Desert Samaritan Care Ctr

Pros

• The ICU experience was sensational, thanks to Kyle the RN for taking such great care of them.
• The mom's surgery went very well.
• The doctor in 1D was amazing.
• Nurses were described as good.
• A reviewer expressed gratitude to the doctors and nurses for their treatment.

Cons

• The floors were dirty and there was urine in a bed, with the nurse not responding.
• A patient was left in a bed for four days without adequate care.
• Natasha was described as the worst nurse.
• The nursing staff were said to talk and finish stories before helping patients.
• Aftercare for an elderly relative was terrible: overflowing trash cans, little promised therapy, and negative staff attitudes.
• Security confiscated belongings and searched a patient's bag without prior notice, making them feel like an inmate.
• Pain medications were not provided, and the patient could not take their own meds during the stay.
• A case involving a Watchman procedure allegedly resulted in a perforated heart, with poor communication and nurses unable to help.

Review

Across a wide range of posts, Banner Desert Medical Campus emerges as a place that leaves many patients and families with strong, negative impressions, even as a few individuals report positive moments. The recurring threads center on cleanliness and basic comfort, perceived indifference from staff, and a sense that the hospital's systems sometimes fail to protect patients or respond with timely care. Several writers describe dirty floors, overflowing trash, and urine in bed spaces, painting a picture of environments that feel neglected rather than sterile and safe. In one account, a patient says there was urine in their bed and the nurse reacted with indifference, leaving the problem unresolved for days. Another recounts a patient being kept in a bed for four days in a setting where housekeeping and housekeeping-adjacent duties appear to lag, painting a broader image of undervalued patient comfort.

The most persistent dissatisfaction centers on nursing care and responsiveness. Reviewers repeatedly flag delayed assistance after pressing the call button, chronic understaffing, and nurses who seem more preoccupied with conversations or personal stories than with addressing patient needs. One negative narrative explicitly calls out an individual nurse by name, alleging a dismissive attitude and a lack of compassion. Even when some caregivers are praised - such as a nurse named Kyle in the ICU who is described as taking excellent care - the overall sentiment remains that the floor experience is inconsistent and frequently disappointing. The gap between the care some patients need and the care they report receiving appears to be a defining frustration for many families.

Medical emergencies and specific clinical episodes add layers of concern. Several patients recount concerning delays in imaging or treatment for critical conditions. One account highlights head trauma where the patient felt a head scan was not performed promptly, with one commenter criticizing a reliance on updates generated by artificial intelligence rather than immediate, life-saving evaluation. Another narrative describes a patient with severe kidney stones who felt treated like a detainee rather than a patient, with a bag inventory conducted and belongings removed for "protocol" purposes, followed by a security check that they felt violated their privacy. Pain management is another sore point; in at least one case, patients report not receiving timely pain relief because medications had been confiscated or slow to return, even as they described the doctors delivering care in other areas as capable or excellent.

The experiences with post-operative and elder-care are especially wrenching. One family recounts a grandmother with a broken leg who received a successful surgical outcome but then faced a troubling post-operative environment in desert-area facilities: overflowing trash, poor follow-up therapy, and a generally negative attitude from staff. A separate narrative about an 88-year-old father recovering from rib fractures paints a devastating picture: hands tied, concerns about possible delirium or dementia, delayed tests for a suspected UTI, and a sense that clinicians did not listen to understandable concerns from family members who argued for earlier testing and intervention. The family's frustration culminates in feeling gaslit and abandoned during a critical period of recovery, culminating in a potentially avoidable tragedy. These accounts underscore a broader worry about the hospital's ability to provide attentive, compassionate, and proactive elder care.

Security and patient interaction with law enforcement feature in several posts as well. One writer describes a confrontation with security and Mesa Police that escalated into a trespass order after being accused of loitering while waiting for a friend to finish a procedure. The account suggests a power dynamic at play and alleges discrimination, with the writer noting contrasting treatment toward another family that was parked nearby but not asked to leave. The experience left the author feeling humiliated and questioning the hospital's approach to patient presence on-site, especially given their long tenure with Banner and prior positive associations. It reads as a cautionary tale about how security protocols can profoundly affect the patient and family experience, even when the medical care itself may have moments of competence.

In a few, more hopeful notes, some posts acknowledge pockets of excellence within Banner Desert. A friend's ICU stay is described as sensational, attributed to the attentiveness of at least one nurse and a responsive team in that unit. Another post fondly recalls a positive memory from years past, with gratitude toward doctors and nurses who provided care during a difficult time and helped the family in the moments they needed it most. These positives are rarer and often counterbalanced by the broader pattern of complaints about routine care, communications, and environment, but they offer a lens into what can go right when staffing, communication, and culture align in the right way.

Taken together, the collection of experiences suggests a hospital that struggles with some fundamental aspects of patient care: cleanliness, timely and compassionate bedside nursing, consistent medical communication, and floor-level empathy. The most intense grief comes from elder-care episodes and post-surgical experiences where families feel unheard and left anxious about the next steps in recovery. Critics urge improvements in attendee communication, faster responses to pain and urgent needs, more thoughtful handling of patient belongings and privacy, and a kinder, more transparent approach to security interactions. While there are mentions of competent care in certain departments and moments of standout nursing staff, the prevailing message across these accounts is that Banner Desert Medical Campus is a place where patient experience varies dramatically by unit, staff, and shift - creating a sense that for many people, the overall journey through the hospital can feel chaotic, impersonal, and at times unsafe.

This part of Mesa, Arizona offers a diverse range of amenities and services that cater to the needs of seniors looking for a convenient and comfortable living environment. With several parks nearby, including Daumler Park, Selleh Park, and Tempe Beach Park, residents can enjoy outdoor activities and leisurely strolls. There are also a variety of dining options such as In-N-Out Burger, Hibachi Grill Super Buffet, and The Dhaba for those who prefer dining out. Additionally, there are multiple pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS Pharmacy in close proximity for easy access to medication refills. Places of worship such as Kingdom Hall and Temple Emanuel provide spiritual fulfillment within the community. For entertainment, seniors have access to theaters like Alamo Drafthouse Tempe and Harkins Tempe Marketplace 16. Cafes like Starbucks and Infusion Coffee & Tea offer relaxing spaces to socialize or unwind. Medical facilities such as HonorHealth Medical Group and Oasis Behavioral Health Hospital ensure quality healthcare services are readily available. Public transportation options like METRO University Dr /Rural make it easy for seniors to get around the area conveniently. Overall, this part of Mesa offers a well-rounded environment that promotes an active and fulfilling lifestyle for seniors.

Parks

• Daumler Park (0.7 miles)
• Selleh Park (1.7 miles)
• Tempe Beach Park (4.6 miles)

Restaurants

• In-N-Out Burger (1.1 miles)
• Hibachi Grill Super Buffet (1.2 miles)
• Green Corner Restaurant (1.3 miles)
• Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers (2.1 miles)
• Restaurant Huauchinangos Mexican Food (2.2 miles)
• The Dhaba (2.2 miles)
• Mandi House (2.5 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (1.6 miles)
• Walgreens (1.9 miles)
• Fry's Pharmacy (2.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.2 miles)
• Walgreens (2.2 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (2.5 miles)
• Walgreens (2.7 miles)

Places of Worship

• Kingdom Hall (2 miles)
• Temple Emanuel (3.3 miles)
• Mesa Arizona Temple (3.6 miles)
• Islamic Community Center of Tempe (4.1 miles)
• First United Methodist Church of Gilbert (5.4 miles)

Theaters

• Alamo Drafthouse Tempe (2.8 miles)
• Harkins Tempe Marketplace 16 (3.2 miles)
• AMC Mesa Grand 14 (4.2 miles)
• Arizona Mills 18 w/ IMAX (5.2 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (2.9 miles)
• Infusion Coffee & Tea (3 miles)
• Starbucks (3.1 miles)
• Dutch Bros Coffee (3.3 miles)
• Dutch Bros Coffee (3.6 miles)
• Starbucks (4 miles)
• Starbucks (4 miles)

Physicians

• 20/20 Image Eye Centers (3.3 miles)
• Oasis Behavioral Health Hospital (4 miles)
• HonorHealth Medical Group - South Tempe - Primary Care (4.6 miles)
• Momdoc-Women for Women (5 miles)
• Southwest Endoscopy & Srgcntr (5.4 miles)
• Centre For Contemporary Dental Concepts (5.6 miles)
• Riviera Opticare (5.6 miles)

Transportation

• METRO University Dr /Rural (3.5 miles)