'rotting' not for weak stomachs...

Specialties Wound

Published

I work home health, and have a patient who is .....lets put it "rotting" away. I have tried multiple times to get her BLE amputated but the dr said not medically stable...and has sent her home to die. she is only on hydrocodone elixer TID. This last hospital stay....at some point someone 'broke' her ankle and now when you raise her right leg her ankle drops at a 90 degree angle. Let me say I am no wound care nurse, but plan to go to school for wound care/ostomy and these legs/smell make me sick to my stomach. As soon as you walk into the house you smell it. we only see the patient once a week dt it is a non healing wound...duh....and medicare will not allow us more....I don't want to see those legs more...the family does wound care daily....or at least they are supposed to. we clean with NS, and then do a W/D with NS and then also they apply hydrogel also...and wrap with kerlix. these wounds are from behind both knees to the tips of both toes. Black, unstageable, you can see bone dt at parts the flesh is now fallen off, and the muscle is hanging out of the leg. I think at any time the toes will fall off into our hands. What do we do for this patient? This patient pain would be gone if the legs were gone. but the dr does not want to operate, and the family at the same times does not want the operation......why you ask? the monthly check the patient gets...the family takes.

This patient is in the bed moaning at all times of the day and night, only getting hydrocodone TID, with a broken right ankle, and rotting lower extremities. She has been like this now for at least 4.5 months. Any suggestions? I know I won't heal her.....I want any either support, anyone I can talk to to help this lady. Or I guess I just really needed to hear what other nurses thought of this case. my heart goes out to this patient, and I wish I could make her pain go away!

Specializes in Med Surg/Tele/ER.

Why wait for the MD to call....Why not just get social services involved now. This poor pt is in pain & if you have ever had horrible pain, a minute can seem like a lifetime. Better yet why not call 911, this pt needs help now. It would seem to me that the more people you have involved the harder it would be for this pt to be ignored. I am just a nsg student & don't know all the rules, but please don't let this go on any longer.:crying2:

How horrible! Keep documenting unrelieved pain and document MD phone calls. It's hospice time.

can the md be reported?

suebird :p

i like the idea of calling 911- and too bad if the family doesn't like it.

once she's transported to the hospital, you can be assured she will receive much more aggressive pain mgmt., as well as social services getting involved to ensure she receives the proper services at home.

bless you for being this lady's guardian angel.

let your heart be your guide.

and document everything....

leslie

All patients and family have a choice of homecare agencies. Certain social workers try to forget that rule, especially if a hospital has their own agency. Any Dr affiliated with a homecare agency such as having a relative own one can cause the Dr alot of hassle. I personally know one Dr who was reviewed by medicare and fined for how many of his patients had his brother inlaws homecare company( kickbacks common ). As for this patient, I would contact protective services. Once they are on the case, this physician will also have to become involved. He can literally let the patient go with a 30 day notice if he feels backed against the wall by the protective services. Hospice would be ideal for this patient . Pain mng and dying with comfort, support and dignity to say the least. Hospice can use their medical physician.

My Goodness!. I agree with the others. Social workers, Omsbudsman, Dept of Aging should be notified. How about a Duragesic patch with the Hydrocodone for breakthrough pain. The odor will also be a huge challenge. Might want to try a Charcoal type dressing. Hopefully these items will be covered. Can't this pt be sent to ER for an eval and possible admit to get these issues under control??? If they aren't septic now they will more than likely be soon. Sounds like you are a wonderful nurse! BTW I have used Vicks in MY nares to enable me to tolerate the horrible stench of decaying tissue.

Can't this pt be sent to ER for an eval and possible admit to get these issues under control??? If they aren't septic now they will more than likely be soon. Sounds like you are a wonderful nurse! BTW I have used Vicks in MY nares to enable me to tolerate the horrible stench of decaying tissue.

that's exactly why i think 911 should be called.

contacting these other agencies could take days, or even weeks.

time is critical now.

her doctor appears dismissive and she needs treatment NOW. this woman is suffering needlessly. someone has to do something now. once 911 is called and she's transported to the er, it might possibly open up a can of worms, including negligence, abandonment or even abuse. the hospital would treat her and also get the appropriate authorities involved. this is downright barbaric. i still maintain 911 is the way to go as this is an emergent situation and would be the fastest way to alleviate this poor soul's suffering.

leslie

wonder when the op will give us an update????

suebird :icon_razz

Specializes in Med Surg/Tele/ER.
that's exactly why i think 911 should be called.

contacting these other agencies could take days, or even weeks.

time is critical now.

her doctor appears dismissive and she needs treatment NOW. this woman is suffering needlessly. someone has to do something now. once 911 is called and she's transported to the er, it might possibly open up a can of worms, including negligence, abandonment or even abuse. the hospital would treat her and also get the appropriate authorities involved. this is downright barbaric. i still maintain 911 is the way to go as this is an emergent situation and would be the fastest way to alleviate this poor soul's suffering.

leslie

:yeahthat: Please let us know has this poor woman gotten any help yet????

To let you all know, my patient has passed away this past monday. the home health aide saw her that AM, and said she had the death rattle. I can honestly say I am happy that she has moved on. I cried every time I left her because I could tell she was in so much pain.

and also to let you know, the coroner came in, looked at the body, had the police come in, get all medications and question the whole family. I am sure they will come for our records next. and you should see our chart on this patient. so many contact sheets to the dr about probs, all the times we tried to get more pain control, to get her to hospice, to get her surg to get those legs removed. the wound care sheets, the pictures of the actual wounds, the calls and conversations to the dr.

I will never go to this dr and will never have anyone in my family go to him. It is horrible how he acted. And I do believe the police has visited his office for all records on this patient, from what I have heard. but he had a 'name' in this small town. so who knows.

Thank you for all your kind words, and encouragment that meant a great deal to me.

thanks.

sorry to hear of her passing like this. my condolences (((((hugs)))))

suebird :p

how tragic in so many ways.

i won't say anymore.

may this poor soul rest in peace.

leslie

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