[10MG-IV]

today I opened the door to attempt to give Morphine IV. 8 family, friends, neighbors were in the room. I could not get to the bedside. I interrupted their time to visit. the nerve of me. I stated, when you are through visiting let me know so I can give the medications.


Last week, Marie the charge nurse opened the front door and announced to the waiting room, anyone that wants to visit come on back, the door is open. Everyone back come on in free cola for everyone.

[samantha11]

Our official policy is two per bedside. Management's view however is they can all come back. Our docs like to assess their patient's with no family there so the nurses go with their requests primarily. I ask family nicely if they can give me a few minutes, if they object strongly I say whatever. Then when I'm asking about bowel movements and periods etc.. oh well.. so much for privacy. I will clear a bay if we are doing procedures with other patients that are embarrassing or take up space, ie: soap suds, vag exams etc.. It's bad enough having other patients on the other side of the curtain much less visitors. I love when you have a code and other patient's visitors are standing in the hall trying to see everything. I have no qualms putting in their place, back to the waiting room.
My biggest pet peeve is visitors moving their chairs into the pathway to the other beds in the room. Visitors asking for another pillow for gran while we are working a code in the next cubicle. Interrupting me while I'm trying to speak to the patient, it's all about them (the visitor). Dad's hoovering over teenage daughter's when I need to assess if they could be pregnant or not.
We will never be popular in the eyes of visitors because they are pretty clueless to what nurses do unless they are frequent fliers. Those are the one's that really burn me up. They already know the process and still get in your way.

[Vito Andolini]

Originally Posted by cccnurse

Our ER is a small critical access facility with 7 beds, 2 nurses and 1 doc. We only allow 1 visitor with adults and maybe 2 with peds. We simply do not have the room and/or the people to play all the games the visitors want to play. They are not playing games. They are stressed out, scared human beings.

Of course we usually get at least 1 nastygram a week in regards to our visitor policy. Fortunately for us our manager also works along beside us, and doesn't just push paper. This and one of our docs is the medical director for the facility, so these nastygrams usually get chuckled at and deposited in the proper plastic bag lined file.

Do they get a response and some consoling words or do you guys just laugh at these hurting people? I know they're a pain in the neck but can't you relate to them? What if you were kept away from your loved one, consigned to the waiting room? Walk a mile in their shoes, cccnurse.

[Vito Andolini]

Originally Posted by LilgirlRN

The book says 2 at a time but because no one ever enforces it there may be 10 in a room with a patient. They also allow the whole family in during a code, so they can see that we did everything we could.

I am the triage nurse, I have a tiny office, so tiny that I can't get a large wheelchair in there and 7 people wanna come in with Meemaw. I'll say 2 immediate family members onky they look at me like a small child I took candy away from.

But really, can you imagine going anywhere else and having that many people come in with you? The bank would never allow that many people in to your deposit box with you. If you and 7 of your friends went shopping, the Gap won't let 7 people in your dressing room. If you go to the dentist, you don't bring your mom, dad, aunts and uncles just to be sure you're gonna be OK.

I would like no visitors until after all the work is done, then you can have as many as you want.

I see your point about the Gap, etc. But the mindset, of course, is different. And I think if you said you wanted someone with you at the safe deposit box, they'd follow your wishes. I think.

[mshultz]

The first time I read a thread about visitors in the Emergency Department, this was my reaction: When I was in the ED for a bad GI bleed, the first thing they did was to uncover me. The last thing they did was to cover me back up before transferring me to the ICU. I do not want visitors to see me naked, with dried blood and fecal matter on my body.

My parents got to see me after I was cleaned and dressed in the ICU. And even though many of my healthcare team saw me naked, I always had privacy when I needed to urinate and defecate. There is a time and a place for visitors, but it is not the ED, if I am the patient.

[MAISY, RN-ER]

We have a policy of 2 visitors per patient. Many patients show up with the whole family. Personally, I have no problem with the group as long as they are not intrusive, don't get in my way, and are supportive to the patient. HOWEVER, I have no problem clearing the room and not allowing anyone in!

My primary goal is the patient's well-being. The families are given the rules, either they follow them or they are out! I know it sounds harsh, but anyone looking in rooms, being loud, eating and making a mess, being disruptive, or problematic has to go! Even in triage, as I see the group stand-I make it very clear patient only unless they want 1 person with them. Just don't have the room.

Maisy

[rnmomtobe2010]

Two at a time..But most of the time lil boochie and all his homeboys and girls will crowd out a room...I am not a nurse yet, but I have seen it done...

[Knoodsen]

Originally Posted by CanERRN

Ours is as many as want to come in - no limit - customer satisfaction is our motto.

Let me put this out there...I don't want to start anything ..... but ......
has anyone else noticed that the problem with overcrowding is much worse with a lower socioeconomic population. Along with that (in general) there tends to be a lower education level - and when these two are combined translates into an over crowding issue in the ER

noted