Advocacy and Caring..

[solumedrol]

Share an example from your practice experience of how you demonstrated caring.

Identify how you have acted as an advocate for a patient in practice.

[Sonn]

(Sorry Miffie)...was supposed to write Muffie

[mrsalby]

Have been caring for a patient for quite sometime. Patient is a double traumatic amputee with crushed pelvis and hip resulting in pelvic/hip external fixators. At this point pt has been in the hospital approx 45 days, nine surgeries. One code with CPR 45 minutes to bring pt back D/T allergic reaction to succynilcholine. One intubation/ICU visit due to aspiration during surgery. Parents from another country-spanish speaking only. I have a nice bond with this family although I do not speak spanish. Pt does speak English. Pt and fiance even got married in the hospital.

I came to work and went in to say hello. Pt is crying and upset and bed bound and is anxious. Some say hospital induced psychosis. I stayed with this pt and held pt's hand and cried with pt. Just the presence and being there for the patient seemed to help. As we began to talk about what was going on and exploring how patient was doing, feeling etc. Patient revealed to me that pt was on depression medication prior to having accident and coming into hospital. This was something never addressed during hospital stay!!! No depression meds, only things for anxiety and sleep. I immediately notified patient's nurse who immediately spoke with MD to get psych consult and address depression meds. I stayed with the pt until his fiance (not married yet) came in and discussed with fiance and pt what was happening for the consult etc.

I was really upset that this was an issue that had not been addressed until now. I was trying hard not to show my anger while sitting with the patient.

I am happy to say that pt was taken care of and a few weeks later I helped with contacts for pt to get married. Into a cardiac chair pt went and down to the little chapel in our hospital and they were married! So sweet.

As for the OP originally sounding like fishing for help with school assignment. I thought this was a nice thread to hear some good things health care workers do. So much on here is venting and bad things, that the nice things are a pleasant change and remind us why we are interested in the nursing field. Please don't take opinion wrong as I know how nice it is to have a place to explore and vent when needed.

Cheers and have a great shift, day, night

[TazziRN, RN]

Have been caring for a patient for quite sometime. Patient is a double traumatic amputee with crushed pelvis and hip resulting in pelvic/hip external fixators. At this point pt has been in the hospital approx 45 days, nine surgeries. One code with CPR 45 minutes to bring pt back D/T allergic reaction to succynilcholine. One intubation/ICU visit due to aspiration during surgery. Parents from another country-spanish speaking only. I have a nice bond with this family although I do not speak spanish. Pt does speak English. Pt and fiance even got married in the hospital.

I came to work and went in to say hello. Pt is crying and upset and bed bound and is anxious. Some say hospital induced psychosis. I stayed with this pt and held pt's hand and cried with pt. Just the presence and being there for the patient seemed to help. As we began to talk about what was going on and exploring how patient was doing, feeling etc. Patient revealed to me that pt was on depression medication prior to having accident and coming into hospital. This was something never addressed during hospital stay!!! No depression meds, only things for anxiety and sleep. I immediately notified patient's nurse who immediately spoke with MD to get psych consult and address depression meds. I stayed with the pt until his fiance (not married yet) came in and discussed with fiance and pt what was happening for the consult etc.

I was really upset that this was an issue that had not been addressed until now. I was trying hard not to show my anger while sitting with the patient.

I am happy to say that pt was taken care of and a few weeks later I helped with contacts for pt to get married. Into a cardiac chair pt went and down to the little chapel in our hospital and they were married! So sweet.

As for the OP originally sounding like fishing for help with school assignment. I thought this was a nice thread to hear some good things health care workers do. So much on here is venting and bad things, that the nice things are a pleasant change and remind us why we are interested in the nursing field. Please don't take opinion wrong as I know how nice it is to have a place to explore and vent when needed.

Cheers and have a great shift, day, night

Before you go lambasting the care team for dropping the ball on this pt, was the doctor aware on admit that the pt was taking antidepressants? If the pt or fiance did not share this info, why were you angry about this not being addressed? Can't address what you don't know.

Now, if this information was shared with the doc, or if the doc who admitted him was also the one who prescribed the meds, then it's a problem.