Dear Abbey, about a nurse

[Faeriewand, ASN, RN]

This is about a nurse in the Dear Abbey column.

And is it true that when a patient is coming out of anesthesia that they will answer truthfully any question that is put to them?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ucda/20060602/lf_ucda/nurseslooselipsmaysinkpatientsmarriage;_ylt=Akp7G3.7GGrbqvrqOvKdmzzNbbUC;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHVqMTQ4BHNlYwN5bnN1YmNhdA--

[nursesarah]

don't know if it's true or not...but something about this statement made me cringe:

The doctor needs to counsel his nurse for her poor judgment.

someone needs to write and tell abbey that its not the doctor's job to discipline a nurse because the nurse doesn't belong to him. if their is a valid complaint against a nurse, it should be made towards hospital administration or the state board of nursing.

[rn,lmt]

don't know if it's true or not...but something about this statement made me cringe:

someone needs to write and tell abbey that its not the doctor's job to discipline a nurse because the nurse doesn't belong to him. if their is a valid complaint against a nurse, it should be made towards hospital administration or the state board of nursing.

My thoughts exactly!

[burn out]

If the patient had received MS would it be wrong of the nurse to tell the wife that it caused resp depression? Like wise, I don't know that much about anesthesia meds or what medication the patient received but there are some meds that do have that effect and wouldn't the nurse just be telling the wife of the side effects of the drug? Isn't that what we do?

[labcat01, BSN, RN]

I don't know if people have to speak the truth but they do tend to say truthful things. My grandfather had pretty high government clearance and he could never have anasthesia without someone from the government attending the procedure (I don't know if they still do that).

[cannoli]

I think a lot of the letters to Dear Abby and Ann Landers are made up anyway.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

don't know if it's true or not...but something about this statement made me cringe:

someone needs to write and tell abbey that its not the doctor's job to discipline a nurse because the nurse doesn't belong to him. if their is a valid complaint against a nurse, it should be made towards hospital administration or the state board of nursing.

I had half a mind to do exactly that.........what does she think a modern hospital is, something out of a 1960's soap opera?? :trout:

[newnurse51]

Re: Dear Abbey, about a nurse

don't know if it's true or not...but something about this statement made me cringe:

Quote:

The doctor needs to counsel his nurse for her poor judgment.

someone needs to write and tell abbey that its not the doctor's job to discipline a nurse because the nurse doesn't belong to him. if their is a valid complaint against a nurse, it should be made towards hospital administration or the state board of nursing.

Not sure I agree with you on this one. I think the doctor has the right to tell the nurse that she used poor judgment in telling the patient's wife that her husband would be truthful. I don't think you can consider that this is disciplining the nurse - just telling her she used poor judgment and not to do it again.

[sharann, BSN, RN]

I don't belive more than half of what people write to advice columns. Dear Abbey has always irritated me and now her daughter has taken over. Is she a real psychologist? I don't know, but she certainly is not right much of the time. People who write to a news column for advice scare me anyhow. These columns are for entertainment only.

As for telling the truth under anesthesia. There is a good reason people are told not to make any legal decisons or sign any legal documents for 24 hours and not drive. Their judgement is impaired. Immediately after they are really impaired. One could prompt ANY response they want if they try. So if the wife believed the husband then she is basing her marraige on a drugged induced response.

If the nurse really said this then it was inappropriate and should be addressed to the hospital not the doctor.

[nursesarah]

Not sure I agree with you on this one. I think the doctor has the right to tell the nurse that she used poor judgment in telling the patient's wife that her husband would be truthful. I don't think you can consider that this is disciplining the nurse - just telling her she used poor judgment and not to do it again.

yes....but he doesnt have a right to counsel his nurse because this nurse isn't his nurse. she is an autonomous healthcare professional.

[PANurseRN1]

Re: Dear Abbey, about a nurse

don't know if it's true or not...but something about this statement made me cringe:

Quote:

The doctor needs to counsel his nurse for her poor judgment.

someone needs to write and tell abbey that its not the doctor's job to discipline a nurse because the nurse doesn't belong to him. if their is a valid complaint against a nurse, it should be made towards hospital administration or the state board of nursing.

Not sure I agree with you on this one. I think the doctor has the right to tell the nurse that she used poor judgment in telling the patient's wife that her husband would be truthful. I don't think you can consider that this is disciplining the nurse - just telling her she used poor judgment and not to do it again.

It is not the doctor's place to counsel the nurse, and yes, it would be considered discipline. A verbal reprimand is a verbal reprimand, and it should come from the nurse's supervisor.

That's if this really even happened. The whole thing sounds made up to me. And no, that's just an urban legend that people coming out of anesthesia will answer any question truthfully. People say all sorts of strange things under the influence of anesthesia and can't be counted on to be truthful.

[flashpoint]

I wonder if it was just the nurse's "lighthearted" way of warning the wife that the patient may say some thing that he normally wouldn't say..."Honey, that dress makes you look fat. Honey, I hate your brother. Honey, You know that chicken casserole you always make? Yuck!" How could the nurse have anticipated that the wife would ask a question like that?

I honestly expect professionals to say something when they see something inappropriate no matter who they are. I once heard a doctor tell a patient she didn’t need birth control pills because she was too ugly to ****. I followed him into the doctor’s lounge and told him how mean and hurtful his comment was. The same doctor heard me call someone Ugly and gave me the same lecture (Ugly was his nickname…even his mother calls him Ugly…even though he is not).