Sweetcheekers
That is such a wonderful thing to do for your patient. I would love to have someone like you as a nurse for myself or my family. Excellent patient advocate. I would have done the same thing in your shoes.
I had an issue when I was a student nurse. I walked in on an LPN using foul language with a patient of mine and I noticed the patient did not have her remote control to the tv. (Nursing Home). The patient as MS something awful. She could not even lift herself up in bed. She said she needed to tell me something because she knew she could trust me, but she wanted me to keep it a secret. She told me the LPN was eating her food and takes her remote control away because she knows she cannot get out of bed to get it. I was furious. I wanted to get physical with this girl, but I have to be professional. This patient was not a problem patient at all. She was a sweetheart. I grew very fond of her. I reported her and told this patient that I did and there was nothing for her to worry about. I am with her and I did not allow that LPN back in the room while I was on that day. Needless to say they investigated her and she was fired.
With this same patient, she told me that she has this knot on her abdomen that she reported to the nurse (as I was a student nurse) and they said her doctor would she her in 3 months. I looked at it and could not believe how big this thing was. It was protruding under her skin. Looked like a huge hernia. I spoke with the nurse about it and of course she said the doctor was coming in a few months. THis is not acceptable. I got the patients chart and looked up the phone number to her doctor. I then spoke with my instructor about it. She said since I was a student I could not call the doctor. This was still not acceptable to me. I said, "how about if I have her husband call?" That was the answer. I spoke with her husband the same day and he called the doctor. He came in and saw her the next day. They wanted put a feeding tube in her, but she did not want that. She has now passed, but we were each others angels. I was a strong patient advocate for her. We have to be. Some of the nurses and staff members are in the wrong profession or either they grew numb to feeling for these individuals. I treat every patient as if they were a part of my family member.
I give a hands up to you!!!! You are great and that patient was luck to have you. You truly made a difference in someone's life. Not only will you remember this person, that person will always remember you!
Evelyn
Nursing News