Pt admitted with Dx of Dispositon?

[Flynurse]

Yesterday, I took care of a woman in her 70's. She had fallen while walking up to her church. She came from her own home, not a nursing home et al.

So the ED (interns, I'm guessing) admitted her to the hospital with a Dx. of Disposition, not R/O hip fx or back injury or anything like that...something that would require days at a hospital. No, she is admitted because she has no place to go. I don't know the whole story, wish I did. But I'm mostly peeved about the situation because the ward clerk said "THEY" want to dispute the case and discharge her. So, the chart was sent off of the floor to be copied...Thank God I grabbed the labels I needed to do some documentation on the flowsheets, because the chart was still gone when I was pulled from the floor at 3pm.

Meanwhile, this poor lady is getting the works for a Dx of R/O hip fx/back injury....more x-rays, an MRI with contrast, blood work like you wouldn't believe, CBR, Foley cath so she doesn't have to use the bedpan too often, Pain Management doctors visiting, Ortho, and thinking of consult with Neurology.

At ICC rounds, we took several minutes to discuss this patient, where as it only usually takes 30 seconds for one patient. Everyone is beside themselves about this one. :angryfire During rounds I told them I was told by the night nurse that she was confused, but upon my assesment I found that she really wasn't that confused (not at all!), and was totally compliant with her plan of care. She doesn't need the bed alarms and such! So since one persons says she's confused she can't sign her own consent forms, putting another wrench in the works!

Nonetheless, the patient is a wonderfully nice lady. I hope the best for her. I just hate that I can't follow up on her situation w/o being her nurse (which is a long shot since I'm a float nurse).

P.S. Sorry for the long post.