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The ER - Page 2

post #21 of 46
7/9/08 at 10:58pm
Thread Starter 
Wow. Just wow. *shakes head* It's amazing what a little propaganda can do to perfectly sensible people (well, one would hope a doc should be sensible), eh?
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post #22 of 46
7/10/08 at 10:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ophelia View Post
That's weird! They asked about a pneumonia shot but not tetanus?? That is really surprising, especially since he had an injury that needed stitches.
Oh yeah, they asked about tetanus but he was up to date so it was a simple yes. It was the pneumonia they were dwelling on.
post #23 of 46
7/10/08 at 4:23pm
Thread Starter 
Heh... I didn't even know there *was* a pneumonia shot
post #24 of 46
7/10/08 at 4:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Juvysen View Post
Heh... I didn't even know there *was* a pneumonia shot
You know, it threw me off too. I knew that it's the "pneumococcal" one but honestly, they make such a big deal out of that one preventing meningitis (and all the hoopla about ear infections) that I never really put two and two together. I've never heard it referred to as "the pneumonia shot" before that hospital visit.
post #25 of 46
7/10/08 at 4:39pm
DD had RSV @ 5 months old and was in the ER and admitted overnight. We were asked twice about vaccines, I stated we had a religious exemption, nothing more was said. Our ped didn't know we weren't vaxing so when he found out he had a problem but stating the exemption seemed to make everyone happy enough.
post #26 of 46
7/11/08 at 5:18am
I have not experienced this yet myself (have not yet needed to go to the emergency room), but I do have a friend who does not vax, and when she is asked about her kids being up to date or whatever, she simply says "he/she has everything she needs".
post #27 of 46
7/11/08 at 4:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ishyfishie View Post
You know, it threw me off too. I knew that it's the "pneumococcal" one but honestly, they make such a big deal out of that one preventing meningitis (and all the hoopla about ear infections) that I never really put two and two together. I've never heard it referred to as "the pneumonia shot" before that hospital visit.
There is a "pneumonia" shot but I believe it's only for older, high-risk adults (until big pharma finds a way to market it at birth, of course)
post #28 of 46
7/11/08 at 4:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wendyjoe View Post
There is a "pneumonia" shot but I believe it's only for older, high-risk adults (until big pharma finds a way to market it at birth, of course)
Ahh, okay. I did a search and found the "pneumococcal polysaccharide" vaccine for adults 65 and over and select risk groups, as opposed to the "pneumococcal conjugate" vaccine which is what they want babies to get. I was thinking of the conjugate one when they asked, I didn't realize there was a different one for adults. In any case, I'm 24 and not in any of the risk groups listed on the CDC sheet for that one. I guess that's why they didn't push it but I still thought asking 3 or 4 times was unnecessary, to say the least! Oy.
post #29 of 46
7/11/08 at 4:37pm
I've had James in the ER a couple times for stitches (he's slightly accident prone) and they asked about vax...I said we don't vax and they left it at that...

You'd think it'd be in his file considering we've used the same ER both times...but ya know...
post #30 of 46
7/11/08 at 5:09pm
the 3 times I've taken ds to ER I have been repeatedly questioned about vax...and then the staff have to lectured me-- this when the vax has NO bearing on the reason ds is there. Last time I said "I don't want a debate about this, I'm here for treatment of blah blah"

....I also got berated for bfeeding-- told by dr ds should be weaned onto solids by 2 years---uh, yes he does eat solids-- 3x per day plus snacks -- but I am also bfing...grrrrrr.:

Was also told I was "mean" by a nurse for not giving ds pain killers---um he is not IN in pain so I am not going to give him childrens painkillers with loads of artificial sweetner and colourings in it. I think it's mean that there is no pain killer available with out that crap.

Also was told I was being irresponsible for 2x refusing to put ds on a drip to hydrate him-- he was drinking water/juice and breastmilk at the time and was chirpy and energetic-- gee why would I not want to freak him out by sticking needles in his hand and confining him to a cot.

I go into these situations not trying to ram my opinions down anyones throat- I avoid all the above subjects and never offer up info about my "irresponsible and odd" parenting practices...

I would be first in line to put my ds on a drip/ pain meds and the rest if he needed it-- so far thankfully he hasn't--...same with anti biotics-- he has been prescribed them 4 times-- he has taken them zero times-- I have always managed to sort out the problem with herbs or the bodies ability to heal itself..but when he NEEDS them fine. I just wish I could trust medical staff to act/ prescribe only what's truly essential and not have to evaluate every move they suggest. Sigh.

OK rant over.

Zoe, mamma to Thomas 1-06
post #31 of 46
7/17/08 at 2:41pm
yup! Happened to us before too- I usually reply that we have a state exemption and will not be disussing it further.
post #32 of 46
7/17/08 at 4:25pm
They always ask us, we always say no to all and they have never once said anything in response. Just seems to be a question they need (for whatever reason) to tick off the intake form.
post #33 of 46
7/17/08 at 5:01pm
Twice at ERs I was asked and when I said no, there was no further discussion. DD's pediatrician, however, is a different story. The few times we've been, he says things like "you must do a lot of praying" or "you must have nerves of steel" and when I said we may at some point vaccinate, he said, "Let's just hope we get to her before the diseases do." I just smile. Whatever.
post #34 of 46
7/19/08 at 5:21pm
A few months ago, I took my baby to the ER (he was about 5 mos old) for what appeared to possibly be a ruptured eardrum (he'd been battling a really bad ear infection). We were asked about vaccinations, and I immediately saw a change in the treatment we received. The doctor was aggressive, rude, and just downright mean to us. When I told him Will isn't circumcised and (upon the genital exam - which, btw, ISN'T necessary for an ear infection) he wasn't allowed to retract his foreskin, he rudely said, "And WHY'S that?!?!" I was floored. I went up upset, with no answers, and promptly wrote a letter to 3 separate departments of the hospital, including the President of the hospital. I did receive a call back, but also a bill. The nasty ER doc refused to bill it a viable emergency (um, he was 5 mos old and screaming uncontrollably for hours despite home treatments with a known ear infection!!). So my insurance passed the bill to us. I contested the charges but the insurance review said that according to the doc's diagnosis, it wasn't valid.

I will never be a client of that hospital ever again and will be sure to let everyone I know the experience I had. I shouldn't really be surprised, though. When my best friend had her baby there nearly two years ago, the baby's temp was low and they actually stripped her and laid her naked in the warmer (note that it was Nov and cold outside). Who the heck still does that?!??! They were so far behind the times that they didn't even bother doing kangaroo care, and then they wondered why it wasn't working.
post #35 of 46
7/20/08 at 12:02pm
Oddly enough, I took my littlest one to the ER last Thursday with a NASTY cough, so bad he couldn't catch his breath and was turning blue. They NEVER asked me if my kids were up to date or vaxed at all, even when I told them that all of my kids had the cough. They said it was just a cold. I knew it wasn't and took them to the chidren's hospital in Orlando and come to find out, they all had pertussis.

By the time we got home from there (5 days later), the HD had already contacted the other hospital and had everyone that came in contact with my son on antibiotics.

The people at the children's hospital gave me some flack for it, though and seem to think that now that they have pertussis , I am going to rush out and get them caught up. I have to admit, I had a lot of mama guilt at that point and considered it but once I talked to the lady at the HD, she informed that kids with the vac are getting too, I felt so much better.

Of course, everyone in my family thinks I am nuts are mad at me for not having them vaxed but I can deal with that as it comes.
post #36 of 46
7/20/08 at 4:38pm

What business is it of theres?

I have learned to politely say "Its none of your business!", or "no thank you, and please make sure I am not asked again!"

When they want full addresses when you take your dog to the vet, when they want to know why you won't get a flu shot. you know, when you feel you are under survey anytime or everytime you go in for med. reasons.

Its a violation of your privacy isn't it! Just say no once, and maybe a rem. and then don't you think its alright to really get mad?

T
post #37 of 46
7/26/08 at 10:37pm
I wonder if the hospital has that as part of the intake questionaire that the nurses have to fill in. It's been a long time since I worked in the ER, and back then I did not even bat an eye about vax. The only time I remember vax being a big deal was when I worked on burn unit, one of the most important things they wanted to know was whether or not the pt had, had a tetanus shot. I do vaguely remember something about offering the pneumonia vax to pts over a certain age, but like I said it was part of the paperwork, in the medical field, vax is really under the radar. It isn't even something that most nurses or docs think to ask, "why is that on this intake form?" I know now that if I went back to working at the hospital knowing what I know, I would be a lot more sensitive to irrelavant vax questions on intake forms. Also, my DH took our son to the ER several months ago for a busted lip (thanks to his little brother throwing an automoblox at his face), and I was very insistent when my DH took him that he made sure they did not try to vax our son while he was in the ER or make an issue of it. My DH said my son's vax status never even came up. So, not all ERs are poking their noses into ppl's vax status.
post #38 of 46
7/27/08 at 12:05am
The ER asks because it is a chance for the medical establishment to push vaccines, while they have you there.

I received a newsletter from our local hospital today. Here is what it said regarding emergency room visits:

"Come prepared. When symptoms warrent a trip to the emergency department, three simple steps can help doctors give you quality care as quickly as possible, reports the American College of Emergency Physicians:

1) Arrive prepared. Time permitting, bring a list of any medications you take or any allergies to medicine, foods or other substances that you might have. A completed medical history form will also help speed your treatment.

2) Know your immunizations. Part of your treatment may require bringing your immunizations up-to-date.

3) Speak up. Emergency departments treat the most seriously ill or injured patients first. Let a nurse or doctor know if--while you're waiting--you are in pain or your condition worsens."
post #39 of 46
7/29/08 at 3:44am
Yeesh. My DH took our ds to urgent care and they asked him about vaxes. They never batted an eye.
post #40 of 46
8/2/08 at 1:19pm
Our only trip to the ER was interesting with the vax issue.
Triage nurse wrote UNVACCINATED in huge letters across the intake form and highlighted it in yellow. Lots of dirty looks ensued.
ER doc said we obviously made well educated choices and shared that his kids only had tetanus. I had heard about this ER doc from other folks. It's refreshing and gives me hope to meegt professionals like him.