UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica

Reviews 5

AL

Alison W.

Im planning to deliver my baby at this hospital but am seriously reconsidering my choice due to what seems to have been food poisoning at their facility. I came in for a standard ultrasound around 5pm. At 6:15 I was told it was my time to start drinking water (had to be done 30 min prior to ultrasound) so I grabbed one of the lovely turkey sandwiches provided by UCLASM and downed the required 4 glasses of water. At 7:30 I sent my husband to find out what was taking so long - I was starting to get cramps and pain in my side, which I attributed to my full/stressed bladder. He returned saying it would be another 15 minutes. I started feeling better but then 5 minutes later I experienced another episode of severe pain in my abdominal area and started getting dizzy, feeling like I was going to vomit. Well, apparently I did vomit. I passed out after as well so I dont remember it all. I woke up on the floor with the doctor and nurse standing above me and my husband holding my head. The Dr told me I could come back after getting checked out by ER, where I was immediately rushed to. They checked me in and then told me it would be 3 hours until I could be seen. My pants and shoes were covered in vomit and the side of my face was throbbing from my head hitting the floor during the fall. I refused their services as I could not sit there like that for hours as I was already shivering from the cold waiting room. They told me Id probably still be charged for seeing the ER since I was checked in. What a crock. The only thing I can figure out is that it was food poisoning. I felt fine all day and also as soon as I woke up after vomiting. I had lunch that day and then didnt have anything until the turkey sandwich. I vomited a little over an hour later and from then on was perfectly fine. The only other time I got food poisoning years ago I also threw up within an hour or two time frame. My husband was very angry and told them to check their sandwiches because that was what I ate. The Dr defended the hospitals sandwiches and I dont blame him given that I work in the food industry and its not uncommon for people to claim food poisoning even though they arrived obviously feeling sick. In this case, I wasnt. The reality is that nothing is ever 100% guaranteed and we just do the best we can, which really only starts the moment we receive the food. Im not blaming UCLASM for bad handling of the food because it does happen - hopefully just once in a blue moon. Im actually worried that they didnt throw out the sandwiches after what we told them and also unhappy that theyd even THINK of charging me for an ER visit that I only needed because of food from their facility. If they had just taken care of me as an apology for what their food caused Id have felt much better about the facility. As it is, I havent received the bill yet so I will update this to higher stars if they do not charge me for getting checked in.

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SS

sSSss JnNNn

Had a great Dr G. in ER who probably saved my life. I was pretty far gone and my son was told to plan my funeral. The nurse assigned to me however was a little crazy, talked very load, even made verbal threats against other staff, stayed in with another patient of her race and completely ignored care of others assigned to her,,,,I mean did not come into my area at all. There was no mamagement of that area. I lay in ER all day without any attention, and about 8 PM after shift change was sent to a floor , when standard is usually ICU for what I had. Nursing staff was mixed in proffessionalism. Most memorable was RN Annabelle who dropped all care to run out of the room to take personal cell phone calls and ignore patients. Left everything to nurses aid, Dennis, who seemed to truly care about the patients Others were good but just as many were not so good. Floor Doc was foreign, and did not follow usual protocals, wrote that I could go back to work in a week on discharge. My private Dr kept me out for 6 weeks. Said discharge papers were worst he had ever seen. Not a place I would trust my life to again. UCLA is not what it used to be. More worried about making much money and the level of patient care is not what it should be. Surveys they often send out supposedly to raye your Doctor are weighted to whether the Dr referred you to other Doctors at UCLA.

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BR

Brian Sweet

Weve now had 2 children born there and both experiences were far beyond our expectations. The staff is incredibly caring and nurturing. They will keep coming in to check mom and baby at all hours of the day and night, which is exactly what you need as a new baby and mom. They have an army of lactation specialists round the clock. Even the foodservice and housekeeping people were always super helpful and cheerful. Sometimes we couldnt even tell peoples rank/title because it didnt seem to matter - no matter who we asked or what we asked for, they helped us or got the right person to help us, and usually right away. We delivered both of our kids by c-section (the 2nd was a scheduled c-section - which by the way is so far less stressful than arriving in labor or getting induced). Both surgeries were very fast, professional, and successful. They had an amazing delivery team who worked very well together like a small symphony, and even played cool upbeat music in the OR. We cant thank you enough UCLA for your fine care and critical role in bringing our children into the world. We would recommend them to anyone having a child considering UCLA as their birth place.

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CR

Crystal Clear

My daughter has been to this ER several times as she has chronic illness. Generally they are wonderful but last night the ER nurse threatened to call security on her. She didnt want to leave. She was having a severe medication reaction that was making her out of her mind. Also her blood pressure and heart rate were very high compared to her baseline. They threw her out. They wouldnt let her stay. She couldnt driver in her state and I was unable to get there for 3 hours (working as a nurse). The ER nurse accused her of doing street drugs. This is a girl that wont eat pesticide food let alone do street drugs. She asked if she can wait in the waiting room for me and he said no that was for incoming patients. So essentially they wanted her to wait on the street as a single female that was not in her right mind. I will call their director today. I will also call a lawyer and see if there is some sort of case. This is not the way to treat patients no matter how busy you are. And even if she was on street drugs you dont treat someone like this. Nursing is supposed to be compassionate. This nurse needs fired.

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ME

Meaghan Harrington

After sitting in the hallway being "taken care of" by 4 different nurses, I was told to "take a picture of the x ray to show your orthopedic specialist" of my broken foot. I was laughed at and told "that was the craziest thing theyve ever heard and a picture from my phone was not an acceptable x ray" when I called my specialist. Make the trip back to ucla Santa Monica (with a broken foot) to get the records before I trek back to New York, and I am told I can get a copy by one nurse, the next nurse tells me its illegal to release me a copy of my own records "for a number of reasons he wont get into". 4 days later no medical records, no help from the hospital, and no clear way in sight of getting them. Ive never had such a terrible experience. What is the point of paying for an x ray if they refuse to give you a copy?????? That place is run by baffled idiots who all have something different To say from reception, to nurses, to the doctor. Do not go to this facility if youd like to receive streamlined treatment for your injury. WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE.

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