How to deal with those family members who are "nurses"?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
I've had many patients with family members as nurses...one occasion I was about to restart an IV that was leaking on the patient and had to leave the room for whatever reason and when I returned she had started the IV on my patient.

She was very pleasant woman but that was a little odd for me.

I will confess, after watching 3 nurses attempt start an IV on my granddad one night in the ER, my mom slipped one in while we were in the room alone with him. When the nurse asked, we just told her a nurse with brown hair started it (not a lie, she is a nurse, and does have brown hair). She's one of the best sticks I know, so it saved them time and him pain...no harm done.

mombuxx

21 Posts

Specializes in Med/Surg and Critical Care Stepdown.

I've learned a few things in dealing with very similar situations. When a family member goes off on me for tending to a critical pt. vs. their family member, I gently explain to them that if it WAS their family member who was having life threatening issues, they can rest assured that I would be focusing all of my time on their family member in the same way. That USUALLY backs them down. The other thing that I have learned is that you MUST engage them in a light conversation to find out exactly what their job is. EXAMPLE: I had a pt who was being cared for at home by a daughter who made it clear to all that she worked at a large hospital that is world renowned. In my assessment I noted that the pt. was unkept and had multiple areas of skin breakdown! In conversation, I found out that the daughter was a unit secretary who worked 12 hr shifts, leaving her mother alone and obviously she was unable to care for herself. When the doc wanted to discharge the pt back home, I told her that she was not being cared for properly. When the doc stated to me that the daughter was a nurse at ***, I told her that she was assuming, that I had learned she was a secretary, and made the doc come into the room with me and pointed out what I had found in my assessment! Needless to say, we were able to intervene and get the pt. the care she deserved. Next advice I have is CHART, CHART, CHART!!!! Chart that family member is dumping outputs, etc., and let the docs know. If you have to, get your manager involved. If the daughter really is a nurse, she knows the importance of charting I/O's and such. Stay calm, every experience is a lesson learned:D

RNsharkinaj

24 Posts

Specializes in medical-surgical.

I guess it may be a little different since I am a male nurse, but family can present many problems. Firstly, I would recommend being firm with the wife, she is acting inappropriately. When the patient was wet, you could ask a charge nurse, CNA to clean the patient, if unavailable reaffirm the family member you will be in his room as soon as it is possible. Next, once the wife starting emptying or doing anything that was specifically for me to do as the nurse, I would firmly ask the wife to allow me to do what she was doing, and reassure her that I have confidence in doing my job. If she did not listen my assistant manager would know right away, and one way or another the wife would have to back off.

"Something like, I am sure you are a wonderful nurse, Mrs. ......, but please allow me space and respect to do my job."

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