Joan XXIII Apartment

I’m formally complaining about the care I received at your hospital when I gave birth several years ago. Some parts of my care were positive, but what happened after delivery was deeply distressing and fell below acceptable standards of care, professionalism and privacy. My prenatal appointments were generally okay, though they were consistently delayed. I had a known medical condition, but nobody told me it would mean an extended stay after delivery. I only found out I had to remain hospitalized for several more days after I’d given birth and was getting ready for discharge. I arrived in the morning for my planned induction. As labor became more painful, I asked several times whether I was far enough along for an epidural and was repeatedly told to wait. Eventually, I was told they wouldn’t check me again then because the maternity ward was full. I had to move to another section of the hospital and take a shower. About an hour later, while in extreme distress, I was rushed back because the baby was already coming. I delivered less than 45 minutes later, and the epidural was given at the last possible moment. My condition clearly hadn’t been reassessed in time, especially during a shift change, and critical information was relied on without a proper physical examination. The medical staff who ultimately helped with the delivery were excellent, but the poor monitoring beforehand caused unnecessary pain, panic and risk. After delivery I was told to rest in a pediatric room, where the worst part of my experience began. I shared the room with another patient who was audibly distressed through the night. Whenever my baby fell asleep, staff came in, switched on all the lights and spoke loudly, making it almost impossible to rest. Then, in front of my family and the other patient’s family, I was told aloud that my medical condition meant I had to stay three days. Being told this publicly in a shared room was humiliating and inappropriate. Discussing my condition there violated my privacy and basic confidentiality. Some room attendants were also unacceptable in how they behaved. The staff changing linens and delivering meals repeatedly made sarcastic comments like “Are you going home today?” and laughed. On discharge day, I waited an excessive time for paperwork. A staff member brought food and rudely asked, “Do you want your food or not?” when I said I was preparing to leave. That was upsetting and unnecessary treatment of a recovering new mother. I don’t have the names of the people involved because my priority then was caring for my newborn. The experience left a lasting negative impression, and I’m documenting it formally. I’m certain I wouldn’t choose this hospital for maternity care again. I hope this complaint is reviewed seriously and used to improve care, communication, staff conduct and respect for patient privacy.