Affectionate terms

[marjoriemac]

Apparently (so say our inspection board) we are no longer allowed to call residents by their first names nor are we allowed to use affectionate terms like dear or pet. Even though they may ask us to call them 'Betty' or may call us and every other human in the place 'dear', it is banned. This is a rule I will certainly not be following, it took all time just to get patients called residents over here and now they want it back to paitents. Aaaaaargh. We are also not allowed to give hugs or kiss goodnight, so if the patient (we all know who needs/ likes a hug!) goes to hug us we are to say 'whoa there' and if they go to kiss us goodnight, well we better run out that room. Why do inspectors insist on telling us to treat everyone as an individual and then turn around and tell us that all residents (oops patients) must conform to their standards.

[withasmilelpn]

I call my friends 'dear heart', say hey girlie, etc, all terms of affection. When I meet a patient I ask them what they prefer to be called. Patients I have gotten close to get called angel, handsome, big guy, etc and they are always right there back saying similar things to me. I just try to be playful and above all kind.. If anyone seems uncomfortable, of course I would refrain from doing so. I think this is just another example of how the powers that be are so out of touch with what works for nursing. Guarantee patients probably don't think they get better care from someone who is formal with them. Patients respond to the human touch.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

care plan, careplan, careplan......i hate the darn things, but sometimes they save your a99....

a few years ago, i was told this story in a local NH, there was a resident with dementia....who a state surveyor heard the CNA address as "Dippy" as in "Dippy, its time for your shower, lets go."....apparently the surveyor pitched a fit.....was escorted to the care plan , and low and behold, that was his nick name....care planned for all the "world" to see.....i was thinking of this story recently and it came to me, i wonder if that CNA (a young fellow) mighten have done it on purpose,lol...

[dream'n, BSN, RN]

For pete's sake, don't these rule-makers have anything better to do?

[nightmare, RN]

All of our residents(yes,residents!)are asked what they want to be called and it is documented in the care plan.I think the PC brigade are going overboard on the core values.I don't mean that we shouldn't be giving our residents privacy,dignity etc but common sense should prevail sometimes! :banghead: Many of our residents would not respond to their full names as they sometimes go back in the past and use their maiden names so calling them Mrs Smith wouldn't work as,at that moment they could be Miss Black!However they will always have the same first name!

[banditrn]

For pete's sake don't these rule-makers have anything better to do?[/quote']

No, probably not - they have to do something to justify having a job.