Robin Trivette 29 April 2026

I left the same way I came in—still in pain, still nauseated, and without answers
I’ve formally submitted a complaint to Patient Relations requesting a review of this encounter, including the lack of evaluation and the assumptions made about my care. I went to Duke Raleigh Emergency Department after being directed to go by my care team. I have a complex medical history, including recent hospitalizations for bowel obstruction and severe constipation. I have a PICC line, receive regular infusions, and have home health involved. When symptoms escalate, I’m told—like many patients—go to the ED. I went because I was in pain, nauseated, and vomiting. After waiting for hours, the first interaction I had was not assessment—it was accusation. A nurse came in and repeatedly questioned what I had “taken.” I clearly stated I do not take pain medication and never have. She insisted it was “in my chart.” It is not. I even asked her to verify through PMP Aware. Then the physician came in and continued the same narrative—focused on pain medication I never asked for and do not take. No physical exam. No meaningful assessment. No hands-on evaluation. Just standing at a computer, reading, and saying: “I don’t know what you want us to do.” I was told I couldn’t be given pain medication due to low blood pressure… despite never asking for any. As a psychiatric provider, I understand the importance of safety, prescribing responsibility, and clinical judgment. But what I experienced was not clinical caution—it was bias. This is what happens when patients are labeled before they are assessed. We can do better in healthcare. We have to do better. — Robin Trivette, DNP, MSN-Ed., PMHNP-BC

Joshua Ma 31 July 2025

Holy crap. What happened Duke…?
I’ve been a patient of this hospital. I’ve seen loved ones go through this hospital. Why do you care so little about your brand name? More details to come. For now, Duke Hospital seems to prioritize the ego of its doctors over the wellbeing of its patients. I’ve watched this horror both as a patient and as a loved one of a patient.

Prakash Khatri 12 November 2024

This ER needs a serious upgrade to improve its cleanliness and atmosphere.
We visited this hospital’s ER for my wife’s abdominal pain, and it felt like a rundown community clinic—small, dirty, and crowded, with only enough space for about 20 people. The waiting area was unpleasant, with old, dirty chairs and people vomiting in nearby trashcans. It was disappointing, especially given the high costs billed through insurance. After a 12-hour wait, we finally went home, and I would never return.

Lauren Brooks 16 October 2024

This has been a horrible, nightmare experience.
The doctors here are terrible communicators and do not respect the patient's right to autonomy. My significant other has severe epilepsy and has toxic levels of depakote in his bloodstream with a side effect of tremors in his hands bilaterally. I am livid because his mother and I advocated that his depakote not be increased due to the toxic levels in his bloodstream (above recommended range) and side effect of tremors. The neurology team informed us that they would be in contact with us shortly as we waited the entire day in the hospital room for them come back in and give us a solution after collaborating with his Duke in clinic neurology provider- Dr. Pietak. The conclusion of our long day awaiting an answer in the hospital was for him to be discharged and go from depakote 750 mg twice daily to depakote 1000 mg twice daily without coming in the room to consult with the patient and his family or addressing the bilateral tremor side effect. Also, he suffered an Elbow injury during his most recent seizure and they x-rayed it but never reported the results of the x-ray and he is still in pain from this injury, yet they still decided to discharge him! This has been a horrible, nightmare experience.

Laquasha Dixon 02 October 2024

They will kill you if you let them. My dad barely made it.
DO NOT GO HERE! LACK OF URGENCY when it comes to a person with a heart condition that heart beats too fast. Anything dealing with major organs should be dealt with immediately(ABCs- airway, breathing, and circulation). In this case my dad had all three. Unprofessional and incompetent healthcare workers in the ER who don’t care for their patients and laugh at you for trying to care for your love one. Literally life or death with them. You wouldn’t think someone with a heart condition would be seen immediately NO! They wanted to stall and get a EKG instead of taking him in the back and prep for medication and give EkG at the same time. Think smarter not harder!!!! My family and I had to get loud to get someone attention, so he could be seen faster before he dies. Then once we got loud trying to get help for my DAD immediately cops and security guards threaten/kicked us out. While this situation was going on security guards picking at you when you are going through a stressful situation and expect you not to talk back. Cops also picking at you when you haven’t said a thing to them but still grabs your arm and turns it and take you out of the hospital and says that you are “trespassing”, when the person that is a patient at the hospital is allowed at least one visitor to go with them. Cop told us not to come back unless we wanted to get arrested. My dad has been there multiple times at this hospital for the same reason but every time it’s different on how if they care or not to get him in the back to receive medication quickly. The only reason we came here was because we were rushing in the rain to get to a hospital and this one was the closest to us. This was the icing on the cake. My dad got his medication for his heart but after that, he checked himself out, and we went to another hospital. One security guard did apologize because “they didn’t know the situation was that serious” but still it takes for you to ACT OUT OF CHARACTER with these people in order for them to take you serious and actually do what their job description is. We will be reaching out to who ever is in charge at the hospital to report poorly patient care, lack of urgency, and how they treat the patient’s family (cops, security guards). Moral of the story don’t go here save yourself and your family the stress.

meena wanas 30 April 2024

Nurse joking and talking rather than taking care of patients
Worst experience ever. Avoid this hospital. It used to be good but I am not sure why it is terrible now. They took their sweet time in the emergency department. Nurse were joking and talking, rather than taking care of patients, and they prescribed the wrong antibiotic.

Sheila Burke 29 April 2023

Zero Stars
This is a horrible hospital that disregarded patient's wellbeing and safety

Levin Traver 17 February 2023

Avoid
Went in by ambulance for gunshot wound. Not given anti biotics once for the day and a half i was there. My wound was not dressed and it also was still full of debree. They also not once did they pack my wound or even tell me that i would need to to avoid serious infection. When i asked for a prescription at discharge i was given a lie about not needing them. Needless to say my wound became very infected. I took myself to a different hospital that actually cared for my well being.

RAH Admin 30 October 2019

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