Alarmism??

miko014 · May 2, 2008

I know, I thought the same thing when I saw that. Stuff like that makes me mad because it makes it seem like everyone who works in a hospital is evil and stupid and has no morals. I know I personally walk around with dirty needles and bump into stuff until I find someone to stick with said needles. I also never wash my hands, and I just give random drugs to random people whether they like it or not. :icon_roll I mean come on, I know accidents happen and mistakes are made, but we're not walking around trying to hurt people, or being stupid and doing each other's hair while pts are coding, And it's also the patients responsibility to pay attention and know what's going on, and to tell us if they don't. I read that article, and it really didn't make a lot of sense to me. It was just a jumble of medically related paragraphs that really didn't have anything to do with each other. And that would be my :twocents: on the subject, haha!

Dolce, RN · May 2, 2008

Actually, I appreciate it. Uninformed patients are a detriment to their own health and safety. How many patients do you have that will accept whatever medication, treatment or surgery that their doctor suggests without a second thought. People shouldn't check their brain at the door when they enter the hospital. Thousands of people die in the United States every year because of preventable medical mistakes. People should ask their nurses if they washed their hands. They should ask why they are taking that medication. They should request to get the foley out when it is feasible.

I work in pre-op and we utilize the universal protocol to prevent wrong site surgery. Patients feel safer when they know we are doing all we can to keep them safe. I agree that hospitals have been getting a bad rap recently because of MRSA and other less-than-flattering news articles but I think we need to really show patients that we do care about their safety.

RN1989 · May 2, 2008

The title is simply journalistic sensationalism meant to attract readers.

I think this type of education is entirely appropriate. The problem is when you get a pt or family member that uses it obnoxiously and makes it difficult for you to get your work done.

It does irk me that people start to suspect ALL of us of being horrible workers that screw up and kill people. One bad apple spoils the bunch. Unfortunately our system is such that below standard and even dangerous healthcare workers are still allowed to practice while other who are excellent but politically incorrect lose their jobs and licenses.

Perhaps we should focus more effort on weeding out the crummy workers ourselves instead of letting them continue to practice. We can also re-educate the pts on how to appropriately use the information they are given. I'd rather have an educated pt but they need to be taught that once they have been given the right info and treatments, it is not cool to continue to harrass the staff because they believe every rumor they see on the news or internet.

ceecel.dee, MSN, RN · May 2, 2008

Pretty good advice given in the article!

A good reminder to open syringes and meds in front of the patient (this gives you time to talk a bit about the meds you are giving at the same time).

Since nosocomials and cross-contamination is known to be a big issue, foaming in and out within the patient's view is just good practice.

SCDOHJohnRN · May 2, 2008

First, This article appeared om CNN.. nough said.

So much "info" today is more marketing than informing. Just look @ the amount of meds being advetised. Trust between the pt & the nurse is essential. Let your pt know you are their advocate. Answer their questions truthfully and w/o editorial comment. The final decision belongs to the pt!! Give them knowledge to make an informed decision. When the pt trusts you the battle is won. DO NOT abuse that trust. Be proactive in explaining meds, procedures etc. Interpret for the pt. Many MD's explain something to a pt in medicaese and the pt agrees so they don't look dumb to the MD. If possible be in the room when procedures or surguries are explained. A pt will ask their trusted nurse a question before they ask the MD because they know they can trust you to be honestwith them.

Accidents do happen and mistakes are made. This ia a fact of life anywhere. In medicine it just gets reported more frequently because of poor outcomes and lawyers advertising to get you "thr money you deserve!". What happened to the young man in the article is truly sad. The fact that none of his nurses advocated for the pt or communicated w/ the family enough for them to remember is sadder.

I know, "I have soooooo many pts I can't hold their hands all the time!" This is true, but we are professionals and we need to conduct ourselves as such. I have never heard an investment banker, stock broker, mechanic or plumber say "I'm too busy to help you." Your pt's well being and recovery is your responsibility. Take it seriously and CNN will have fewer stories!!!:twocents:

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · May 2, 2008

An article I found and I thought the website's choice of a title was uncalled for. Just curious about your opinion. I feel bad for anyone going through this, I don't think the title fits though . Thanks
http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/05/01/ep.avoiding.infection/index.html

That's the only type of headline that will get the public's attention. What they do with that information is something that we have to deal with.

I always have to remind my patients that everyone--even the docs--needs to wash hands before contact. Frankly, I have never heard a patient ask me or any other caregiver to wash hands.

As a patient, I'm usually too doggoned sick to monitor anything. (Although with lips loosened by anesthesia, one time I did upbraid an ICU nurse for giving me IV Phenergan without diluting it. After the brain kicked in and I realized what I said, I was mortified. So I doubt I'd be aware enough to really be vigilant over these things and I doubt if most patients can be either.)

kristenncrn · May 2, 2008

Laughing over the IV phenergan... I had an anestesiology resident give me undiluted phenergan into an infiltrated PIV on the back of my hand. If I weren't puking, I'd have embarrassed myself berating him!

I actually think that the advice is good but the delivery stinks. It creates not only an "us vs. them" mentality where HCPs are ill-intentioned and will mess up if you don't watch them and I also have a problem that so many MDs were quoted... but no nurses. In fact, the only reference to nursing was quoting a nameless (and by implication, senseless and brainless nurse) who said something like "these things happen" - a quote that could be misconstrued, misinterpreted or taken out of context. We'll never know, because as usual, the "nurse" isn't given a name.

Is it too much to ask, though, that nurses be consulted and quoted appropriately for an article about being in the hospital? Considering the numbers (there are almost 3 million RNs and about 700,000 physicians in the US) - the story is skewed in more than one way.

But that's my take. I love being questioned by my patient's parents - we have far too many with absent family members.

allnurses Guide · May 2, 2008

Let this be a lesson to us all..........

Don't go skydiving.

imanedrn · May 2, 2008

The title is simply journalistic sensationalism meant to attract readers.

Totally agree! This is the stuff the fuels the so many unnecessary lawsuits! What if this guy's FAMILY came in and hadn't washed their hands and THEY got him sick? No one ever thinks about the family that doesn't gown up when they go into the room of their loved one who's on CONTACT isolation for a reason. "Oh, I'll be fine." Maybe you will be, but what about the umteem other patients and family members you might be exposing to your loved one's infection?! :banghead:

I think some of this article is worth paying attention to:

3. Want to touch me? Wash your hands first.

This is GREAT advice. I like that our hospital actually has signs encouraging patients to ask docs, nurses, or any healthcare professional who enters their room and has direct contact with them. I also encourage my patients to look out for their own safety -- not necessarily because our hospital might "kill" them (as the article so aptly puts it) but because sometimes we just plain forget -- regardless of the situation. For example, when a patient gets a new PICC, we inform them that infection is one of the biggest risk factors (though I've yet to see it happen) -- but that this is also true with peripheral IVs. I inform them that, for example, if a nurse is injecting anything into their ports, that nurse should ALWAYS swab the port with alcohol. If s/he doesn't, then ask them to! Yeah, the nurse might get miffed (because s/he's embarrassed, probably!), but this is important for our patients to be knowledgeable about their safety.

4. Ask where that syringe has been

I do NOT like this one, but (sadly) you know the story of the one bad apple... I live in Las Vegas where the endoscopy centers made big news because they were re-using syringes and possibly exposing people to AIDS, HIV, Hep, etc. Fortunately, this is an aberration, NOT the norm! Again, I encourage my patients to be aware of their safety, but can you imagine a world where your patients are questioning EVERYTHING you do?... Sadly, if certain people/agencies keep making a bad name for healthcare, this COULD become a reality!

oramar · May 2, 2008

The article says nothing about the dangers of skydiving which is the original cause of the young man's problem.

OC_An Khe · May 2, 2008

Fairly good advice but is is ensationalized a bit. However over the last 40 years that I have been in the health care fields I have seen less attention paid to overall cleanliness in the facility. It is partly a result of complancey that developed during the 50's and 60's with all the antibiotics that were developed. That is untill the realized how the indiscriminate use has caused "super bugs" to emerge. That complancey has lead to cost cutting in those areas responsible for cleanliness. On the other hand I have seen a marked decrease in foley catheter use, central lines, Swans, et al. , no longer shaving as part of surgical prep and other technigues to lessen the chance of infection.

The underlying point of the article is that a lot of these deaths can be prevented, and the author has a strong point with that regard.