I'd like to hear other people's thoughts,opinions and coping strategies for dealing with dysfunctional patient family dynamics.
Scenario: Pt lives with girlfriend and her ex husband; domestic violence occurs (trying to make this brief) Small SAH's, DT's setting in, altered LOC. Calls from folks claiming to be family from all over. One claims to be oldest son, takes responsibility, wants others cut out, not informed, wants us to keep local visitors out. No signed health care surrogate forms. Another son wants info, states family is very dysfunctional,(DUH) When I suggest he might speak with other family members for updates, he states that most of them do not speak. (apparently the patient had scattered his seed during his life with several women, producing several children who are now not close.)
So... How do I keep myself out of the middle of all this, protect patient confidentiality, and promote the great customer service my hospital wants??
