JN
Jinkie Newell
Mar 1, 2026
Our experience at the Children’s Hospital was bittersweet.
On our first night, we received no information about hospital guidelines, the plan for the night, or what to expect. Our baby’s IV machine was beeping, and when we brought it to the nurse’s attention, we were told, “The only way to fix it is to change the IV,” yet it was left beeping throughout the night. The nurse was also very unwelcoming, which made an already stressful situation even harder.
The following morning, the day-shift release nurse asked how long the machine had been beeping. When I explained, she was visibly shocked and immediately changed the IV because the line was clogged and our baby was no longer receiving fluids. That was extremely concerning for us as parents.
That said, the rest of our experience with the nurses, respiratory therapists, and doctors was very positive. Many staff members were kind, attentive, and supportive during a difficult time, and we are grateful for their care.
After five days of arranging childcare for our other children, we were unexpectedly forced to have one child stay with us overnight. When we arrived, he was turned away and told he could not enter or stay after 8 p.m. We were informed this was a new policy implemented two weeks prior. Unfortunately, we had received no notice of this policy change, and there were no visible signs, leaving our family to discover it the hard way during an already overwhelming situation.
Additionally, the hospital appears to be short on equipment and understaffed, which may contribute to some of these challenges.
We appreciate the many staff members who provided excellent care, but clearer communication, better policy transparency, and improved responsiveness would make a significant difference for families navigating stressful medical situations.