Palisades Medical Center

I came for in for anatomy ultrasound & the maternal department is a nightmare. Been here for more than an hour, waiting room smell like dirty rugs, the receptionists are so overwhelmed they can’t handle the patient volume. The bathroom is disgustingly dirty. I mean who wants to sit on a toilet full of urine & papers on the floor. Someone needs to take a look or put cameras up. Never again will I come here.

Okay, if you’re reading this and the other reviews here, contemplating whether to chance a visit to HUMC Palisades’ ER room, think again. I figured after HUMC’s takeover, maybe Palisades wouldn’t as bad as all the reviewers here say it had been. After all, it is awfully convenient and nearby and in-​network. Right? NO. If you are sitting there with similar thoughts, learn from my experience and go somewhere else.
You walk in and think it’s pretty nice looking for an ER and nice check-​in set up. Hm, things look promising. But that’s just the «first» triage waiting room. After you wait out there for awhile, you get taken behind the door to the «second» triage room, which is dark, crowded with sick people and is actually part of the curtained off ER beds. My 6 month old baby had to wait almost 2 hours to be seen, and I saw plenty of people who came after me head in first. Pretty summarily dismissed when I asked about that, saying the doctors decide who to see first. Okay, I get that. But still doesn’t make me feel better.
Finally find out we’ve been forgotten. Front lady denied it, but the doc confirmed it. So we end up rushed to the «front» of the line. We get taken to a «room» (curtained off bed). Doctor is a nice guy — apologizes, listens, does a quick check on my baby, makes his guesses and tells me what my boy will be tested for. Now, here’s where the problems start. As with many hospitals, the nurses have their jobs and the doctors have theirs. Here too, they don’t much like each other, I could tell. He gives his orders, the nurses take their pretty time to get around to us. I hear them gossiping with each other, laughing behind their computers with each other, and this one nurse had the balls to loudly complain about how terrible their system is to one of the other nurses. How they haven’t even taken the vitals on over half the people in ER yet (then why don’t you get your butt up instead of sitting there the whole time gossiping and do something about it?). How it’s such an awful system of triage in the first waiting room where someone then has to escort people to the second triage room. How there are no beds available, how they’re so short staffed, and so on. Really, really unprofessional, all within the earshot of the patients who are all patiently sitting and waiting to be attended on in this «terrible» system.
I had to prompt that nurse to get the first treatment the doc recommended for my son. She took twenty minutes to get the stuff we needed and walked off before making sure we were properly set up. Afterwards, I had to prompt another nurse about test results. She says the doctor will be with us. I walk over to the doctor, who is nice enough to take a quick look and confirms the negative results. He examines my baby once more and gives his final diagnosis, tells me that I just need to pick up a sheet to take to the pediatrician and that’s all. I wait. Minutes tick by and I realize I’ll be waiting for an hour at this rate for the nurses to do their damn job, so I walk over and ask for it. The complaining nurse is downright rude. She tells me nothing is in the system yet. They’re «very busy» trying to take care of everyone as fast as they can. Really? Doesn’t look like that to me. Her tone is condescending. Go sit and wait like everyone else, she tells me. I tell her that I’ve spoken with the doctor, and all I need is that sheet of paper for the ped, that’s it. Her attitude and tone gets worse. In the end, I find myself dismissed and she tells me to «go talk to the doctor then.» I do. He gets it — the nurse isn’t going to cooperate, he can’t make her, so he prints out the sheet himself and discharges us. He does in 3 minutes what would have taken another hour or more with the nurses. If you guys are so short on beds and so busy, wouldn’t it help to have a system to get rid of people like us who are ready to go? A little kindness, by the way, goes a long way. Everyone is sick, tired, doesn’t want to be there and is trying to be patient in ER. It wouldn’t hurt the Palisade nurses (especially in light of the already TERRIBLE reviews the hospital has) to show some compassion occasionally. Especially to an exhausted mom with a sick baby who has been in ER for 4+ hours because of their mistakes and inability to process people in and out efficiently. Seriously, it is SO inefficient there. Things can be done better in so many ways, even to a first time observer like me, but they just don’t have the procedures in place to make their jobs, or any of their patients’ lives, easier.
In the end, I complain to the head nurse. If you have a bad experience at Palisades, I’d highly recommend speaking with someone with the authority to do something about it. The more patients complain, the more likely they might try to improve their services. But that said, better to avoid this place altogether and take your loved ones to a place that actually can manage their ER.

This is the worst hospital i have been to, worst emergency experience ever, waited for 2 hours for the doctor to check on my baby. The emergency had only one doctor in duty, they just don’t care and left my 9 month baby for 2 hours. Never going back there.

I got admitted again and prob worst experience of my life. My friends and family yelled «transfer her!» My condition went from bad to worse to worst with the kind of negligence and «care» I received… stay away!!!

Waited 3 hours in ER to see a doctor for our toddler. Completely unorganized. No one knows what they are doing. Horrible place.

I absolutely hate this hospital !! Everything about it. About a year ago they discharged me with my appendix dilated and didn’t want to remove it. I kept telling them what if something happens to me at home and they told me nothing will happen. I told them plenty of times that just remove it I’m already in this hospital so might as well. I have a child at home and I want to live for him. So within the next hour I ended up at englewood hospital and was rushed into Surgery for appendix removal !

Go to Hackensack UMC instead this place is a horror house. Had some pain in my pelvic area which thank god was only cause I don’t stretch and exercise. There was a nurse in training who tried to put the needle in my arm and it was horrible she stabbed my arm about 20 times looking for the vein until I screamed and she got scared and proceeded to run away. Another nurse came apologized told me that nurse was training and easily put the needle in my arm. I heard the nurses saying that other girl was crying in the bathroom I should be the one crying no one stabbed you honey. The needle was in my arm for 2 hours just sitting there when I asked them why they put it in they replied «just in case we need to administer anything» in other words so we can get more money from your insurance. Finally they decided they didn’t need the needle in my arm and the nurse told me «how about I give you something to help with the pain since that needles in your arm» I left worse then when I came in, I went from pelvic pain to stab wounds and bruises. I asked them to give me that training nurses name but no one would give it to me, they all said its a simple mistake that all nurses make. Oh and everyone’s speaking in Spanish whenever someone came into my room they spoke to me in Spanish and I would tell them I’m Arab, they would proceed to get pissed and start speaking in broken English. My fault I thought I we lived in an English speaking country I guess I was wrong.

Now that I have had a follow up surgery at another hospital 9 months later, I feel like I can more accurately leave a review. This is a terrible, terrible place if you’re having surgery. It’s dirty, loud and poorly lit. I mean I had MAJOR surgery and was put in a room with someone who broke their leg and had 7 guests in the room and security let it just happen. I was then moved a room with an old woman with dialysis. They dont clump surgical patients all together — it’s not good. You get NO SLEEP at night due to the noise, nurses ignore your calls and then walk in very rude. In the morning starting at about 5am they will wake you up (not nicely) for doctor ordered tests. Ok I understand that but be alittle softer and friendly when coming into a room. Also if a patient is weak and you can’t find a vein, ask them to pump their wrist and not keep poking and midway saying, «nope, that one wont work either. My arm had an enormous bruise all across it — I cant even explain how enormous it was.
Big thing –nurses administer drugs all wrong. I received dilaudid which should be administered slowly as to not have a horrible reaction. Everytime the nurses administered this drug so quickly that I felt like I couldnt function. Finally, I left with an unplanned colostomy bag. This was unexpected, I knew nothing about it and needed any help I could get. They never offered me an ostomy nurse and instead asked me to watch a video about changing bags that never loaded. Then they had an inexperienced person «assist» me with changing my first bag. He had NO IDEA what he was doing (and neither did I at the time) — it was a nightmare. They also never offered me the option of an at home nurse to help with the ostomy. Everything I learned about ostomy care and supplies I obtained from the internet. It was a miserable 6 days and I counted every minute I was there. Also, I do need to add that my surgeon refuses to even do anymore surgeries there due to the stapler they use which left me a mess. Steer clear — you want to be cared for properly.

Unfortunelly due to my mom’s illness I’ve been to many hospitals many times, they are all the same, you will find some caring people but the majority don’t care, you can’t trust none of them, you have to be on top of everything speciall older people, I got myself in trouble for helping other patients that have no one there to fight for them, it’s really sad but the truth

Waited for about two hours in the ER after they told me they were going to admit me. Worst experience ever in a hospital. You have to ask for permission to have a family member stay with you overnight, only a very uncomfortable chair available. Took them two more hours after they gave me a room to get me my medication started. THEY CHARHE DAILY FEE FOR THE TV IF YOU WANT TO SEE IT!!! Incredible… First time I see that in a hospital. They re doing some construction and the noise is very loud… Should not be placing patients near the construction! The least a sick person wants is noise on top of any pain!!!

I see some bad reviews, but I had a great experience here, after having a horrible experience at the Cristie Kerr Women’s Health Center, where they were incompetent at every turn. The people who gave me my tests at Palisades Medical Center were attentive and helpful. I felt taken care of.

I’ve been to this hospital numerous times because of the convenience of it being less than 5 minutes from my house. Every time has been worse than the last. The first time I was admitted here for internal bleeding, I was left waiting over 3 hours for a cat scan and another 5 hours just to set up the surgery room for me. They had me waiting 8 hours with internal bleeding, I almost died. Same thing happened to my husband who suffered a stroke/​seizures. They left him in the emergency room for over 14 hours until the neurologist finally arrived to check him. Worst hospital ever.

This is one of those situations where in a time of need you go to an emergency room but in doing so you are let down in all standards of care. It wasn’t until I made a fuss that three days after going to the emergency room and being checked in that a doctor came to see me. In fact as far as communication goes I felt as if I was in a different country. Do yourself a favor. Go to Teaneck hospital or hackensack.

Worst hospital, after my mother fell last week n split her head open n broke her nose I had no choice but to bring her here since it was closest to my house. We requested plastic surgeon for her face and doctor is training looked at us like we were crazy and says they don’t have one? They just put a bunch of glue on her forehead and did horrible job. After going to few specialist all week to see what she could do every doctor couldn’t believe the job they did. They didn’t take her blood pressure or urine and they said they did on paperwork after admitting. She was in horrible pain and we kept requesting some kind of pain meds it took them 5 hours to give to her! That is insane! This place should be closed down its a joke!

In the emergency room at 10:00pm, told I was being admitted overnight for evaluation after having a serious dizzy spell. At 2am, I was finally brought upstairs to a more comfortable bed. 630am woken told I need an EKG, at 8:30, woken again to get blood pressure taken, at 9:30 woken again to take medication «ordered by the doctor.»
My issues:
When being woken up out of a deep sleep at least use my name, instead of standing next to my bed and saying loudly“Sir! Sir!!! Hello! HELLO!!!” just sayin. When walking out, saying «feel better» really sounds plastic. Waking up to loud «Hello’s» and «Sirs» is very bad bedside manner.
Also, the talking outside and in the room by some staff members, can you say loud?! Where is the balance of hospitality and work when it comes to patients? At 3am, shouldn’t their be at least a thought of consideration. Some Nurses are extremely professional and know how to do their jobs very well, while others are very «Blam, in your face, oh and «feel better.» Smh.

If there was an option for negative stars there wouldn’t be enuff. This place is a joke. Went into the EMERGENCY ROOM 9PM didn’t get a room Till 4AM the morning, 7PM the following day and still haven’t spoken to a single doctor on what my care plan is. Did I forget to mention I came in for BLOOD CLOTS in my Arm that could possibly travel to my HEART! NO SENSE OF URGENCY HERE…

no!!! No!!! No!!!
Be prepared for total lack of communication, zero consistency, and waiting for hours in the emergency room.
Some nurses are excellent while a large majority Will be rude to you and never know what answer to give you.

I had my daughter at Palisades Medical Center in July of 2013. It’s taken me this long to write a review, but I think it’s important that other potential parents thinking of delivering at Palisades get good information about the overall «experience» of delivering at Palisades.
LABOR: I was first put in a shared room «for monitoring». I wish I would have taken this nurse’s name because she was truly awful. I’d taken the childbirth classes at Palisades where I was told that until you have an epidural (if you choose), you can labor in any position you want, while walking, on your hands and knees, etc. However, the nurse in charge of this shared room (older, on the short side… again, I wish I had her name to make a formal complaint) said the exact opposite of everything I’d been promised. She forced me to disrobe and wear a hospital gown (in the class at Palisades, they said you could labor in whatever you were comfortable in. I am not comfortable walking around with no bra and no panties). My water hadn’t broken, there was no need for me to be in a gown at that point. I asked her if I could keep my bra on and she actually snapped/​yelled at me that it absolutely wasn’t allowed (later, I found out that this totally depends on the nurse you get). Then this same nurse said I had to lay on my back for a minimum of 1 hour of fetal monitoring – that it was hospital policy. I had already been laboring at home all night and I was having very painful contractions at this time – laying on my back with the tight fetal monitors was so incredibly painful – literally at least 10x more painful than when I was at home laboring, where I was able to move around. At one point, I took the fetal monitors off to have a break from the pain, and the same nurse rushed in and yelled at me for taking them off, and said the one hour would «have to start over for it to count» and again forced me to lay on my back with the tight fetal monitors stretched right on the area of my bump that was contracting most painfully. By this point, I was completely not in control of my laboring – I was nearing hysteria because I couldn’t deal with the pain of having to lay on my back with the fetal monitors strapped on.
I somehow completed that hour of torture and the same nurse came back to move me to my own room. At this point, she told me it was «hospital policy» that I had to have a minimum of 1 hour of fetal monitoring in the new room. It was probably only 10 am and I didn’t think I would make it in that kind of pain. I was crushed at this point — -EVERYTHING I’d been told in the hospital classes was a lie – I was not allowed to labor in different positions, I was not allowed to have a wireless fetal monitoring system. I was not allowed to take a shower, or sit on an exercise ball or anything I’d been told about in the classes.
I should point out that my baby’s heart rate was completely rock steady during my entire labor – at this point, and throughout until she came out. So it’s not because there was a concern about the baby – it was just this Nurse’s policy (I later found out none of this was hospital policy). The main labor nurse came in once I got my private room, introduced herself to me, and I didn’t see her again for many hours (not an exaggeration. I labored in the hospital 16 hours before pushing.), this nurse came back in and said she’d had to assist in 2 back-​to-​back emergency C-​sections. She seemed nice, but I pretty much never saw her. I can’t say she helped me labor in any form or fashion.
Because I was kind of left alone and under the «care» of the awful nurse, I had 0 hope of managing contractions and was begging for an epidural as soon as I could get one. Of course, after I had an epidural (probably too early), my labor stalled… and eventually I needed Pitocin. Textbook issue with getting an early epidural. Thankfully, there was a shift change some time in the late afternoon and the rest of my labor was uneventful – The nurse that came in right at the end when it was time for me to push was great – I sure wished I’d had HER the whole time. She was maybe 30’s-early 40’s and Latina.
Post-​partum care and the nursery nurses were very inconsistent – I had one AMAZING angel-​from-​heaven post partum nurse (very light, almost platinum blonde hair). She was the best. My daughter had jaundice and had to be taken overnight to be under the bili lights – this nurse brought her to me every 2 hours to nurse. But then the next nurse said that wasn’t allowed and then acted like I was in her way when I went to the nursery every 2 hours (all night long) to nurse. She said she preferred to just feed formula (um…I was trying to breastfeed).
I know Palisades is trying to become a certified Mother-​Baby Friendly hospital, but frankly they have a long way to go, and a lot of staff training to do before they will be Mother-​Baby friendly at all.
I will not be delivering my second child at Palisades.

Friendliness if the staff= 5 stars
Cleanliness of the hospital= 5 stars
Accessibility of the facility (parking etc) =5 stars
Knowledge of staff= 3 stars
Competence of staff= 3 stars
Consistency of staff= 2 stars
Communication of staff = no stars
The only consistency from nurse to nurse and healthcare worker in this establishment was the phrase «I don’t know». Then what do you all know?
This is a clean circus. Run run or you will be frustrated at the lack of communication.
Is this a hospital in America or a 3^rd world country. Oh yes this is the product of our government’s medical insurance for all act. I guess this is what we have to look forward to.

This review is for Same day surgery.
My wife had minor foot surgery here this morning. Our medical coverage led us to this hospital due to the fact that we weren’t covered for the other hospital that her Doctor works out of.
We were told to come at 6:00 for admission. Most of her paperwork was thankfully completed over the phone yesterday. Just a few minors glitches, in the paperwork which was easily corrected. Then we were headed to the 3^rd floor.
The procedure was scheduled for 7:30.It was delayed approximately 15 minutes due to all the early appointments. While I was in the waiting room looking at the patients progress board noticed her doctor pass by at about 8:15.
Obviously the board was not quite in real time as surgery was already finished. He assured me that everything was fine & went better than expected.
She will have to take off about one week from work to recover from today’s procedure. She’ll also have to wear a small walking boot for 3 weeks. All in all it wasn’t a bad experience compared to the other folks that came to this hospital.