Shands Starke Regional Med Center

"I took my daughter in law, who suffers from Lupus to their Emergency Room thinking that since they are a university hospital she would get good care, plus her RA Doctor is affiliated to them. I was in for a surprise! They are the most unruly, unprofessional staff I've ever encountered. We arrived around 10:00 PM. First, they could not locate a wheel chair. Once we were inside she saw the triage nurse while I registered her. The triage nurse has a little desk on the opposite side of the registrar. Once she spoke to the triage nurse, he took her in for an EKG. You could see in my daughter in law's face that she was in pain. We were in the ER waiting room and seemed like there was a party going on. People laughing and making jokes. The staff were like nothing and best of all the security guard was playing or doing who knows what on his cell phone the whole time. After what seemed hours, I asked the receptionist if she knew how much longer it would be before they called my daughter in law is a cancer patient do you know when she'll called in to be seen. She looked at her at her computer and then said "she will be called next, they are cleaning a room for her". I thought to myself, good there's some progress. Right then, a ER staff (not sure what her role was Nurse, Attendant, etc) proceeded to place a sign on a computer monitor for all to see that literally read "don't ask the nursing staff or reception how long the wait time is because we can't give you an answer". Really? We had been there for what seemed an eternity. Anyway, we were finally pulled into an examining room. The nurse came inside and took my daughter-in-law's vitals and then another nurse came in and put started an IV line. A doctor came in got her info and left. Another hour went by and I went to the nurses that were tending to her and asked for an update. Were they going to give her IV fluids or not. She looked at her computer and said "oh yes, the order just came in". The other nurse chimed in "oh yes, the order just came in this minute". Around 4:00AM, it seemed like the "dead came alive". The staff, from doctors all the way down to attendants seemed to have woken up from their stupor. They were talking, laughing so hard that tears were coming down. It seemed like cocktail hour. Anyway, I was tired and had to leave due to other obligations I had to take care of. I left my daughter in law there. Before I left I asked if she was going to be admitted and was told no decision had been made. We live approximately 45 minutes from Gainesville. My daughter in law told me much more happened after I left, but she'll post her own review. Conclusion: I will never again visit the ER at Shands nor will I ever recommend it to anyone. I lived all my life in NYC and have never had to deal with people as unprofessional as the staff in the ER in Shands! Mind you, NYC hospitals are not that great, but their staff is professional and on point. I'm really disappointed."