Last night I took care of a very young adult patient who is basically donor material now because of a rather unfortunate combination of cocaine and a heart condition.
The family was approached in ER about the big "D" word and are extremely hypersensitive about any talk of such "things" right now. I had the patient as a 1:1 in the ICU and I was literally TRIPPING over family members in the room. When I discussed the amount of family members in the room with the lead nurse that was on, I was informed that this situation was unique, and we should just let the family stay.
FINE.
About half way through my night, I was really busy, as the patient had been rather unstable all night, and the same lead nurse mentioned that I should look less harried around the family, that it was making them nervous.
I was so busy, that I just stuffed that comment into my "Boy when I get a chance I'm going to be P.O'd about that!" place and kept working.
Well, I've got that chance now, and I'm PO'd about having to look like a fairy ballerina while I try to save someone's life.
(I'm still trying to locate the policy that has been quoted to me that we have visitor restriction in the ICU - especially at night!)
Thank's for letting me vent.