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Sunday, April 19, 2020

A Viewer Writes: COVID-19 & PRMC

Joe, 

I thank you for letting me to tell my story. I am beyond p!ssed! This whole incident took place last evening at Peninsula Regional Medical Center’s ER. I sincerely hope this gets the attention of the “important people” at the hospital (Steve, Snyder, Roger, Cindy, CB). 

Last night, I went to ER because I was having chest pain. I have never experienced chest pain before. I really thought I was having the big one. Frankly, it was terrifying. 

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, my wife wasn’t allowed to come back with me to my new ER room. Instead of being able to have my wife for support, I had to send her home. She cried, and cried. We have never had to go through a health scare, and especially not alone. 

To be clear, I really do understand why the no visitor policy had to be implemented, and I totally respect what the hospital is doing to combat COVID-19. I believe the measures are necessary. 

As I was laying in my bed, I was “people watching” through my open door. I was in 203, and the room next to mine was 204. As I’m laying there, observing what’s going on, I realize that 2 women kept coming in and out of 204. I then hear one of the two females say that she was there visiting/assisting her adult brother. No other patient in the entire ER was allowed to have visitors except the patient next to my room. 

I immediately questioned what I saw, and I complained to the charge nurse; she informed me that one of the females in the room was a PRMC employee. It appears that if you work for PRMC, you don’t have to adhere to policies established by the hospital. We all know that these measures were put in place to reduce the risk of introducing the virus to the hospital’s population.

Additionally, I watched the PRMC employee go in and out of her brother’s room multiple times. On two occasions, she left the room, and went into the supply room to get things for her brother. She was only wearing gloves and mask. 

This sounds crazy, but on one occasion, she left her brother’s room wearing blue gloves, she then went in the supply room with the same blue gloves, she then came out of the supply room wearing the same blue gloves, and finally, she went back in the room with the same blue gloves. She put the ER’s highly controlled environment at risk by leaving the room of a sick person to retrieve items from the supply room. 

All these measures at PRMC are for NOTHING if they do not care that their employees make up their own rules, and essentially help spread infectious diseases. OR You might as well just revert to how things were before COVID-19.

What are the chances that he had a cough and fever?

55 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is PRMC. So much covered up and procedures not followed. If they had any real competition locally, they would be out of business quickly.

By the way, what caused the chest pain?

Anonymous said...

I know why you are having chest pains. You need to relax dude.

Anonymous said...

Lies

Anonymous said...

Glad you are ok. Perhaps sit back with a coffee and relax today instead of whining online. Its better for your heart. lol. If she is a PRMC employee she is already at the hospital being exposed. So duh, whats the point of blocking her from her brother? Stop crying and be glad you are ok. As for the gloves, ALL docs and nurses do this kind of thing. They may be in the medical field, but that doesn't mean they are geniuses. Case in point: just look at how long it took for docs to stop mass prescribing antibiotics for what were more likely viral infections.

Anonymous said...

You can’t change stupid .Everyone involved should be fired . It takes a “special “ jackass to risk the lives of patients and staff .The supply closet should be emptied, those involved should be made to reimburse for the items. You can’t change stupid people.

Anonymous said...

I think I would be more concerned about the open door than what somebody else was doing. Hospital protocol when I was in the ER 6 days ago wouldn't allow an open door due to the covid 19 airborne virus. Different hospital. I find that the open door keeps you from being forgotten.
How do you know the same gloves were being used? Did the serial numbers match?

Anonymous said...

They sound like Congressmen: rules are only for others.

Anonymous said...

I hope your ok, and don't have blue glove nightmares.

Anonymous said...

So sorry this happened to you. How scary. This is the perfect example of these rules that are way over the top from the county and state levels. We have given up our freedoms and there will always be officials who think the rules don’t apply to them. Whether it’s this nurse, Jake Day, the Governor of Michigan etc... Wake up America.

Anonymous said...

How do you know the PRMC employee was just done with her shift or for that matter when she found out her family member was in the E.R. she ended her shift early ? What sense would it make to have her caring for patients but blocking her from visiting her family member simply because no one else is allowed to have family in there.

All of the people that work at the Hospitals are trained over and over again on how to use PPE and trust us when we say that we don't want to get infected either so its more than likely a safe bet those gloves were changed before and after entering supply (If it really was a supply room. It seems you had a view of the entire hospital form your room.)

Protocol now for most hospitals is that if your in a Patient care unit (Not just a patient's room but the entire unit like the E.R.) you must wear Mask and Gloves and even in a lot of cases gowns along with eye protection. So just because you saw someone wearing gloves leaving a room and then wearing gloves re-entering does not mean its the same gloves. It just means that the employee MUST wear gloves at all times in patient care.

In the end instead of being upset that someone had a bigger scoop of ice cream than you be happy that the person next to you was fortunate enough to have a family member even if you couldn't.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps the brother is a special needs individual and required help, by someone familiar to communicate with hospital staff.

Anonymous said...

You sound rather fortunate since you walked out of the hospital. Focus on that for a few minutes. Just think of all the people dying in New York that can't have any family members by their side. Your hardship was minimal to what many people are experiencing. Be glad that there were people in the ER who still treated you, having know idea who you have been around, or if you have been possibly exposed to COVID.

Anonymous said...

so you are ok then? and you come here and bitch? time to man up,
My daughter works in the er and she has to put up with all kinds of idiots and risk her own health along with her family's health to take care of whiners like you. next time stay home! or you could always go to mccready or nanticoke or atlantic if you don't like the care you get at prmc.

Anonymous said...

I understand they are trying to keep extra people out of the ER due to the virus, but can't they screen just one person who can come in with you for support? If they have no symptoms and wear a mask and even gloves if they want, they should be able to stay with the patient. It's stressful enough for the patient and their family member when they are having an urgent medical issue and being alone and not knowing what's going on with the patient just makes things worse.

Anonymous said...

The room you were in was nowhere near where the PUIs are located. In the area you were in it does not require full PPE. Masks and gloves are all that’s necessary. In the Covid 19 section all staff are required to wear gowns, gloves, N95 mask and shield. The gloves are replaced every time staff come in and out of the room.

Anonymous said...

Apparently they guy in the next room was lucky enough to end up in the hospital where his sister works. Good for him....sometimes the wind blows your way and sometimes it doesn’t. You need to stop whining. I’m sure you’ve had your share of luck from time to time...let that guy have his.

Anonymous said...

Peninsula Regional Medical Center SUCKS!

I would be pissed too.

Its clear that PRMC staff is commenting this post. They must be really butt hurt. I’m sorry, but PRMC gets no respect from the majority of the public because they are such a sh*t show. They used to be respected.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like the guy in the next room was lucky enough to end up in the hospital where his sister works. Good for him. Sometimes the wind blows your way and sometimes it doesn’t. I’m sure you’ve had your fair share of lucky breaks over the years. Let that guy have his and stop whining.

Anonymous said...

Steve Leonard is a DOUCHE BAG making $700,000 a year and he isn't even a doctor. This clown has no experience running the hospital but the PRMC Board gave him that kind of salary. Your County Council rep. Bill McCain voted to give Leonard that kind of money. That is why our hospital bills are outrageous. That is also borderline insurance fraud.

Anonymous said...

Then go elsewhere, moron.

Anonymous said...

Writer of this article seems to be okay, and that is a good thing. As far as the patient being fortunate enough to have a relative working at PRMC is a good thing. One would certainly hope that employee would have access to their relative for goodness sakes. At the present time, I have three family members that are working at PRMC; two RN”s and one NP. I would surely hope that they would visit me, in fact they may even end upon beIn involved in helping care for me.

Anonymous said...

I hope you never get sick enough to need their help. If you do make sure you drive that extra mile to another hospital. Better yet sign your name so if you do get sick they can make sure when they are treating you they give you the treatment you expect. Shitty!!!

Anonymous said...

That is the biggest lie I’ve ever heard. I did my nursing clinicals at PRMC and the place is so disgusting I swore I would never work there. The nurses there do not wash their hands when they take their gloves off. They just walk into the next room and shove another pair on.

Anonymous said...

I love to hear people complain and cry on here and Facebook about their awful care they receive at the hospital and how incompetent the staff is. Later that same week they are taking their Mom there for cancer treatment or one of the family is in the Er AGAIN..... There are other hospitals... people.... If you hate PRMC so much, go to AGH or go to Easton or Virginia or Baltimore. Stop crying and complaining if you decide to take them to PRMC again.

Anonymous said...

9:45am must be a PRMC employee!

Anonymous said...

They sound like Salisbury's Mayor: rules are only for others.

Anonymous said...

PRMC?? I wouldn't take my dog there. I lost my son 1 year ago at the age of 37 due to a sinus infection that lead to an abcess on the brain that killed him! He had been back and forth with the emergency room and a doctors office for over a month...the Wednesday before he collapsed he had returned to the hospital with a severe headache. CT scan or something should have been done! PRMC response (let us try antibiotics and another round of steroids! He collapsed on Saturday and before they could get him down to have a CT done he had to be intubated. The abcess had killed him. So, PRMC and the Doctor both failed to do what they should have done!

Anonymous said...

Steve Leonard is an ass! So is Roger.

It’s hard to go to another hospital when youre having a medical crisis. There are no other options when you need emergency medical treatment. If you have the luxury to travel to another hospital further away to avoid prmc then you don’t need to be in the ER. If there were other options in Salisbury, I bet people would go there instead.

Why do you think urgent care clinics in Salisbury are so busy? Primarily because they are trying to avoid prmc.

Anonymous said...

You know, it’s very easy to tell what commenters are PRMC employees.

Anonymous said...

Hey Joe, I think the people should know that Peninsula Regional Medical Center is requiring their employees to reuse PPE. It’s so bad that they are issuing nurses just 1 face mask for every 7 days!

PRMC is voluntarily putting their staff at risk. Shame on PRMC!

Btw, the author of this post is 100% right!

Anonymous said...

Who is Roger? I did a quick search and do not see any executives named Roger.

Anonymous said...

11:15 I am sorry for your loss, but its becasue of money your son died!!!! Nothing more, and nothing less!!!! But you slaves love it for some reasonšŸ¤·‍♂️ !!!!

Anonymous said...

945 - not nice.

Anonymous said...

If the public only knew how many employees are being monitored after exposure to Covid? Why? Because prmc is reissuing ppe.

Anonymous said...

Roger Follebout, Director of Peninsula Regional Medical Center’s Community Relations Department He’s the one in charge of giving wboc, wmdt, and the daily times lots and lots of advertising dollars. That way those news agencies don’t report on corruption in the hospital.

Anonymous said...

5:51 am You totally missed the point of his post! His concern was that she was touching things in the supply room, door knob/handle, etc., with gloves that may well have been contaminated and she should absolutely have known better! Not to mention that she could be a carrier and she was traveling through the hallway in the ER. I don't care if she is an employee at PRMC or not - rules should apply to everyone. This example of a very careless and inconsiderate employee is exactly why there should be NO deviation from the rules. Sadly, I'm not surprised. PRMC is a nightmare every day.

Anonymous said...

FFS, get a life. And make better life choices so you don’t die.

Anonymous said...

12:22 — You are the only one who understands what the author is trying to say.

These rules should apply to everyone. She could have spread germs all over that ER. How foolish! No wonder our numbers are going up.

Anonymous said...

i"m a parent of a prmc employee and if you have a problem with the upper management of prmc then take it up with them. AS for those who have spent years in school so they can come to work every day during a pandemic to make sure those who need care get it even at the risk of their own health, i would think you would show a little more gratitude to them!
But then again it's always all about me huh?

Anonymous said...

12:37 what’s FFS?

Anonymous said...

11:25 I am sorry about your son. My brother had that same condition but thankfully he had a great Dr. and a 14 hour surgery at Hopkins and survived, but it was touch and go for quite some time. 2 surgeries and many hospital and nursing home stays. He also had a first surgery at the hospital in Glen Burnie and then ended up with another surgery at Hopkins, same surgeon. You are the first person I have ever heard talk of that condition. It's rare but sinus infections can be serious. I believe your son could have been helped if he had been given the proper tests.

Anonymous said...

No lies here. Only what I observe working in the ER as a non medical staff.

Anonymous said...

Covid-Dbury !!!!

Anonymous said...

No doubt 9:45 is a PRMC employee and don’t worry I do go elsewhere. I went to Baltimore for surgery to a doctor who has rights at PRMC. Gloves don’t replace hand washing.

Anonymous said...

what some of you are missing is he was talking about her infecting and re-infecting areas and supplies, which would then infect anyone who came into contact with those supplies and areas.

Telling to have a coffee and relax? Really? Some really dense ppl in this area. You deserve what you get.

Anonymous said...

Exactly as not medical staff. You don’t see what really goes on.

Anonymous said...

You obviously don’t realize that anyone who has access to another hospital does go somewhere else.

Anonymous said...

I see what goes on in the ER as I work there 5/6 days a week.

Anonymous said...

Hospitals are all alike. When I was in Holy Cross in MD I asked a nurse for some water - the pitcher was empty and it was late evening. Nurse told me okay as soon as she check the other patient in the same room. Well here it comes - complaint or not - she emptied the other patients bed pan. Picked up my water pitcher and filled it with tap water from the bathroom without washing her hands - yuck! No kidding. Then - during the night - male nurse comes in to take temperatures etc and starts to talk to me about his Muslim religion and how I always have a smile. No shit. Great detail. I could go on about the crazy lady who came to my bed calling my name over and over again. She scared the hell out of me. By day she was a pretty middle age women but by night she looked like Mother Theresa. She was upset because she thought the nurse who changed her IV was trying to kill her. I did not make this up. I didn't sleep a wink that night. Gladder bladder gone now and I pray to God I don't have to go back there again. I now live in Florida - what a relief. Holy Cross is in Maryland near Greenbelt - stay away - the name is misleading. šŸ˜‚

Anonymous said...

Perhaps all those visitors were unnecessary. As someone who just got out of the hospital, and am on two major immune-suppressants for my disease, I can tell you it was rough, being very very ill, and not having ANY visitors for 8 days. I did facetime with my wife as I recovered, but the first 4 days it was all I could do just to stay alive. I was under isolation, not for Covid, but to prevent me from being infected, which would kill me. I've been under isolation at home, with my wife for 5 months, but at least at home could see her, hug her. I did see TWO family members, staff, who stopped by. One just to say hi, the other to talk to me from the door. Things are rough over there. Cut them some slack. This is a different world, now and forever more. Those people are risking thier lives and the lives of thier families.

Anonymous said...

Im sorry you lost your son!

Anonymous said...

My experience with PRMC was always as a visitor until June 2014. I was admitted for a heart attack, with a stent being imbedded in the LAD by Dr. “Tom”, now in Ok. I was discharged on the 3rd day. I may be naive, since it was and has been my only stay in PRMC, however, from the housecleaning, food service and medical personnel, I lacked for nothing and received tremendous care from what I perceived to be very dedicated and committed personnel in every category. Must have been a fluke from all that I have been reading on this blog.

Anonymous said...

Why doesn't this complainer just find another job when this is all over? PMRC is never going to let her run the hospital, or ever be a supervisor. She is an enemy of the hospital, and only wishes the hospital and the administration harm by these posts. Bad employee, to say the least, and not helpful, at all.

Anonymous said...

April 17, 2020 at 12:21 AM:

There's LOTS of competition. There's a hospital in Berlin, one in Crisfield, one in Seaford, one in Cambridge, one in Easton, etc., all over the Eastern Shore. But PRMC is the absolute best and you should be thankful we have access to such a valuable medical asset. You should either move to Baltimore, or jump in an ambulance and see if you can make it to Baltimore when you're having that heart attack. Go away! Our health care is superb. If you don't like it, go somewhere else.

Anonymous said...


I work in the medical field. You should never leave a room with gloves on. You take the gloves you were using and discard them as you leave so that you do not carry gems into the next room. When you go into the next room, you put on gloves. She should not have been going into the supply room with gloves on.
Yes there are things at PRMC that are not right. It does tend to be dirty and the employees are not as happy as they were years ago. All the staff, not just the nurses are tried and doing the best that they can. It is the administration that is the problem. One department doesn't know when another department changes thing but than again, people in the same department does not know when something is changed. Just look at the service in the medical offices. You cant get appointments for months, you are sent to urgent care during office hours because they cant see you and phone calls are not returned. Just look how bad Delmarva Heart has gotten since PRMC took over, the whole office attitude has changed. But PRMC has an monopoly on middle shore now that they have purchased McCready and Naticoke so you don't have much of a choice. You just need to keep bringing things up and hope that change will take place.
As far as her visiting her brother, I understand why you are upset, but this is a benefit of working at the hospital. Just like any other business, if you know that person you are dealing with, you get taken care of better. It shouldn't be that way, but it is the way of the world.
I hope that your medical condition was taken care of and that you are feeling better.