has anyone kept friendship with patient after discharge?

Published

has any of you visited a patient after patient was discharged or kept your friendship with them ???? :icon_hug:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ED, ICU, Heme/Onc.
has any of you visited a patient after patient was discharged or kept your friendship with them ???? :icon_hug:

no. if i did that, then i'd have no time for a personal life. seriously, give 110% while you are at work, but please use your personal time for just that. i've met a lot of wonderful patients and families who i've enjoyed taking care of and definately could have found a common ground for friendship after the fact, but it is unprofessional to cross that line.

blee

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

Yes I have kept in touch with one pt via the internet. But he lives 5000 miles away in England so I dont feel as though we are invading each others personnal space. This patient had 'locked in syndrome" and I nursed him for over 1 year so you can't help but have a friendship.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in psych, med/surg, ICU.

A patient asked me for my phone number when she was being discharged from the psych unit, a very lonely lady in for depression, I did not see any harm in it, but a coworker quickly informed me this would be a mistake and I could have potentially set myself up for breach of confidentiality charge especially if the lady's family decided to take offense of this friendship for some reason.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Telemetry.

No!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Nope. I have no desire to stay in touch with any patients and I agree it is unprofessional. The way I see it, I do everything I possibly can while caring for my patients in order to get them back to living THEIR lives. That does not and should not include any personal relationship with me. I barely have enough time for my family and friends as it is. When asked for my phone number, I just inform the patient that it is against the rules to give it out and they have always understood. Just my :twocents:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.

i have not, and i don't think that i would. however, i have a friend who is a pct and visits a patient who was on our floor for quite a while. the patient is now in ltc.

jess

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in neuro, ICU/CCU, tropical medicine.

I have a very strict rule not associate with my patients or thier families after discharge - even those who live within a few blocks of my home.

I have broken that rule twice:

The first was after I escorted a patient back to her home in Kenya.

The second was when I married my patient's sister.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac Care.

I don't think turning a professional relationship into a personal one is ever a good idea.

But that's just me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I try to avoid that with all costs. I am drained enough trying to keep up with their needs while they are under our service at the hospital, home, or wherever else I have met them. Doing that would drain my private life.

I have a friend who had a patient dying of ovarian cancer, and she had a very loyal husband that visited this woman daily. He bathed her, held, comforted her, and became such a fixture that the nurses allowed him to spend the night. My friend has not been married and is a very attractive woman with issues. She used to tell me she was attracted to this man because of the devotion she saw and wished she had this for herself. When the patient died, everyone from the floor, including the doctors went to the funeral.

Now, a year later, my friend tells me she called this man. I asked her how she got his number and she told me she 'saved it'. They have been chatting frequently, but he didn't seem to be pushing towards a relationship and my friend is always asking my opinion. I told her that she had an unfair advantage of knowing he is still grieving, probably knows where he lives, what he does for a living, his salary and his weak points. What makes her think that he wants a relationship now?? Also, there is more behind what we see at the hospital bed, more dynamics than we are ever supposed to know. He could have been a cheat or a guilty abuser, could be glad she died, anything. I told her this, and said that this is highly inappropriate and she should stop calling this man. He knows how to reach her if he is interested, and if not, leave it alone. In this case, this interaction is just as unhealthy to her as it would be to him.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.
i have a friend who had a patient dying of ovarian cancer, and she had a very loyal husband that visited this woman daily. he bathed her, held, comforted her, and became such a fixture that the nurses allowed him to spend the night. my friend has not been married and is a very attractive woman with issues. she used to tell me she was attracted to this man because of the devotion she saw and wished she had this for herself. when the patient died, everyone from the floor, including the doctors went to the funeral.

now, a year later, my friend tells me she called this man. i asked her how she got his number and she told me she 'saved it'. they have been chatting frequently, but he didn't seem to be pushing towards a relationship and my friend is always asking my opinion. i told her that she had an unfair advantage of knowing he is still grieving, probably knows where he lives, what he does for a living, his salary and his weak points. what makes her think that he wants a relationship now?? also, there is more behind what we see at the hospital bed, more dynamics than we are ever supposed to know. he could have been a cheat or a guilty abuser, could be glad she died, anything. i told her this, and said that this is highly inappropriate and she should stop calling this man. he knows how to reach her if he is interested, and if not, leave it alone. in this case, this interaction is just as unhealthy to her as it would be to him.

that is all kinds of bad! she sure does have some issues. i feel for everyone involved in this situation. eek.:no:

jess

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I wasn't the nurse I was the patient.....

I am very good friends with the nurse that delivered my baby in Dec 2006. I met her when I was induced and she was there by my side almost the whole time (I was her only patient). She was such an awesome person and I felt like we really connected. We are the same age and only live about 15 mins. from each other (in a really rural area). Although I always wanted to be a nurse, her being there for me and being so great is what made me want to be a nurse again.

And yes she delivered my baby, her, another nurse (and my husband):yeah:. She was in her first year of nursing and the doctor did not make it in time and since I did not have any pain meds I could not stop my baby, she was coming with or without the doctor.

Sometimes you just meet someone and you just know that are a great and good-hearted person.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion