"Lack of Respect with Over Use of Over Capacity Rooms"

In 2025 I was admitted to the Foothills hospital for Thoracic surgery. While being admitted there was a blood collection technician that came to retrieve some blood. Something happened with either my vein or the insertion of the instrument. She was pulsating my arm with her finger when I said you’re not in the vein you’re on my bone and it really hurts. She proceeded to tell me it might take a while but she’d get the second vial. 

Surgery was performed and all went well.

I was in a room post surgery and had fabulous nurses, especially Nurse Stefanie. She needs to be recognized for her superb care of her patients.

The morning of my room change, which was the Friday I believe, I wanted to wash my hair as I was not permitted to shower yet which was okay as I could wash my hair in the washroom sink. There was a lady that kept hovering around my bedside (not housekeeping) perhaps nursing assistant and she would keep asking me if I was going to wash my hair?? I said no I’m not ready yet I’m going to get some walking in. I come back from my walk and in she comes again asking if I’m going to wash my hair now. I said no I’m going to have a rest now. She leaves.

After my rest I go to wash my hair and when I come out of the bathroom she has all my personal belongings packed up and tells me that I am moving beds. I am unsure of what just happened? Why was I not told about this prior? Where was the RESPECT to the patient? I asked Stefanie later what happened and she had no answer.

So I’m shipped to another room.  This room doesn’t have fully operational equipment, such as the blood pressure machine.  Each time they have to take my blood pressure they have to get a portable unit from the hall. However, these units have issues of their own, oxygen monitor doesn’t work, (little finger doodad). Each new shift I have to tell the nurses the blood pressure doesn’t work by my bed.

This is getting very frustrating as the equipment should be working. I felt like I was in a third world clinic out in the middle of nowhere, not in a hospital they do heart surgery in! 

I feel this is not just an AHS issue but an issue with cuts to the public system.

On Friday night I had an episode during the night where I felt I couldn’t breathe. I called for the nurses and Nurse Sam (Samantha) came and asked what was wrong. I said I couldn’t breathe and was sweating and shaking. Here we go with the Blood pressure cuff not working!!!!! Then again one of the machines in the hall is not up to working properly!!!! Heart rate of 162. Nurse Sam was excellent. She had contacted the doctor and I was sent for a CT scan. She came with me reassuring me the whole time.

When you can’t breathe and equipment doesn’t work my anxiety level skyrocketed. I now have anxiety just thinking about having to seek medical care at our hospitals.

It gets even better. Sunday night Nurse. She’s checking vitals and for conversation I ask if it’s a busy night, she responds with not really we don’t have a full house. 

It’s around 11:30 at night, someone comes in and tells me they are moving me to an OC room. 3 people come in and pack up all my stuff and bring me to a converted closet. I have a video of this. I get in there and say nope I’m going back to my other bed and marched back to the room.

My understanding was the ward WAS NOT OVER CAPACITY! I don't understand what is going on! The OC room shared with another person had no sink, no bathroom, no chair, window 1foot by 1 foot at the top of the room. I feel a  jail cell has more. How is this supposed to help a recovering patient? The most depressing room with no equipment in the room.  I feel if you are at Over Capacity find either another floor or hospital transfer.

On Monday Anthony the nurse practitioner lets me know that I will be discharged and he will get everything ready but during that process that they would move me to that OC room until I was ready to go. Fine I’m leaving I can handle an hour or so.

I ask the nurse in the hall where can I use the bathroom. The 2 rooms across from me you have to gown up so I am not permitted in those rooms. Understood. We proceed further down the hall as she checks rooms and finally escorts me into a room to use the facilities. The patients in that room seemed to look at us like what is going on. I felt I invaded their privacy. Should any patient be made to feel this way?

I am utterly disgusted with the health care system in this province and this needs to be improved. When we have great surgeons how can they get their patients care? These Over Capacity rooms need to go! Moving patients continually needs to stop! The disrespect to patients needs to stop and communication needs to start. Leave personal belongings alone unless a person is incapacitated and has no family.