Shouldn't they have done something??!
Question: I had a friend of mine today have a nail pierce his arm from a nail gun he was using doing some work around the house. The nail got embedded in his forearm about an inch to and inch and a half in his skin. I took him to the ER, within the hour of the incident his arm and hand had began to swell. After waiting in the triage for 2 hours, they finally get a doctor to take a look at him, and gave him papers telling him he needed to make an appointment with someone else to have the nail removed. So needless to say they sent him on his way with the nail still in his arm, and the pain you can imagine was inbareable. We don't know if it hit any major vessels, veins, if it hit the bone, we have nothing to go on. I just can't believe they did nothing for him. Does anyone have any knowledge as to why they would have done this? Don't they typically call someone in if there is not a doctor on duty to handle the task? I am in awe over this, and feel so bad for him.
Answers: I had a friend of mine today have a nail pierce his arm from a nail gun he was using doing some work around the house. The nail got embedded in his forearm about an inch to and inch and a half in his skin. I took him to the ER, within the hour of the incident his arm and hand had began to swell. After waiting in the triage for 2 hours, they finally get a doctor to take a look at him, and gave him papers telling him he needed to make an appointment with someone else to have the nail removed. So needless to say they sent him on his way with the nail still in his arm, and the pain you can imagine was inbareable. We don't know if it hit any major vessels, veins, if it hit the bone, we have nothing to go on. I just can't believe they did nothing for him. Does anyone have any knowledge as to why they would have done this? Don't they typically call someone in if there is not a doctor on duty to handle the task? I am in awe over this, and feel so bad for him.
Your friend should have been treated in the ER asap. If the attending doctor could not get the nail out, he should have called in a surgeon. All hospitals have surgeons on call, or should have. The swelling should have been a warning that the nail could have done some nerve damage or worse. They should have least X-rayed it and given a Tetanus shot . This was truly negligence on the part of the hospital. I have worked in ER's and this would not have happened where I worked. Get your friend to another hospital or Urgent Care facility ASAP. Hospitals have to treat patients regardless with or without insurance. Get copies of his medical records from the visit. Call the hospital Administrator and submit a formal complaint. Good Luck.
Wow that's really terrible service. By right your friend should receive prompt emergency evaluation & treatment. You should lodge a complain to the hospital management.
Absolutely something should have been done, did they get a xray, did they consult an orthopaedic surgeon? If he is in pain go to another hospital clinic or his primary care DR. ASAP. Get a copy of the medical records and try to get an idea of what they were thinking when they discharged you without anything......might need an attorney consult. Do not get one off of the TV.
Yea they should have done something about this. Could this be because it is a small town or? Insurance reasons?... Wow, I am surprised myself as well.. Did you try going to another hospital or urgent care location? Sorry about your friend. I'd call legal aid to see about this because sounds too fishy and very unsanitary since infection could develop. Jeez....
i'm guessing you don't live in the U,S
does not sound life threatening. what type of emergency room was this?
some are not equiped to handle this type of emergency. you might need a specialist to remove it.
what did the paperwork say?
apparently you went to the wrong place
I have never in all my life heard of such a thing. Is it because he did not have insurance? I live in a small town and we have two hospitals in the area. One turned a pregnant girl away because she did not have insurance and the baby died. She sued the pants off of them. They now make arrangements. The other hospital I go to is great. They never turn anyone away. If I was this friend of yours I would own that hospital by the time I got through with them. I wish him all the luck.
I think there is more to the story. However, there are busier places (LA county, John Stroger.....ect) that have people die in the waiting room. Triage is a french word meaning to sort or choose and US hospitals have 24 hours before they HAVE to see what your problem is and then another 24 hours before they HAVE to begin treating you if you are triaged and non-urgent. If it was a busy hospital a nail in the arm would be non-urgent compaired to bullets in the head, knives in the throat and metal through stomach. Read the fine print. Did they take xrays? Was anything done? There is more to the story. Were you on LSD, Acid or other mind stimulating agents?