The public just doesn't get it.

[deespoohbear]

The public just doesn't get it. The confidentiality thing. Yesterday at work, I got a phone call. I answer the phone "Med/Surg, this is ....," Caller "Is John Doe there?" I could tell right away that this was NOT a family member. I reply, "may I ask who is calling?" "A neighbor." "Sorry, I can't release any information." "His wife ask me to take care of their dogs and I need to see how he is doing." "Sorry, I can't release any info. You should try to contact the family." "I just need to know, is he there." "I can't release any info." "Can I talk to your charge nurse." "She is assisting with a procedure (which she really was) and can't come to the phone. But she will tell you that we can't release any information." Then I hear a click.

Funny thing was, this lady had called our ICU right before she called me. She told the ICU nurse that she thought the pt was right outside of the ICU because the ICU was full and couldn't take him. The ICU nurse told her that she didn't know who was out on our floor. (We work at a small facility) The lady tried the same nonsense with the ICU nurse. Some people just never give up.

Gee, I hate the telephone sometimes.

[OBNURSEHEATHER]

The biggest problem I seem to have is people that come up to visit a new mom and baby, but only know mom's first name. I refuse to even look for a patient in the computer by a first name! I had a gentleman come in once asking for his nephews girlfriend. I told him I couldn't look up a patient by their first name, that he could go use a phone to find out her last name and I would be happy to help him. He then says, "well, she's a black female. How many black females do you have up here?" I say "sir, we have 38 rooms, so statistically, 19 of them could be black females."

Rule #1: If you don't know their full name, they don't want to see you.

Heather

[Brownms46]

Rule #1: If you don't know their full name, they don't want to see you.

:rotfl:

[pebbles, BSN, RN]

I have actually stopped visitors in the hallway as they "sightsee" into other rooms... I say to them that it's very difficult to maintain people's privacy and dignity while they are in the hospital, and we would appreciate their consideration of others in helping us to protect privacy and confidentiality.

We USED to have signs posted in the hallways about how visitors should please try to be courteous and respect the privacy of others and asking them to be responsible about things they might see or overhear about other patients. I know lots of people don't read signs, but it gave us nurses a bit more visible back-up when we had to speak to people.

[NICU_Nurse, BSN, RN]

:stone

[andrewsgranny, ASN, RN]

Well, I dont work in a hospital setting anymore, but people are just as nosey in a clinic. And can be very rude. If a pt. is being taken back into a room and happens to see a computer they will stretch their neck to look and see whats on it:eek: And if they happen to see somone they know they will say

"Oh so you all see Mr. Doe too?":(

And our exams rooms are small so we have to limit one family member per pt. And have a sign posted to such in the waiting room. So when I get g-maw back everyone in the waiting room gets up to come too. Now I understand their concern that g-maw wont remember what the Dr. said but hopefully it wont take all of them to remember it. So I'll say I'm sorry our exam rooms just are not big enough for everyone. They respond... "well thats ok, when the Dr. comes in we will leave" NOT. Then a few will sit down and I still have 3 or 4 plus the pt. I say I'm sorry I only have enough room in here for one other person and then the pt. responds.."well I want them in here" What do I do? Then the Dr. says to me "we are gonna have to be more forward in preventing this many family members back" I'm sorry did I hear him tell any of them to leave? NOPE! The only way I can be more forward as he calls it is to be RUDE. Then I will hear it from the Dr. How the pt.'s family and the pt. complained I was rude to them.

No Win situation..... :o

[eldernurse]

One of our nurses almost got fired for even telling someone that a patient was a patient in our hospital. Any one of us would have said that. My point is (and I made this point with management) why do we have to stop what we are doing, like patient care, to answer the phone when we can't say anything any way. Now, I work in the ED. We do what is loosely called Phone Triage. But, the only thing we are allowed to say is, maybe you should come in to be seen. It isn't like we need the business!!! Believe me. I say, no phone calls. Come if you want to know what is going on with a loved one. And don't expect the doc to be on call 24 hours a day. Call him at his office or stay here and wait for him to arrive.

[zudy]

I was working ER one nite, had a code that didn't make it. While Iwas alone in the room doing PM care, A family from another pt walked into the room, and asked to see the body" because I've never seen anyone that was dead." I called security, who didn't understand why I "made such a fuss"!!!!!!!!

[shannonRN, BSN, RN]

my favorite is when 13 people call during one shift to ask for an update on their ___. we spend so much time dealing with the callers and explaining that they need to have one person designated to obtain updates and then the rest of the family can call them....they don't get it. even better is when they complain that ___ hasn't been medicated for pain and he asked for it 5 minutes ago. well, gee, if i didn't have to stop and talk to you he would have had it already!!!

[bestblondRN]

Originally posted by zudy

I was working ER one nite, had a code that didn't make it. While Iwas alone in the room doing PM care, A family from another pt walked into the room, and asked to see the body" because I've never seen anyone that was dead." I called security, who didn't understand why I "made such a fuss"!!!!!!!!

I'd have gone ballistic on those idiots--unbelievable what unmitigated gall some people have!!!!! :( :(

[egmillard]

I love it when you get phone calls that say `is my mum there', can I speak to my dad?.. You try to explain that there are many mothers and fathers on the unit, but they just dont get it.............

[CardioTrans, BSN, RN]

Try working in a transplant ICU where all the patients know each other, or the families know each other because they spend so much time together waiting........ then if something good or bad happens to one of them......... the whole townhouse knows. They come in saying "Mr so and so got his transplant, hows he doing....... or I heard ms so and so is not doing good."

Then you have home health patients who all live in the same little town and have forever........ and one patient says to you...... you know me and so and so grew up together, and she told me you were her nurse....... and she knows you are my nurse........ what is doc so and so gonna do about her_________. or how is her/his wound looking.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[RoadRunner]

Does asking for a designated person among the family (for calls, news, updates, etc...) ever work??? It very rarely seems to...

"If you want informations, would you please call M. X who meets with the doctor everyday and can give you news"

- "Do you have his number?" Duh!!!!!

- "I don't want to bother him" And who are you bothering right now?

- " Just tell me if...." What part of "no" don't you understand

- "But I'm a very good friend" So just call him!!

We always ask for the relation between our patient and the caller before giving any infos and oh! the nerves of some people; the neighbor, the girl who works with her, the mother of his school friend (yes!), the rabbi, and the ever popular cousin from far far away calling long distance...