Patients have no time to be sick

TriciaJ, RN · Mar 1, 2016

I've cared for a lot of women with cancer who didn't want to take a break from their community caretaking role. They were also reluctant to accept help offered by others. I've told more than one that you can't serve a banquet from an empty fridge. Replenishing time.

KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 1, 2016

Having to work during hospitalization may not be a choice, and during prolonged hospital stay it is more often than not a good one. It keeps patients busy, leaving them less time to indulge in their needs, real or imagined. I wish more of them would do that instead of peering into TV screens and driving staff out of mind by claiming that iced water is not cold enough.

When I had such a group, I just politely ask not to touch equipment/lines. If they are going to sit there long enough, I tell when I need to do my stuff and we plan accordingly. If patient requires/has ordered meds with mind-changing potential like scheduled benzos, I always tell the patient that for X hours he may not be able to think clearly. For this reason, we discourage legal paperwork during stay (I encountered patient's legal reps and lawyers more than a few times, and when they asked if patient will be able to understand everything and sign legal papers).

P.S. my best friend, a professor of medieval linguistics, told me that during her chemo nothing worked for nausea as good as checking and grading undergrads' coursework. It is the job which requires a lot of attention to details, and, by her, it practically saved her life. Her colleagues were scrambling courses and loaded their poor students with more translations sometimes just to help to keep her occupied.

ladedah1, BSN, RN · Mar 1, 2016

I've cared for a lot of women with cancer who didn't want to take a break from their community caretaking role. They were also reluctant to accept help offered by others. I've told more than one that you can't serve a banquet from an empty fridge. Replenishing time.

So true! But at the same time, I find this may sometimes be a coping mechanism. I remember a patient who, newly diagnosed with advanced metastatic cancer, only wanted to get out of the hospital and get back to work. Whether it was denial or simply the desire to refocus elsewhere, it was this drive to continue her normal role in society which distracted her from the tears which crept in as grieving family members sat by her side. While rest would likely be of great benefit, when it comes to cancer, sometimes focus on the "working" role plays a necessary part in the grieving process.

Davey Do · Mar 2, 2016

As Nurses, we ensure their health is our priority and sometimes that often means educating them about how to assume responsibility for bad choices that lead to poor health.

And that includes mental health.

AJJKRN · Mar 2, 2016

Since I live near and practice in a "college town" often the offenders are students trying to stay on top of their homework and classes. All's fine and dandy until you throw in pain meds, Benadryl, etc. or they are openly stressed.

In what world does a hospital admit not excuse you for make ups? Oh well, I bet my nursing program would have cut me too if I had gotten behind for any reason, hospital admit or not (my program resides in the same town!).

toomuchbaloney · Mar 3, 2016

Not everyone has paid sick time.

Not everyone can simply leave their work undone or turf it to another person.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Mar 3, 2016

Many patients in our care try and conduct business from their sick bed. Although admirable, this just might be the reason they landed in the hospital in the first place. As Nurses, we ensure their health is our priority and sometimes that often means educating them about how to assume responsibility for bad choices that lead to poor health. Have you had to stand firm in situations like this?

You have no idea whether or not this is true. Therefore you cannot state with any certainty that they need "to assume responsibility for bad choices that lead to poor health." You are not there to judge or come to conclusions that may or may not be true. For some people, working a lot is not a stress, it's how they are fulfilled and invigorated.

This just seems to be something you should stay out of.

AJJKRN · Mar 3, 2016

I think I'm going to try and distance myself from my AN addiction. This is suppose to be a light-hearted cartoon I feel like. I'm pretty much cool with everyone's opinions because hey it's the internet after all, but come on...it's a cartoon (and not a political one at that!). I'm not a favorite here anyways so my opinion won't really matter but Rock on Joe V!!! I imagine it is very hard to due justice to the legacy of cartoons that Brian shared with all of us...RIP Brian and family.

AspiringNurseMW · Mar 3, 2016

Many patients in our care try and conduct business from their sick bed. Although admirable, this just might be the reason they landed in the hospital in the first place. As Nurses, we ensure their health is our priority and sometimes that often means educating them about how to assume responsibility for bad choices that lead to poor health. Have you had to stand firm in situations like this?

If I got hospitalized anytime soon, this would be me 100%. Depending on how long, I'd probably end up buying or renting a laptop just to do this! My income, although part time, is crucial to my family, I have no sick pay or leave (self employed) , and I'm lucky enough to have a job that is computer and phone based.