Picture it: March 25, 2008; Small town hospital; a young, bright eyed nurse with a heart of gold (coal some days).
I had two patients in a double room, a mother and her 45 yr old Down's syndrome daughter. Both had been in since the 23rd with AGE, and I had admitted them and been their AM nurse since. So, on the 25th, after 2 days of care without compliants, Dear Sweet DIL, who lives two minutes away, shows up to visit. Within five minutes she is at the desk to complain because there is "old water" in the pitchers. Nevermind that neither was being able to tol water, or that I had refilled in no less than 4 times that day in case they needed some. Goes back to the room, comes back to inform me that daughter has a temp. Checked just 30 minutes before, feels fine to me, but I check anyway. Temp 98.9--"AND YOU MEAN YOU'RE NOT GIVING HER TYLENOL?". No, usually save that for temps. So she decides daugter has headache, needs (drumroll please)...tylenol. Daugter is unable to speak, but is smiling when I go in room. Asked if she had HA, and she shakes head no. I asked mother her opinion, since she is with daughter mostly as caregiver. At time she tells me she may have HA, give tylenol. Done. In the course of her 20 minute visit DIL decides it is absurd patients haven't been bathed (offered twice, mother refused), BSC is "in the way" (well, pt has to pee somewhere dear), daugter needs new socks, floor has to be mopped NOW (daughter spilled juice, and my wet rag with soap just wasn't good enough. All those juice germs), IV must be changed- it had been in far too long (yep, I change all my IV every 24 hours), and recheck her "high temp" (which, thank heavens was down to 98.6).
To send the whole eposide to it's acme is when Dear DIL asked if I need her to write me a list of what I need to do so I do not "forget". Well, I've had it. Into ***** mode. I informed her I was capable of determining what needed to be done for my patients, her input was appreciated and would be considered, and if I felt some of her "suggestions" were of merit, then I would see to it they were done according to nursing priority.
Turns our, mother in law was tickled to see her "put in her place". Loved it. I then confessed daughter never complianed of HA, she just figured the tylenol wouldn't hurt anything and might shut her up.
I just hate it when I provide quality care for my patients for 12 hours, day in and day out, and someone who hasnt' seen the family in months comes in for 5 minutes to tell me how to do my job.
To send the whole eposide to it's acme is when Dear DIL asked if I need her to write me a list of what I need to do so I do not "forget". Well, I've had it. Into ***** mode. I informed her I was capable of determining what needed to be done for my patients, her input was appreciated and would be considered, and if I felt some of her "suggestions" were of merit, then I would see to it they were done according to nursing priority.
That's not ***** mode .... that's you being a professional and restoring some appropriate sense of order to the situation.
RN1982
3,362 Posts
Yeah, make a list for me. I can't promise you that I won't accidently lose it.