Providence St. Joseph Hospital Eureka Emergency Room - Eureka, California

DrPfeiffer

I spent 5.5 hours here before being diagnosed and sent home. While I was grateful to use my insurance here and pay a $50 co-pay for the services provided, very little attention was given to patient comfort or safety, and I found that very distressing.

Unlike every other emergency room I’ve been to, following your initial consult with a doctor and technician, you are not sent to a room. Or a bed. Or even a comfortable chair. You are put back in the lobby. Repeatedly.

Blood test, back in the lobby. CAT scan, X-ray, back in the lobby. Meanwhile, Hospital security are taking down another unhygienic raving lunatic in the lobby right in front of you. And virtually no one is wearing masks.

It took over three hours before I was started on an IV in a shared room. Both of my arms are still bruised and sore from mishandled IV insertions. The person on the other side of the room, who was repeatedly denying a common STD diagnosis, received their consultation and treatment in 1/4 of the time.

I am unclear on why I was forced to wait in pain for hours, why I was given less consideration than someone with far less serious symptoms, or why, in my case, someone with extreme abdominal distress and a low-grade fever, wasn’t offered a blanket or a glass of water until I begged for it.

I have been a first responder in multiple emergency rooms and multiple countries. This particular ER felt like a Third World nation.

**Update: following my visit, I learned two important things:

1. That the person reading my CAT scan did a really impressive summary, and I am grateful for their expertise.

2. That the California Attorney General has brought a lawsuit against this hospital for denying urgent care to a pregnant woman, sending her away with a bucket and some towels. She later received care at another local hospital, but only after severe hemorrhaging.

(See what I noted above re: Third World conditions.)

josh S.

Really professional place. Mad River Hospital did not catch that I was going septic doctor talked with me for 5 minutes. Joe's admitted me within a hour and saved my life. If you are in need of medical attention, go here.

Joshua J.

Great and compassionate staff that treat you with respect, empathy, and compassion. Def a million times better than the competition mad river hospital. Thanks again and Merry Christmas 🎅 🎄 ❤️

Judith S.

I am very pleased with the thorough and compassionate care at I Received at StJoe’s. The supervising doctor- Dr Mal- was very clear about treatment options and ramifications. The nurses were totally patient oriented. When I returned home to my city, my local physicians said that the work St Joe’s did was absolutely thorough and exactly what my hometown docs would have recommended.

Scott P.

Mountain Bike Traumic injury.

3 out of 4 of us on this trip are physicians.
My son’s girlfriend was treated respectfully, kindly and expeditiously. We come from a metropolitan area so we are prepared for the worst when it comes to ERs.
The ER doc was kind and thorough, as she did a trauma work up and kept us updated.
The nurses were kind as well. They have their hands full there with and abundance of challenging patients.
We all was done (about 6 hours later), we had dinner delivered for the ER staff.
We we’re grateful these fine nurses and doctor were there for us.

D P.

Honestly the best experience I’ve had in a hospital as far as staff. Nurse Russell is a truly amazing person, Max an excellent phlebotomist, the NA’s and all of the staff are excellent. Thank you for your kindness!!!

Peeka C.

Felt no attention or was even being Hurd. I didn't even get what I went in for to get propertly treated. Pepole passed in the rock pikes or on the bushesb a d no one checks that.....straight Oakland general just a smaller property.

Michael J.

The wait time is terrible, maybe five hours typically. I don't go here unless it feels like life or death. I've had both good experiences here and very bad experiences. One nurse tied the help button behind the bed, essentially used the IV and other tubes to tie me down to the bed, then closed the curtains and shut the door. She went out into the hallway where I heard her chatting with the other nurses for the next hour. I had to pee and could not get out of the bed to ask where to go. Another time I had my urethra close on me, so they drilled it open with no pain killer. Five nurses were holding me down. When I got up to leave, there was a blood clot the size of a kotex on the table. The old ER on the backside of the hospital used to deliver much more timely and considerate care for some reason. I've had kidney stones, blocked colon that needed surgery after a colonoscopy. I was in the hospital for a week with no water. There was no paperwork given to me, no charges, not even mentioned in my medical file. Another doctor advised me to move to Redding or Santa Rosa, a more populated area for better medical care. I love living here, but I may need to do that. Oncology radiation staff are terrific.