Complaint Review: Beaumont Hospital - Grosse Pointe

On November 1, 2013 my mother was admitted to Beaumont Grosse Pointe Hospital. Her initial diagnosis was Pneumonia.  She was responding well to the antibiotics, and eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She was on the general ward of the hosptial, and expected to go home in a few days.

On Saturday, November 2, something insidious happened overnight. I was in my mom's room observing Nurse Lauren, coming in, and out of the room hanging IV's and taking my mom's vitals. That morning when I awoke, at 8:00AM, I examined my mother's arm, only to find that her IV tubing was out, and antibiotic solution leaking into her bed. I called for Nurse Lauren, and  she called a medical technician from the lab to insert the tube back into my mother's arm.  I called the Nurse again, because my mother did not look well, she had puffy eyes, clammy skin, and was perspiring. I said to her "my mom does not look well!" She looked at me with a goofy grin, and said "you think so!"  She began to take my mother's vitals and said everything was fine. 

I continued to assess my mother's condition, and begged the Nurse to page a doctor.  She said the doctor had made his rounds already.  I responded "he could not have made rounds, I never left my mom's side!" She walked out of the room while i was still talking. Then I spoke to the Charge Nurse, he took my complaint, but didn't assess my mom's condition.

The nightmare began at 10:30 AM after making several attempts( 2.5 hrs) to get a doctor for my mom, a doctor finally arrived who was the House officer.  He immediately stated that my mother was aspirating. To my surprise she was also having a heart attack.  The rest is history.  My mom died.

The Service Excellence team sent me a empty letter stating they investigated my concerns, but could not give me the full names of the employees that were negligent, which ultimatley caused my mom's death.

This horrific situation will forever be with me. My mom was a senior citizen;I was her legal guardian. The hospital staff chose to ignore me.

I sincerley hope the Nurses involved in this incident turn in their License to the State of Michigan. Unfortunately, I don't know if this hospital reported this patient safety issue to the State Licensing Board.

Please take heed, if your loved one is admitted to this hospital, be with them at all times!  This hospital needs to close down.  I beg you not to send your loved one to Beaumont.