bad nursing care rant

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Specializes in LDRP.

sdifhaseuifhaeuifhaeui!

Just went with a friend to visit her dad in the hospital. i couldnt believe the conditions there, i was pretty disgusted. we walk in and there is a soiled brief on the floor, his gown is soaked in urine, we had to physically go to the nurses station and ask for someone to come clean him up. He told us he almost fell twice because he was ringing the call bell for help to go to the bedside commode and no one came both times. mind you, this is in an ICU. So I am assuming the nurse: pt ratio is 2:1, MAYBE 3:1 max.. And the girl who finally came in to clean him was wearing an ID badge that said pca, so they had at least one aide..

how is this acceptable? I've never been to this hospital before, and I have heard bad things about it, but seriously? I've never seen anything that bad in the hospitals I've done clinical at, especially on my ICU rotations. Those nurses were usually pretty anal about keeping everything clean, and answering call bells etc. And never have I seen a dirty brief left on the floor, thats just gross.

My friend was pretty upset by this herself. Shes upset enough that her dad is sick enough to be in the ICU, and then to see all this didnt make it any better..

Are we overreacting? sorry for the angry anecdote, just wanted to vent to some people who knew what i was talking about. I told her that if it is possible, she should see about getting him transferred to a better hospital. :heartbeat

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Specializes in Critical Care.

are you a nurse?

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Specializes in LDRP.

pca and nursing student..

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
are you a nurse?

The OP's profile lists her as a nursing student. Regardless of title, I agree that it does sound unacceptable and barring an emergency going on (which I'm sure you're aware CAN happen in ICU quite frequently), that he should not have been left like that.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

Student nurse.

Are you positive you didn't walk in right after a code(s) had taken place or some other emergency that superseded getting to your friend's father sooner?

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Specializes in Critical Care.

The first thing that comes to my mind is what the nurses and PCA's had going on besides the unfortunate situation you described. When you become a nurse you will realize just how complicated things can get. I hope to God no nurse wishes to leave a patient in a bad condition...but as much as you learn in nursing school they still don't teach you how to be in two places at once.

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Regardless of title, I agree that it does sound unacceptable and barring an emergency going on (which I'm sure you're aware CAN happen in ICU quite frequently), that he should not have been left like that.

i agree totally.

not only is it disgusting, who the hell can heal in such conditions?

not only is it a kick to his dignity, the risk of getting infections is tenfold.

i think i'd have a little talk with the nurse mgr or higher up.

you're speaking as a visitor, who is repulsed by the environment dad is exposed to.

with all the pg in the air, i can't imagine anyone not responding to that....

as well as getting him transferred.

i'm sorry he is being exposed to all this.

gag me.

leslie

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Also I don't know how many times I have had a patient tell me the light was on "for a half an hour" when I literally see it go on for about two minutes while I'm in another room. Not saying this was the case, but when you're sick enough to be in the ICU you can get confused about time.

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Also I don't know how many times I have had a patient tell me the light was on "for a half an hour" when I literally see it go on for about two minutes while I'm in another room. Not saying this was the case, but when you're sick enough to be in the ICU you can get confused about time.

it sounds like you're looking for reasons to negate this poster's experience.

fyi, there are nurses that just shouldn't be.:twocents:

leslie

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Specializes in Critical Care.

i was looking to point out the other possibilities of why something like that would happen. it is a self titled rant about "nursing" care...i would like to give my professional peers the benefit of the doubt.

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Specializes in LDRP.
Also I don't know how many times I have had a patient tell me the light was on "for a half an hour" when I literally see it go on for about two minutes while I'm in another room. Not saying this was the case, but when you're sick enough to be in the ICU you can get confused about time.

i absolutely agree with you and i have myself witnessed pts claiming the call bell was on for days and no one answered it when it wasnt true. he is also in a confused state and if that was the only complaint and i hadnt seen everything else i wouldnt have been as concerned. i also know they could have had some more important things that they were dealing with at the time and ICU nurses are really busy, but at the time there was no code going on to my knowledge.. i dunno, it is just kind of irking me.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

then totally go with your gut and say something! transferring to another hospital probably isn't the answer and can get very complicated, but if it wasn't a one time thing i would bring it up with the charge nurse right away

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