People Share 30 Helpful Signs You Should Immediately Go To The Hospital

According to labor and delivery Nurse Holly, time is a mystery when it comes to labor.

"There’s no definitive time when or how long someone will be in labor. I’ve known patients that will have contractions for 2 weeks before the baby is delivered," she told Bored Panda.

"On the flip side, I know patients that came in for a headache and a little abdominal pressure and delivered their baby 30 minutes later."

Nurse Holly told us about what she and her colleagues look for when seeing to patients. "As a labor and delivery nurse, we look for frequency of contractions and cervical change to give us a better idea as to how your body is responding to labor," she said.

"Time is always the million-dollar question. The best advice I can give, keep in contact with your providers during these times of questionable labor. Utilize their on-call service, let the provider know what you are experiencing. The provider will ask follow-up questions to help you make an informed decision on the next step."

Sadly, it is understandable why some people refuse to go see a doctor even when their health is on the line. It’s a problem that many Americans have to deal with. Some of them are uninsured; and even the ones who are might not get their entire hospital fees covered.

As Dr. Andrew Carroll, a doctor from Arizona, explained to Bored Panda sometime earlier, insurance companies do not have their clients’ best interests at heart. At the core of how they operate is money, not the desire to help someone in need.

“Unfortunately in the US, since the insurance company is the payer for a patient’s care, they are heavily involved in the provision of that care. Their job is not to pay for healthcare but avoid paying for healthcare. It is a terrible system,” Dr. Carroll explained to us.

“We are trained very early, almost like soldiers, to work hard and long hours, deal with extremely stressful conditions, and work through the emotional turmoil of death, debility, and the effect those things have on the patient and their families,” the healthcare professional shared how tough the job of medical staff can be.

However, for Dr. Carroll, being a doctor is his calling. And it has been one ever since he can remember.

“I love what I do because I could not see myself doing anything else. I’ve wanted to be a doctor since I was 5, since I myself had a major medical issue. I remember the care and compassion my doctors when I was that age showed me, and helped me get through my very tough time. I wanted to do that for others, and so far I think I have done so,” he shared with Bored Panda.

“Insurance companies make it difficult though, and nearly force cold, inhumane, and compassionless rules on patients when they are most vulnerable,” the doctor said.

There are financial incentives for US insurance companies to keep the system as it currently exists, Dr. Carroll says. “It will be very difficult to reduce the administrative costs without overhauling the payment system altogether.”

Insurance providers simply do not have a patient’s best interests at heart. "Unfortunately, these payers tend not to have altruistic intentions towards their members. They cater to the advantage of the employers paying for the benefits, who want to try and spend the least amount of money they can." What this means is that an insurer can, for example, make cost-effective decisions on their clients' part that might not actually be best for their health.