Craziest PDN/PDN Venting Thread

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I looked in here, and other places, and didn't see a sole thread dedicated to the madness that is PDN. As PDN's we go through... Well, a variety of experiences. Let's just say we could write one heck of a book.

So this thread is for:

1. Your wildest, craziest, saddest, happiest, most psycho private duty nursing/homecare stories (Pedi or Adults)

2. Venting about frustrating parents, cases, patients, etc

3. Advice on "should I stay in this case VS that one, etc."

I hope lots of people participate, I feel this is going to be helpful.... We can feel isolated out there in the field. I personally love sharing stories with other nurses. I'll go first, but I'll wait til I get home and can really type out some doozies. :)

Happy story telling :)

Specializes in Pediatric.

Now I would be all over that!!

The family I work with doesn't drink coffee! Can you imagine?! They did, however, grant me access to their fridge full of beverages in the garage. I've always been too shy to take them up on it, but it was a kind gesture!

I bought a super insulated stainless steel mug that keeps my coffee from home piping hot, but I would love some nice fresh coffee about 2 am...

That would be awesome, I agree.

Specializes in Pediatric.

Wha....?

I don't think so!

What could possibly be the rationale for not allowing someone to use the restroom?

I have no idea Elle 23. The family just firmly stated they had no public restroom available.

Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

I have had some amazingly wonderful cases. A little baby who was a home vent case/ hypoplast/ Pierre-Robin/ Stickler who is now decannulated, walking, talking and (this makes me want to cry) RIDES THE BUS to kindergarten!! Like a big girl!

Then there was the case I gave up my Sundays for who did not allow me to do anything for their child. I would get there at the time they requested to all meds and treatments already done etc. So I basically sat there and was totally in the way during their family Sunday afternoon. (Nice people- just WHY was I even there???)

My least favorite are the people who do not want you to wear your shoes. Ummm, do YOU go barefoot at work?

Fortunately, my PDN job is my second job (I have two kids in college). My PICU position provides me all the socialization a body could ever want! :)

Specializes in Pediatric.
I have had some amazingly wonderful cases. A little baby who was a home vent case/ hypoplast/ Pierre-Robin/ Stickler who is now decannulated, walking, talking and (this makes me want to cry) RIDES THE BUS to kindergarten!! Like a big girl!

Then there was the case I gave up my Sundays for who did not allow me to do anything for their child. I would get there at the time they requested to all meds and treatments already done etc. So I basically sat there and was totally in the way during their family Sunday afternoon. (Nice people- just WHY was I even there???)

My least favorite are the people who do not want you to wear your shoes. Ummm, do YOU go barefoot at work?

Fortunately, my PDN job is my second job (I have two kids in college). My PICU position provides me all the socialization a body could ever want! :)

The no shoes is common at least in the cases I've come across. The agency will tell us to bring a pair of slippers and wear those in the house (hard soled slippers of course) since its a requirement that we wear shoes in the house.

Specializes in Pediatric.

I know we have a few moms on the board. What's the craziest thing a nurse ever did in your home? Or wackiest nuttiest experience you had with a nurse?

The mom of the 12 year old girl I care for told me that she had a nurse that would tell her that her daughter was cursed and that's why she was sick with CP. She told the mom she knew a healing guru from India that could heal this girl.

The mom was skeptical but you'd have to know her. She started to go along with it and even believe it. They had a phone call with the "guru" and the guru chanted over her.

After a few weeks of this odd behavior the nurse became insistent that because of the mom's sin that the curse couldn't be lifted until the "guru" visited in person. She then told the mom "I've been flushing holy water through your daughter's GT for months."

For some reason that was the final straw with the mom. She ordered the nurse out of the house. I can't believe she let it go on as long as she did.

We have a no OUTSIDE shoes rule in our house. Nurses were welcome to leave crocs or sneakers here (there was a cubby for each nurse for shoes/sweaters/whatever). If you think about it, wearing shoes in the house when a child of any type is on the floor is just gross. Even grosser when the kid has health issues and you want to avoid illness.

Our house is also a no-coffee house but we were very upfront about it and most nurses that NEEDED coffee would just bring a thermos.

I had a nurse that told me she turned off the pulse ox during the night because it kept going off every few minutes. Yep, she didn't come back ever again.

I have had a ton of nurses not know what the difference between vent SETTINGS and vent OUTPUT INFO was and it drove me flippin' crazy.

I had a nurse freak the heck out when she caused my son's trach to come out and then she panicked instead of doing emergency procedures. Freaked out as in screaming for me and sobbing hysterically. Then she said she had to pee and went to the bathroom to call, not the DON, but the HEAD of the agency to fire herself. It should have been super easy to handle because it happened in my son's room and unlike most people that keep their emergency supplies in a diaper bag on the bottom of a wheelchair, I had a full set of emergency supplies within arm's reach in his room. The DON, ADON and head of the agency appeared at my house within the hour.

I did have a newish nurse give me a super fast report one morning and then she ran out of the house. When she came back a couple of days later I asked if she was okay. She said that she just really, really had to pee and she was scared to leave my son alone for 2 minutes and since her shift was over, she didn't feel like she'd be allowed to use one of our bathrooms.

Specializes in Pediatric.
We have a no OUTSIDE shoes rule in our house. Nurses were welcome to leave crocs or sneakers here (there was a cubby for each nurse for shoes/sweaters/whatever). If you think about it, wearing shoes in the house when a child of any type is on the floor is just gross. Even grosser when the kid has health issues and you want to avoid illness.

Our house is also a no-coffee house but we were very upfront about it and most nurses that NEEDED coffee would just bring a thermos.

I had a nurse that told me she turned off the pulse ox during the night because it kept going off every few minutes. Yep, she didn't come back ever again.

I have had a ton of nurses not know what the difference between vent SETTINGS and vent OUTPUT INFO was and it drove me flippin' crazy.

I had a nurse freak the heck out when she caused my son's trach to come out and then she panicked instead of doing emergency procedures. Freaked out as in screaming for me and sobbing hysterically. Then she said she had to pee and went to the bathroom to call, not the DON, but the HEAD of the agency to fire herself. It should have been super easy to handle because it happened in my son's room and unlike most people that keep their emergency supplies in a diaper bag on the bottom of a wheelchair, I had a full set of emergency supplies within arm's reach in his room. The DON, ADON and head of the agency appeared at my house within the hour.

I did have a newish nurse give me a super fast report one morning and then she ran out of the house. When she came back a couple of days later I asked if she was okay. She said that she just really, really had to pee and she was scared to leave my son alone for 2 minutes and since her shift was over, she didn't feel like she'd be allowed to use one of our bathrooms.

Ventmommy; thanks for posting in this thread; I was hoping you would. As an aside, I love your posts here. They're always relevant, informative, and entertaining! I'm a pedi private duty LVN who gets a ton of insight from you.

I agree with the no shoes- agencies should require it but most look the other way or get lax. Mine never said anything- personally, I don't wear shoes in the home. ESPECIALLY because I take public transit! Jeez! And these parents (my 40 hours are split between two homes) would allow me to wear my shoes! What I do need to do is get a pair of slippers with a rubber hard bottom for use at these homes:)

I'm VERY impressed that you had a cubby for each nurse! That sounds like heaven- between orienting, meet and greets, fill ins, and cases, I've been in 15-20 homes in 4 years. I've never seen that! I would LOVE that!

Was the no coffee rule because of spills? I buy 12 oz bottles of Diet Coke at WalMart and keep them in my nurse bag for quick caffeine boosts. Coffee is just, in my experience, too messy. Plus you need condiments for it (cream, sugar, etc)

That story about the pulse ox is insane! And scary! Makes me wonder how she got hired! An all too troubling trend I see is these agencies hiring nurses with the requisite "1 year" experience but no HOME CARE experience. It's a big difference! I'm floored on that one.

As for the trach story... WOW. Had she not had trach training? On my first pedi case where a trach was involved, I was nervous and took it VERY seriously and requested plenty of orient hours- and luckily, the patient was very stable so I practiced trach change until I was a pro. Dang. Sorry you went through that. She fired herself, still laughing at that.

Specializes in Pediatric.

I LOVE hearing other people's experience's, so share away!

Specializes in Pediatric.

I had a nurse (NOC nurse) spill coffee all over and down the front of patients particle board, painted white dresser. I am 3-11 on this case; 7-3 nurse reported it. Mom sleeps all day so I had to break the news to her. Not only had she spilled; but had neglected to even wipe it- so it kinda soaked into the porous wood and stained it.

When mom woke up I had the fun task to inform her of this. This family has had TONS of issues with the agency. She was super angry and I don't blame her. However, as I was doing care for her son, I noticed 2 scratches on his leg. They hadn't been reported, so I informed her and then called the agency. :sigh:

I had a case where the Mom didnt want her trach and vented daughter suctîoned at night.She lived in a house with extended relatives,but the girl had her own room.

I also had a case with a nasty dad who didnt want us nurses plugging in our cell phones and laptop chargers.

I also had a case where mom didnt like to turn on the a/c.

Poor kid was miserable.

There is more....

Specializes in Pediatric.
I had a case where the Mom didnt want her trach and vented daughter suctîoned at night.She lived in a house with extended relatives,but the girl had her own room.

I also had a case with a nasty dad who didnt want us nurses plugging in our cell phones and laptop chargers.

I also had a case where mom didnt like to turn on the a/c.

Poor kid was miserable.

There is more....

If there's more, by all means share.

Did the dad have a logic behind the no plugging in phone chargers?!?! That's insane. I'd hate that.

No AC? Ughhh. Nothing worse than sweating while performing care and having your scrubs stick to you. One of my cases now doesn't have it (or doesn't use it) but I suppose I should just be grateful they have a fan ;)

No auctioning at night?! Why?!

The spanish speaking mom who only wanted spanish speaking nurses.

Im not sure why she felt that way since dad spoke english and spanish.

I will try to think of more. Its been awhile since ive been on crazy cases.

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