Venting

[MissyF_RN]

this may be long but i just need to vent. i had this one patient a couple of nights ago that i just knew the family would give me the run around all night. he was a stage four lung cancer patient that the family was in denial about and refusing hospice when the doctor had consulted them. when i walked in at 1930 to do my assessment on him before i even laid my stethoscope on him they were asking me a ton of questions, "when's his next breathing treatment" "when is is next pain pill" "what's his oxygen" you get the picture. when told that the treatment was scheduled for 1900 they proceeded to tell me it was 1935 and where was respiratory and he needs his treatments on time. i reassured them that he was going to receive his treatment and that the therapist should be on their way. after i completed my assessment and answered all their questions the patient wanted to be put on a mask because he said he was not getting any oxygen through his nasal cannula. of course he was breathing through his mouth, so i instructed him to breath through his nose and his oxygen was on. they still insisted i put him on a mask. so after i put him on a 24% venti mask he said it was not enough so i put him on 30% then that was too much that the air was blowing in his face so i put him back down. of course he wanted it up more. i politely explained it was either one or the other. once he was satisfied with his oxygen i left out the room to assess my other patients. at 2040 they came to the desk to ask for his pain medication. i was talking to the doctors at this moment and i would be there as soon as i could. i go in the room 10 minutes later and gave him all his regular night time meds along with the pain meds. ok they are fine. i walk back into the med room where i proceed to dispense narcotics for one of my other patients and the family member comes to the desk to ask for him to be put back on his nasal cannula. i told him i would be in as soon as i could. i was going to bring my other paitient her pain meds and i was going to go straight into his room to change him out. i was out in the hall gearing up to go into my other patients room, that patient was in isolation for positive mrsa cultures. now i'm in the hall in the yellow gown gloves on and another family member walks out of the hall and demands to know when i was going to shange his oxygen. i had to explain again that i was going to go change him out as soon as i was done with that other patient. of course she left in a huff, i wasn't particularly worried because his oxygen sat was fine and he was on o2. as soon as i left out of my other patients room i went and change his oxygen back. of course i got the 3rd degree when i went in there. they were asking me why i didn't go in there when they came get me to change his oxygen. i had to explain to them i went as soon as i was done with my other patient. they seemed ok with my explanation. later that night one of my other patients was practically drowning in is own secretions he could not cough up on his own. i was going to our clean supply room to get a suction cath for him when the family member came and asked me to tape down his foley cath. i asked one of the other nurses to help me out by taping his cath to him. i don't think they liked that either but i had a more critical patient at the time and could not go in myself. the rest of the night passed with no other incidents. in the morning, one of the other family members, who was not there the whole night, and did not see his oxygen episodes, asked me why his o2 was on 4 instead of the 3 1/2 l he was on the day before. i explained to her that he was going to be fine and the o2 was increased because he could not feel it (i mean 1/2 l come on now really!). i left with no other questions from them. the next night i was brought into the charge nurses office because they said i was rude and they did not want me as the nurse again. of course i was left wondering what i did to offend them. the day nurse told me the family was following them like puppies telling her i did not go into the room until 0300 (complete lie) and i did not address his oxygen when they asked (another lie), and i turned up his oxygen to 4 l when he was only supposed to be on 3 1/2 l (really 1/2 l more). the patient was absolutely fine with me it was the family that was angry. anyway i was not his nurse that night which really didn't bother me any. that just meant that i didn't have to put up with the family again. that night every time i passed next a family member they just stared at me with the meanest look. sorry this was so long i just needed to vent!

[RNforLongTime]

Some families just like to complain about everything. Jesus Christ himself could be their nurse and they'd STILL find something to complain about.

[wooh, BSN, RN]

Some families just like to complain about everything. Jesus Christ himself could be their nurse and they'd STILL find something to complain about.

"I don't want a man taking care of my momma! What kind of pervert wants to change an old lady's diapers! Don't you have a woman nurse here??"

[NurseAdida]

I have been in this situation before...I hear you...((((hugs))))

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

Families like this drive me absolutely buggy. They will not be satisfied until 100% of your attention is focused on their family member. It sounds like you did your best, and too bad if it wasn't good enough for them. At least you didn't have to deal with them the second night! Whoever did, buy them some chocolates and thank them for taking one for the team!