Canadian in Italian Hospital Not Prepared for What Doctor Does at Midnight

A Canadian tourist’s trip to the emergency room after hurting her foot in Florence, Italy, turned into an unexpected cultural experience.

Liana Swedahl, 40, from British Columbia, was exploring a side street in Florence while searching for antiques for her vintage shop, The French 75, when a piece of metal on the ground scraped her foot.

“I haven’t had a tetanus shot since I was a kid so off to the hospital I went,” Swedahl told Newsweek.

A Historic Emergency Room Visit

Swedahl arrived at Santa Maria Nuova Hospital, a medical institution founded in 1288 and known for its remarkable Renaissance architecture and collection of artworks.

“The hospital looked gorgeous when I walked up to it. There was an amazing piece of art hung in the ER waiting room,” she said.

After triage and a wait of about 90 minutes, she was seen by a doctor. Swedahl mentioned she was a volunteer firefighter in Canada and was snapping photos of the hospital for her sister, who works as an ER nurse.

The doctor explained the hospital’s long history and its unique art collection. Then, after giving Swedahl her tetanus shot, the doctor offered to take her on a short tour of the building.

“She led me around to a hallway of sculptures, art, and the café which was gorgeous. It only took about five minutes but was so kind of her to do,” Swedahl said.

Newsweek reached out to Santa Maria Nuova Hospital via email for comment.

A Surprising Cost

What also shocked Swedahl was the affordability. Her entire visit, including treatment and the shot, cost just 46 euros (about $53).

“That would have cost over a thousand dollars in Canada as a foreigner,” she said.

In much of Europe, public hospitals operate under a universal health care model, meaning emergency care and treatments like tetanus shots are accessible at relatively low costs—even for tourists.

By comparison, in the U.S. similar treatment could run into hundreds or even thousands of dollars without insurance coverage, with patients often facing additional charges for emergency room fees, consultations, and medications.

Swedahl shared the story on Instagram, where it quickly went viral, gaining over 230,000 views. In the video, she shows the bandaged scrape on her foot, the 13th-century hospital exterior, and the Renaissance-style art she admired inside.

The caption said: “When you get scraped by a piece of metal in Florence and have to go to a hospital built in 1288 for a tetanus shot, and the doctor gives you a tour of art in the hospital even though it’s midnight.”

One commenter said, “When things go wrong they can sometimes go soooo right.”

While another wrote: “I might step on rusty metal intentionally just for this experience.”

“The reaction to the video is surprising,” Swedahl said. “Maybe it will help people to remember to get their tetanus shot.”

For Swedahl, the experience highlighted both the dedication of healthcare workers and the beauty of Florence’s history—even in unexpected circumstances.

“I think what stuck with me was how hardworking the staff were and how amazing this hospital is. I couldn’t imagine working there every day. It is like a museum,” she said. “I wanted to share online to show that even a scary situation can have a good outcome, and being kind is always the best thing.”