Life and Death Bedside Matter
A patient’s domestic partner was moved from his bedside, out of ICU, after a nurse told him he couldn’t stay because the area was restricted to “family only.” Surprisingly, this happened in one of the most progressive states at a hospital known for its inclusive policies. The patient’s partner says the devastating incident proves that being “partners” is not understood in the same way that being “married” automatically is, when it matters most. Tim Gordon reports from Portland.
absolutely appauling…. I am shocked and discusted by inhumanity of a health care system to allow this to happen
Error, sorry shoud be Patrick, not Dave.
And as usual with todays crap (not a typo)pitbull investigative reporters. we get a sob story and a pass for the hospital with their mealy mouthed apology about a blip. What happened to nurse Ratchet? Retraining, diciplinary action, transferred to say the morgue. Or possibly suspended or fired. I doubt it but we’ll never know. She’s lucky it was Dave and not me cause she’d be in the morgue. Time for a very big and public lawsuit, me thinks.
My “wife” of 20 yrs (not legal in Tennessee) died after a long fight with cancer two years ago. Although I had legally been assigned her Health Care Power of Attorney and we had what we thought were all of the legal protections in place, I was denied visitation and was not allowed to make any decisions regarding her care for the 1 1/2 months that she was hospitalized as she died. Although I prepayed all of her final expenses, I was denied any decision making (or even my attendance) by her family and the Hospital and Funeral Parlor involved. Although her Will stated that she was to be cremated and the ashes were to be scattered around our mountain home, most of her ashes were given to the family. They were from out of the country and she only saw them once a year but their wishes were honored in ALL aspects of her care and final disposition. This devastated me and will haunt me my entire life. The laws in this country MUST change. Everyone, Please help to change these laws so no one else suffers the way I have.
that was tough to watch, me and my partner have been together for 7 years and if anything would happen in which I couldn’t see him or make medical decision I would devastated, i pray that, that day comes at a time when we have equality for everyone.