I had an extremely distressing and, in my experience, unacceptable experience at this hospital from…read moreSeptember 14 into September 15, 2026.
I have worked in healthcare in several different roles, so I understand how stressful and demanding hospital work can be. That said, the behavior I experienced from two staff members was deeply disturbing and unlike anything I have personally encountered in a healthcare setting.
The first was the person working at check-in, who had dark, curly hair. The second was the triage nurse, a white woman with long, straight, light-brown hair. I am providing these descriptions because I hope hospital administration can identify the individuals involved and review what occurred.
I presented to the emergency department with a recurrent peritonsillar abscess causing significant swelling, difficulty swallowing, drooling, voice changes, and a sensation that my airway was becoming increasingly tight. I had to advocate for myself repeatedly to be evaluated and repeatedly communicate that I was concerned about my airway.
The triage nurse's conduct was particularly upsetting. I saw her laughing behind my back on multiple occasions, as well as laughing behind the backs of colleagues. During my examination, she pushed a tongue depressor directly onto the area of my abscess. When I instinctively flinched from the pain, she yelled at me to sit still. Given what I was presenting with, I found this treatment completely lacking in compassion and professionalism.
I eventually had to tell the staff that I also work in healthcare and understood the seriousness of what was happening because I felt that I had to advocate for myself in order to have a doctor evaluate me.
Approximately eight hours after arriving, I was told that I needed to be admitted. Ultimately, I left the hospital against medical advice because I no longer felt safe receiving care there. I made the difficult decision to return to New York despite understanding the risks involved in traveling with an active medical issue. I would not have made that decision if I had felt that I was receiving safe and appropriate care.
I understand that emergency departments are extremely busy and that healthcare workers work under enormous pressure. I do not expect perfection, but I do expect a patient presenting with significant swelling, difficulty swallowing, drooling, voice changes, and possible airway compromise to be treated with basic dignity, respect, and appropriate urgency.
The fact that I ultimately felt unsafe enough to leave despite being told I needed admission is something I hope hospital administration takes very seriously. I sincerely hope the hospital reviews what happened on September 14-15 and identifies the staff involved. No patient should have to repeatedly advocate for themselves to be taken seriously while experiencing symptoms that could potentially threaten their airway.