unrealistic family of dying resident

What is the problem with this? Pain management is a good thing.

Maybe a typo?

People who are in emotional pain struggle to control the situation whether or not they can.

I would get her on a very low level morphine drip and death will come--not from the morphine but because this is the end of her life. The antibiotics are complicating things.
Does she have a DPOAHC (advanced directive) in her chart? If she has one I'd be sure to read it if she can't respond. There must be someone that could talk turkey to the son.

Ginger-Most SNF's at least around here do not do morphine drips. We are all hesitant to do IV narcotics. Some of us use CADD pumps for subq morphine but those are not the most comfortable for the patient. I've found the best is liquid morphine - Roxanol...It would seem that for this patient, pain control is the most important thing you can do for her. Her son,even though he is a doc, is still her SON....you know that son/mother relationship....HE needs emotional support as much as your resident needs pain control.

I have experienced the same thing because I work in LTC. You get so frustrated when it is someone who has not come in the whole time they were well and now they are dictating how things are going and act so very concerned. BUT, you have to remember many people have a hard time dealing with seeing their loved one in a nursing home. My husband could not go and see his grandma hardly at all. He could not stand to see the grandma that he remembered being in her condition. And then when the time of their death is upon them, a lot of guilt steps in because they realize that they should have been there all along. This man needs a lot of support because however much we feel that he just stuck her in there and did not come and see her, his MOTHER is still dying. That is what we have to remember in times like this. I agree with capecod that some Roxanol would be appropriate to keep her comfortable. No one should be in pain when they are dying. We still need to be able to give good care and keep them comfortable.

Leslie

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I would give her the morphine.

Pain meds can even be given in a suppository form. She obviously needs them, and hospice needs to be consulted. Even with the antibiotics on board, it sounds like the patient is not going to live much longer. I do not think that you need family consent for a hospice consult.

Blee