($$$) with cheap help assisting.
This is not to say you won't get good care at a TH, but who can deny that doctors in training who haven't slept for 30 hours, and who feign confidence could be an invitation for errors. Remember that a student who is 1 day out of medical school, and is 4 years away from being licensed to practice, is allowed to call themselves 'doctor' in a hospital setting. And will most likely be the one using your body for their first shaky cut with a scalpel. And as in your case, momanderson, recklessly dismissing a serious complaint as a "side effect" .
I don't know what we can do except cross our fingers, because teaching hospitals are where most gyn-oncs practice.
- By momanderson920
- Posted July 16, 2009 at 2:53 pm
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Emily, I wish I had thought about that when I scheduled my surgery there. I was just in such a hurry to get the cancer out and the gyn/onc surgeon had a good reputation plus the local gyn/onc surgeon could not do the surgery for several weeks. He did the surgery since I made sure no one else was allowed to cut on me. But the after care was by residents and interns. I didn't see him again until the day I was discharged which I thought was terrible. I made the mistake of scheduling the surgery on a Friday AND didn't know he planned to go out of town on the following Mon and Tues since he did not tell me. Important questions to ask your surgeon. A HARD lesson learned!
- By melf
- Posted July 16, 2009 at 5:04 pm
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Call and speak with the hospitals Risk Management Department. You will get their attention.
Good luck
Melissa
- By momanderson920
- Posted July 16, 2009 at 5:10 pm
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Thanks Melf, I will. I was very shocked at the complete lack of concern by anyone I spoke to there. These big teaching hospitals are very impersonal.
- By Jean1
- Posted July 16, 2009 at 11:38 pm
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Wow, sorry to hear you had such a terrible experiance.. I would talk to the hospitals administrator. I would be soooo pissed. I'm glad I was blessed with a doctor that had a good bedside mannor.
- By Jennali
- Posted July 17, 2009 at 12:43 am
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Good for you for pursuing it, momanderson! It is too late to correct their ways for you, but maybe you will save someone else.
And you certainly need the information you have been denied. Don't give up!
- By verlinda
- Posted July 17, 2009 at 11:28 am
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Totally unrelated to your experience, Momanderson, but I think it's imperative that the gynecological oncology office tell you their policy on who will see you. No one told me that most of care would be done by the nurse practitioners. I saw my gyn oncologist at my post-op visit and then when my blood pressure was 190 over 100.
The clinical manager dropped by during one of my treatments. In a later phone call, I commented that I would not have come to that group if I'd realized the nurse practitioners, not the oncologist, would be my caregivers.
"But you see the oncologist every other visit."
"No, I don't."
"Of course you do. That's our policy."
"It may be, but that's not happening."
"Well, then, when the nurse practitioner asks you at the end of the visit whether you want to see your oncologist, why haven't you said yes?"
"Because I've never been asked that question."
"Of course you have, that's our policy!"
Anyway, this group puts nothing specific in writing. They gave me general preop and postop instructions and a five-inch stack of brochures about various aspects of ovarian cancer, but never would give me a written copy of what I, specifically, had asked or what to do if there were problems. They just said call the triage line. Half the time the triage nurse told me she couldn't help me when I called with a question. However, I could pay for a nutritionist, behavioral psychologist consultation, etc. at my next chemo session if I wished.
I didn't mind the nurse practitioners doing the checkup before each chemo treatment; I just wish someone had been upfront about their policies. I would have had much more peace of mind during my treatment if I'd known I could ask to see the oncologist.
I'm pretty sure I'm viewed as one of their problem patients, but over the last nine months I've noticed signs posted all over the office saying they want to serve us and to let them know what they need. I guess I wasn't the only one complaining.
Long story short, the clinical manager said every patient had the right to ask for and receive an appointment with the oncologist. If I'm worried about something, that's what I do. Otherwise, I don't care. The nurse practitioners are excellent; it's just that I had cancer, and as much as they see, they don't have all the training the oncologist has.
Has anyone else dealt with this?
- By momanderson920
- Posted July 17, 2009 at 11:46 am
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My oncologist JUST got an NP as adjunct staff so I have only started seeing her. But she always asks if I want my oncologist to do the exam. What does tick me off is that when I have a problem like needing a copy of the letter to send to MCV hospital asking for the pathology report since I am going to hand carry the darn thing to the pathology there soon, the checkin nurse who is probably an LPN or CNA says we can't find it and acted annoyed when I told her I wanted another written and has yet to produce it.
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