Had a family member come out and talk to me about pt's being in a semiprivate. blah blah blah, generic complaints. roomate is too noisy, too many visitors, talks too loud "maybe they can't hear and have to yell", too many phone calls, blah blah. she actually said to me that last night she snuck and unplugged the roomate's phone so people would stop calling!
i had to refrain from saying what i really thought.....
i said that is absolutely inappropriate, do not mess with her phone.
she says i had to do something, she's too noisy, blah blah.
i said if you have a problem, come to us. it is inappropriate of you to do that, that is not your right.
she didnt even act the least bit remorseful or shamed, or embarrassed. almost like she really did have the right to do that.
We are fortunate to have all private rooms in our hospital. We ask visitors to leave at 2100. You can call our rooms direct from outside, so I don't think there's a way to stop calls at the switchboard. However, we have had patients tell us that they were unplugging their phone and/or didn't want visitors. We have a polite sign in sheet that we place on the door when this is the case, and it seems to work most of the time.
About the chairs at bedside...Hospital was full. Constantly working to clear rooms for new admits. Large family is in a small room, and we explained that there was no way to move the patient to a larger room. They placed a twin size blow up mattress that was just above knee high between the bed and the window so that there was no way to get to that side of the bed without moving the bed. This left just enough room to open the bathroom door on the other side of the bed. I'm not sure where they got all the extra chairs. I made my med round that evening, and I could not even open the door to get into the room! :angryfire I gave them a very direct, no holds barred talking to about safety related to Mom's condition, the possibility of a code, and fires. They removed a recliner from the room, but they grumbled and mocked my words the whole time that they did it! Admin would not support nursing's request to have the mattress removed!:smackingf
...And while we're on the subject, am I the only person who thinks that the real problem is that many, if not all, of our patients need private rooms? So why are hospitals still being built with semi-privates?
Personally, I think putting people into isolation makes them act out even more.
Bring back the wards. Having twenty or so other sick people and their families looking at you might make you reconsider before moaning and groaning about tangential nonsense.
On Wednesday, I had a patient complain that her private room was too noisy because it was near the ice machine. I understand that it can be irritating, but keep your door shut! You were lucky to have the private in the first place! She didn't medically need one!!!!
I agree that there are multiple problems inherent in the design of semi-private rooms but I don't know that I agree that many patients *need* private rooms. What is *needed* is for people to behave in a more respectful, subdued manner. Many aspects of common courtesy and appropriate public behavior seem to have been lost - I think many families are clueless that their loved one's room, the hallway, the family lounge and the nurses station are NOT their own private living room and need to act accordingly.
Flame me if you will, but I see so much behavior that is downright embarassing. JMHO.
I don't know if having "private" rooms would help, in my section I had three private rooms, and the administrator look in and said yes it's big enough, and the next think I know the three private rooms turned into semi-rooms! Try having two trach pt, who are on IV's and Tube Feed, that was a nitemare! But what can you do?
Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.
I have had to get extremely bold with patients that complain of their roommates IV's going off so much that they turn them off while a patient is asleep!!! (sometimes even a family member of a pt will do this because "well, they need to get some sleep") UHGGGGGG!!!!!!!! I turn from nice sweet nurse to demon lecturing preaching nurse fast!!!! (and document this hard core, tell my charge nurse and call the MD!).
I have had people throw pillows over a snoring pts face! EEEEKKKK! Seen screaming fights between pts on what channel to watch on TV. Vicious language by pts over their roommate making noise from pain. Entire families shoved in the room with crying babies or kids who like to touch EVERYTHING (many a code button was pressed by those!!!). And of course it is ALL MY FAULT you know! Oh Calgon!!!!!
That is when I get managment involved! Typcially we have in a two ward two different nurse caring for the patients in there...because if there is one nurse they get all the complaints on their own (can be a bit much for even the most easy going nurse!), and you can't ever get out of the room because if one wants something...the other does, then it cycles! Yeah, not a big fan of double rooms! (we only have privates or doubles).
The worse one I have ever had pulled a pts IV OUT because he said "if it is going to beep every few seconds...it isn't working anyway..and I want to sleep!". This of course had to be a hepirin go figure and a bloody darn mess. This person had to deal with their MD and Security...and the pt's family pressed charges and used my documentation for their case (again I write down everything!). I was so mad I think I must have stood there initially with my jaw hanging in disbelief so shocked I couldn't speak!!!!!!!
The worse one I have ever had pulled a pts IV OUT because he said "if it is going to beep every few seconds...it isn't working anyway..and I want to sleep!". This of course had to be a hepirin go figure and a bloody darn mess. This person had to deal with their MD and Security...and the pt's family pressed charges and used my documentation for their case (again I write down everything!). I was so mad I think I must have stood there initially with my jaw hanging in disbelief so shocked I couldn't speak!!!!!!!
I can hardly believe this!!! If I were that poor pt. I would have sued too - and if I was her nurse, I would have totally testified on her behalf. What stupidity!!! Sometimes I think all people have been born with rocks in their heads!!! Lord allmighty!!!
Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.
LOL, I can't tell you how many times a day I either remind pts this isn't a hotel (even though you pay more for this place..LOL!), or "this is a 24/7 kinda place, and if you need something at 0200...you will be glad it is!".
That and I typically say "no rest for the weary here, it is a hospital! And the weariest here are those nurses that work a 12 hour shift and come back the next day for another!!!" LOL! (I reserve that one for a fun patient who isn't complaining at me, takes humor to understand the subtile hint ).
:madface: 
).
veegeern, BSN, RN
179 Posts
We are fortunate to have all private rooms in our hospital. We ask visitors to leave at 2100. You can call our rooms direct from outside, so I don't think there's a way to stop calls at the switchboard. However, we have had patients tell us that they were unplugging their phone and/or didn't want visitors. We have a polite sign in sheet that we place on the door when this is the case, and it seems to work most of the time.
About the chairs at bedside...Hospital was full. Constantly working to clear rooms for new admits. Large family is in a small room, and we explained that there was no way to move the patient to a larger room. They placed a twin size blow up mattress that was just above knee high between the bed and the window so that there was no way to get to that side of the bed without moving the bed. This left just enough room to open the bathroom door on the other side of the bed. I'm not sure where they got all the extra chairs. I made my med round that evening, and I could not even open the door to get into the room! :angryfire I gave them a very direct, no holds barred talking to about safety related to Mom's condition, the possibility of a code, and fires. They removed a recliner from the room, but they grumbled and mocked my words the whole time that they did it!
Admin would not support nursing's request to have the mattress removed!:smackingf