However, the real stress, I believe, occurred in the ER. The noise, the uncomfortable bed, the wires, tubes, needles, and cold rooms. No pillows, thin sheets, hard chairs and loud intercoms. Waiting was uncomfortable, because I thought I might actually be dying. (Believe me, that was a scare). However, once I got into a room (which, I must admit, was very quickly), I was even more uncomfortable. ER rooms are just not made for comfort.
Why does this matter to me? Because too many people end up in ER’s during their last moments of life. What kind of ending is that?
Years ago, when I worked in the ER (for over 5 years) I believed that ER setups were perfect. Highly functional, set up exactly as needed in an emergency, and perfectly sterile and cool. Just right. I never understood why the patients complained so much about the light / cold / hard seats / and uncomfortable beds. I mean, we were there to help, not comfort.
Huh? That does not make any sense to me, now, writing it. And, if I would have thought of it years ago, it wouldn’t have sounded right then either. Taking care of people should include comfort. And, to be fair, a lot of health professionals spend their time trying to extend comfort and warm kind care. The problem is time management, and managed care. The insurance companies do not give health care providers the time nor money needed to care for people and take care of people. It’s one or the other, buddy, because we don’t have time for both.
The problem is that more advanced technology leads to more sterile, unfriendly environments in medical care. The doctor is in a hurry, overworked, and the staff are underpaid, and overworked. How can they offer comfort, when they are all too tired to care how you feel- emotionally, when they can barely concentrate on how you feel - medically?
This is sad, and completely wrong. But, who’s fault is it? Can the problem be resolved? How? When? Does anyone care about the current state of healthcare in America? I do. Unfortunately, I am not an expert, and no one cares what I think.
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