Stoping drive-through mastectomy

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

This email forwarded to me today and I felt it important to pass along. Karen

If there was ever a time when our voices and choices should be

heard, this is one of those times...

If you are receiving this. It's because I think you are a loving, caring, person who will take the 30 econds to go and vote on this issue...and send it on to others you know who will do the same.

There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act

which will require insurance companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospitalstay or patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the "drive-through mastectomy" where women are forced to go home hours after surgery against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached

Lifetime Television has put this bill on their web page with a

petition drive to show your support. Last year over half the House signed on. This year, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a strong advocate for women's health, has reintroduced this legislation to ensure that breast cancer patients get the care they deserve.

PLEASE!!!! Sign the petition by CLICKING on the web site below and help women living with breast cancer get the care they need and deserve!! There is no cost or monetary pledge involved.

http://www.lifetimetv.com/health/breast_mastectomy_pledge.html

PLEASE PASS THIS ON, PLEASE FORWARD THIS IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO ALL YOUR CONTACTS.

[prn nurse]

In our hospital, all mastectomies are kept about 3 days, and longer if drains are still draining. They require lotsa pain meds, nausea meds, and i.v. antibiotics...the ones on plastics..plastic surgery....(reconstruction), stay about 7 days...our docs do not like complications...rarely send a woman home with drain in. thank you for taking time to share...we have to advocate for women's health...for ourselves and the women coming along behind us. Otherwise, we are just numbers on someone's insurance form.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

As an Intake RN, receive referrals daily for Breast Ca patients 36-48 hr stay is the norm, some with 24 hr or less. ALL come home with Jackson Pratt or occasional hemvac drains.

Yet alone the horror stories re weekend discharge without any homecare referrals or HMO's delaying granting auth and client home with drain and without RN for 2-3 days...happening at least 1 x a month!

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Sent mine in.

P

[sharann, BSN, RN]

Sent my vote too. I work PACU, and cannot believe what we are doing at times, sending these pts home same day for mastectomy, Lap-choles, knee surg etc... Sick and cruel at times in my opinion!

[bassbird]

I sent mine in last week when I received the email. I can't believe it either!

-Roberta

[thisnurse]

just got home from work where one of my patients had a bilateral mastectomy this afternoon. i got her post op at 8pm. she has 2jps draining moderate amt of sero-sangious fluid.

she scheduled for discharge in the morning.

this practice is so dangerous. we were discussing this among ourselves tonight. do you think a male pt with his testicles removed would go home a few hours after surgery?

i dont.

thanks for the link karen, im on it.

[Toad]

I sent mine in.

[aimeee, BSN, RN]

Me too! Jeez, can't believe they would send anybody home after less than 24 hours following a bilateral mastectomy. Wait, yes, I can believe it. But it really stinks!

[rjlrn95]

I sent mine in with a comment and the last line of my comment was right along with what ThisNurse stated. Cut on a man's scrotum and/or member because of cancer and you can bet he wouldn't be going home same day postop.