I had a very concerning experience at East Cooper Medical Center in Mount Pleasant involving a…read morenurse who identified herself as Wendy.
My cousin, a Puerto Rican American, came to the ER with severe abdominal/side/back pain and was visibly crying and in significant distress. She called me earlier that evening crying and asking for help. When I arrived at approximately 11:00 PM, I personally observed that she was still in severe pain and distress.
What concerns me most is that it was not until after I arrived, spoke with the nursing staff, and requested that another nurse assist my cousin that she received medication from a different nurse. After that nurse, Nicki, administered the medication, I personally watched my cousin finally begin to get relief. She was able to sit up, talk to me, and most importantly, she was no longer crying and visibly suffering from the severe pain she had been experiencing.
That made the earlier lack of relief especially concerning to me.
I had also requested that Wendy no longer care for my cousin because my cousin had become uncomfortable with the way she was being treated. Despite that request, Wendy returned to the room.
My cousin was asking reasonable questions about how long she would have to wait for her ultrasound. She was already extremely anxious and began visibly shaking. Instead of helping calm the situation, Wendy told her to "stop acting like a child and start acting like an adult."
I found that completely inappropriate toward a patient who was already experiencing severe pain and distress.
I was also concerned that medication was brought into the room without a clear explanation of what it was before my cousin took it. I believe patients should be clearly informed about medications they are being given.
Eventually, another nurse came into the room and treated my cousin with kindness and professionalism. That nurse even apologized for what had happened earlier. The contrast between the two interactions was significant.
To be clear, my concern is not simply that the ER could not immediately determine the cause of my cousin's pain. We understand that emergency medicine involves testing and uncertainty.
My concern is how my cousin was treated while she was seeking care and particularly the fact that she remained in severe distress until after I intervened and another nurse provided medication, after which I personally witnessed a significant improvement in her condition.
We are still waiting to submit a formal complaint to ask the hospital to review the entire encounter, including the medication administration record, nursing documentation, and staff conduct.
If you visit this ER, advocate for yourself, ask questions about medications before taking them, and bring someone you trust with you if possible.
Patients deserve to be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect when they are at their most vulnerable.
