Planned Parenthood

The Merrillville Planned Parenthood is the only place in NWI that offers actual termination services, which is incredibly unfortunate. I give this place one star, just because they eventually accomplished all of the tests that I needed done. Other than that, the experience was awful.



I arrived to the clinic at my appointment time, signed in and filled out all of my paperwork. It took about an hour to get called to the back. When I first made the phone call to make the appointment, I was told that I could bring a support person along with me. When I was finally called to the back, they told me that I was not actually allowed to bring anyone and kind of gave me a nasty look for trying. I was terrified before and now that I was going in alone, I was even more terrified.



They had a few of us sit in a room waiting on the nurse practitioner to give us a required by law lecture. She never showed. So after about another hour, the nurse came back in and started taking us one by one to do our individual tests, blood work and ultrasound. I was pulled into a room for my blood work that seemed to essentially be their break room. There was bags of chips and cans of pop sitting open in the same room where they were drawing blood. I couldn't believe it. After my blood work and ultrasound I was told to wait out in the hall until they were ready to take us back into the room were we started. I was there with another woman, who was waiting on her tests. We were out there for at least another half hour. And the nurses were just sitting in the adjoining hallway gossiping and giggling with each other. I was done, but the other woman I was sitting with was waiting for her tests and the nurses were just standing there having a good time! It's not like they were being quiet about it either. We could both tell that they were talking about some other patient that they had seen. It was ridiculous. They were rude and unprofessional. Eventually the woman I was with got up and asked them what was taking so long. At that point they said that she could come and get her tests done and they finally dispersed. So they had been ready for that woman and were just taking their sweet time chit chatting. Lovely. I was taken into a small room for "counseling"...with one of the previous nurses. She went over the basics of the procedure I has signed up for. When I asked her how a certain part of it worked, she couldn't even tell me for sure! She told me "I think this is how it works, but I'm not sure. I only glanced at the paperwork." Then she continued to schedule my return appointment and proceeded to tell me to plan for the whole day because I would probably be there for six hours just waiting. I'm taking a pill! That's it. Why am I going to have to be there and wait for six hours? I was there another hour to hour and a half waiting, in the room where I started off, on the nurse practitioner again.



I can't say that it was completely a waste of time, because I was given the information that I needed and had the tests done that were required. But I can't say that there wasn't time wasted or that the appointment was conducted efficiently or professionally. My appointment was at 2:00PM and I was there until 6:00PM. I was seen by nurses for around a total of forty-five minutes. They really need to configure a more time efficient scheduling/appointment strategy. If they want it to be a group setting, then schedule in groups, not individually and then have everyone wait until there is a large enough group to continue with the process.



I really was expecting a much more professional and inviting environment. I thought I was going to get to see someone one-on-one who is knowledgeable about the procedures that I could talk to about my decision and concerns that I had. There was nothing of the sort at this facility.

Planned parenthood was the only option I had for getting the birth control method that was best for me. I had a great experience. Yes, there was a bit of a wait but not too bad. The first woman who called me back to do the initial questions was very nice, in didn't feel judged or that I was not important. She seemed to enjoy her job and what she does. Once she took me to the room for my procedure, the nurse practitioner was knocking on the door to come in in less than 3 minutes. She was GREAT! Very informative, knowledgeable and supportive of my decision of the nexplanon implant.she talked me through every step of the procedure and let me know exactly what was going on. We talked about not just the birth control but my own personal experiences and when I told her I was in school for phlebotomy, and that's the reason I was so calm with the needles, unlike many patients she's seen, she was ecstatic and told me that I would be a great asset to the medical feild. This was important to me because this was not just about a medical procedure to her, but she was truly a caring person who makes her patients feel valued and not like "just another patient" and procedure. She made me feel very supported and confident I was making the right choice. The ONLY downside of my Planned Parenthood experience were the nasty, belittling protesters outside who think its okay to harass each and every person who steps foot into that parking lot, but that isn't the clinics fault. So, if you're going to go to PPINK, you must have tough skin and the will power to ignore their ignorant words, because they WILL call you horrible things and try to make you feel guilty for choosing this clinic. Other than that, I would recommend. I'm happy with my experience and will continue to stand with planned parenthood.