Crazy Family Member!

[scooby72]

I could not believe it! Kinda long but bear with me.....

My Mom had a stroke on May 1. She is currently on the rehab floor. If

any of you have rehab experience I could sure use your insight - the

thread is in the Rehab Nursing section of the site.

Anyway - there are four girls in my family - one EMT, an LPN, me the RN,

and the oldest - has a coshy job with the government - who is the

smartest of us all! We try to be GOOD family members. We totally

appreciate the staff and let them know it - because we "get it."

So me and my LPN sis are hanging out with Mom at PT today. Pretty

slow day being that it's Sunday before the holiday. An aide comes

running in and says "There's a crazy lady at the nurse's

station - she's screaming at the nurse and she's throwing things!"

PT hesitates while me and sis instantly go into "nurse" mode. No one

messes with nurses! We tell PT to stay with Mom and tell the aide

to call security.

We get out to the station and this lady was crazy!!! Yelling,

throwing anything within reach. Nurses ducking behind the counter

in bunker mode. One nurse trying to defuse her. Still no security.

My sis is a toughie who wades right in. She had grabbed a patient

belonging bag from somewhere and made a BIG production of picking

up things that went sailing, plants, charts, pens, etc. Tsk, tsking

loudly the whole time saying "Oh, gosh - someone could trip on this,

etc." Now crazy lady is confused. Should she listen to this lady who

is picking up her mess or keep yelling at the nurse? Meanwhile I am

standing ready to grab her if she suddenly decides to launch herself

over the counter. Still no security. Crazy lady loses some steam but

at least she is only yelling - not lobbing objects. Floor Supervisor

shows up. Does the whole yada yada thing - you know how it goes.

"Let me know what those nurses did to make you angry crap." Takes

her to an empty room to talk. Still no Security!!!!!

Come to find out - she was upset because Dad was not up and

showered by 8:00 am. It was today - Sunday. She was also upset

because her Dad could not get a good night's sleep because of the

other patients on the floor and that "that nurse" kept waking him

up ALL NIGHT!! Hey lady - it's a hospital - your Dad is ill - DEAL!

What makes me the most angry is that after the ordeal sis and I

asked why security didn't show up. Nurses said that they were

told that they always had to call the floor super before bringing in

security. That's CRAP! Now we have crazy lady roaming the floor

that Mom is on. And the staff has to continue to deal with her as

well. IMHO she should have been banned from the floor. Too bad

if she gave them an "F" on their survey.

BTW - Mom was mad that she missed all of the "action." That tells

us that her cognition is fine. Bless her!

Scooby

[BEDPAN76]

We once had a wacko family member take out her dentures and throw them down the hall. Just when you think youv'e seen it all.....

[Nursetastic]

Wow. Just, wow. Really? I don't know if I am more shocked by the crazy lady's behavior or the fact that management thinks nurses are not able to decide if they are in danger or not! I don't care what directives are sent down from where, if I (or other members of the staff, patients, residents, or visitors) am in danger I WILL CALL SECURITY! Period. Take it up with me later. I welcome the "talk". UGH, this just disgusts me.

[highlandlass1592, BSN, RN]

I once lost a travel assignment because I called security...a patient's family member came up at 2 am, was drunk as a skunk and laid hands on me. I got the boot....all in the name of customer service. The cops were called and asked if I wanted to press charges, like a fool I said no. I'll never do that again.

[2BSure]

Holy smoke! Where I come from they say a hospital no place for rest.

As for the calling of a supervisor rather than security first...rubbish...unless of course he or she can do that vulcan nick pinch thingy. Then carry on.

[Reno1978, BSN, RN]

My goodness - as a family member of a patient I would be complaining about what a PITA that person was and how her outburst distracted you from focusing on your mother's care during your visit with her!

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

I'll certainly call the supervisor first, but the phone won't leave my hand before I call security. Policy and safety noth adhered to. Don't think that if you delay calling security that noone will question why you didn't use your professional judgement to decide they were needed before the sup arrives. They'll nail you coming and going, CYA first.

[chicookie, BSN, RN]

=o that is strange!

I mean honestly what if she grew out a very dangerous item or something? Like a chair? Or a gun? You call the house supervisor? That is ridiculous!

LOL @ your mom. I could hear my mother say the same thing. And kudos to you and your sister for being awesome.

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

Next time, let the cops "diffuse" the situation.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Perhaps when your Mom gets her survey, you could write in complaining about how the facility's tolerance of Crazy Lady's behavior negatively impacted your Mom's stay. :roll:

I love this idea. Be sure to mention how you kept waiting for security to show up to assist in the situation, but the nurses informed you that they were not allowed to call security.

Glad your mom is OK:yeah:

[roser13, ASN, RN]

"Perhaps when your Mom gets her survey, you could write in complaining about how the facility's tolerance of Crazy Lady's behavior negatively impacted your Mom's stay. "

Great idea. Be sure to mention that you kept waiting for security to show up to handle the obviously dangerous situation, but that the nurses were not allowed to call them.

Glad your mom's doing OK - to me the best part of your story is how disappointed she was to have missed the ruckus!

[JB2007, ASN, RN]

I am so tired of nurses having to put up with these kind of behaviors. Management expects us to listen to these crazy people yell at us and at times (such as the one you posted about) put up with physical abuse. I do not find this kind of behavior funny in the least. I have never worked a job where I had to put up with this kind of abuse like I have to since becoming a nurse. The sad thing is management points the finger at the nurse as the reason for these nut jobs acting the way that they do. They want to know what you could have done differently to prevent the situation. How do you prevent crazy people from acting crazy? Rant over!

I am glad that nobody got hurt. Thanks for helping the nursing staff at that facility.

[psalm, RN]

Perhaps when your Mom gets her survey, you could write in complaining about how the facility's tolerance of Crazy Lady's behavior negatively impacted your Mom's stay. :roll:

I love this idea. Be sure to mention how you kept waiting for security to show up to assist in the situation, but the nurses informed you that they were not allowed to call security.

Glad your mom is OK:yeah:

Maybe a "letter to the editor" of the local paper will help?