No hospital bed?

[Vtachy1]

I'm working with a patient that does not want a hospital bed, she just wants to stay in her recliner. I'm picturing this scenerio of cleaning her, turning her, bathing her in a recliner. Getting a bedsore from not turning enough.

Have you ever had a patient like this? I want her to be able to die in the way she wants to.

I even inserted a foley catheter last night with her in the recliner.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

Out of curiosity does she have COPD?

I've had residents who never used their beds, all with significant dyspnea if they lie flat. One had a recurrent DU that never got beyond a stage II. Can she stand at all?

[tewdles, RN]

I have had many patients who prefer a recliner to a bed...as suggested above, they are often patients with dyspnea as one of their primary symptoms.

I try to acquire appropriate pressure relief devices that we can use on the seat of the recliner. I instruct the patient and family on pressure relief techniques in the chair.

Yup, we can still complete all sort of procedures with the patient in a recliner, including post mortem care.

[leslie :-D]

although my specialty is inpt, i've had pts who opted to bring in an oft-used (reclining) chair.

that too, is considered a comfort measure and that's exactly how they died, comfortable in their favorite chair.

i don't find beds comfortable over the long term...

and have considered using a recliner when it's my time.

leslie

[Hospice Nurse LPN, BSN, RN]

I'm guessing your pt has COPD. I've had a couple of home pts that didn't want to be in bed, prefering the recliner d/t dyspnea. It is possible to do cares and reposition in the chair--sometimes it takes some imagination. Both of these pts died in their chairs.

[annacnatorn]

Comfy recliner vs hard hospital bed...yes, a decision that many of my former patients have made. It was hard to accomplish the tasks set before, but, I did what the Patient wanted, It made them happier and in turn it made the Family happier. Vibrating seat cushions were a popular addition if the chair did not have a vibrating mechanism.

Being a patient of shoulder surgery..I know how the old comfy recliner is and how it makes me feel, good..wonderful and at ease.

In my opinion...what ever the Patient and Family want is what I strived to deliver. Patient happy=Family happy=Nurse happy!