Family/ Visitors in the ER

Specialties Emergency

Published

Happy New Year! Hear is a question my boss wants me to research so I came right to the experts. What kind of information or opinions do you have regarding visitors/ family in the ER. Apparantly at my facility this has been an issue from time to time when the ER nurse doesn't allow family members in to visit the ER patient. I think one of the times it was with a critically ill patient. Do you have any references/ articles or just general feedback I would be happy to pass it on. I did try to research it online and emailed the ENA but didn't get any info. Thanks!

The ED where I work has the 2 visitors for a minor, 1 per adult rule.

I feel that there should be no visitors until the Dr. sees the pt. (adults

that are able to communicate).

The young people who are accompanied by their parent(s), Are NOT going to be honest about certain things. Sexual, drug usage etc.in front of their parent. That also goes for spouses/ significant others. Or family members, & friends. There are certain things that people will not admit to in front of

the same.

Women now think that pelvics are spectator sport, and invite the gang.

A lot of it is plain nosiness from the family/friend.

In some cases they can be helpful.Tho usually the one that insists

on going in with the pt, is the one who knows the least about the pt.

I don't believe in "trading out" (not including certain situations).

VISITING, should be done when the pt is admitted. NOT the ED.

It seems ED's have become a place for social gatherings, and family reunions.

So-called visitors to a room, want to stand in the hall & watch.

Or walk around talking on their cell phones.

10 people for a kid with a cold.Visitors taking up seats that should be for the pt's standing.

ED is supposed to stand for EMERGENCY, NOT "EVERYBODY" DEPT.

But since I'm a lowly RN,and others like me, without input into policy making.

You can only seek employment elsewhere if it gets that bad where you work.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, PACU, ACT, Forensic Nursing.

Dorito, There are a number of articles that reflect this information. I was on staff in Michigan when the first documented family visitor was allowed in the resuscitation room. He was a State Trooper that was shot while making a routine traffic stop. We all knew him and many of us had met his wife. We had the pastor in the room and allowed her in during the resuscitation attempt. It was hard on the staff, however, it was very healing for her and she followed him to the OR, with the hospital chaplin at her side while she waited. He died, There is an article regarding that experience that was published in the New Yorker, 4/3/2006, Vol. 82 Issue 7, p 34-39. Also check out this article: Family Presence During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Invasive Procedures: Practices of Critical Care and Emergency Nurses. It was published in the American Journal of Critical Care, May 2003, Volume 12 No3

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medrn, you took the words right out of my mouth. Also, the nineteen year old with the UTI analogy hit home for me.

Where I work, because of Press Ganey, we are encourage to let as many visitors back as the patients want. Of course, many visitors just assume the patient is comfortable with them watching everything and insist on going back with the patient when I believe the patient is too timid or sick to speak up for him/herself. The doctors hate having more than one visitor per room, but I get divided opinions from the the nurses I work with over what is acceptable.

Personally, I refuse to answer questions about lab values or XRay results to visitors in the room unless I ask the patient, "Is it okay if I answer this question?" first. Also, it's a bit unnerving to be poking for a vein in someone arm only to literally feel someone's breath on the back of your neck as they look with you. I also feel ridiculous bending over a patient and practically sticking my backside in someone's direct line of vision. Hope they enjoy the view.

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Maybe I just had a bad day today, but I think that if you leave your exam room for any reason other than to potty or go for testing, you should have to be re-triaged

Jen, I agree with this wholeheartedly.

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You mean the "vascular experts" who tell you that, "her veins roll", or " they never put an IV there before". "Why does she need an IV"? On & On & On!! LOL- (not really).

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I work in a rural hospital and when a pt enters the ER, they are directly in the middle of it. We don't have a triage desk and end up putting people in our rooms as they arrive. Families/friends of our pt's tend to think that this is an outing. They always bring as many people as they can, and then think that they ALL need to be in the room with the pt. It is very hard to manouver around the crowds and no one ever lets the pt speak. I love the idea of the stickers and locked doors. Whatever happened to the day when children under 12 et visitors coming/going at all hours of the night were not allowed? This is ridiculous!

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Specializes in Tele, ICU, ER.

I love the one where the guy brings his wife in for a UTI (or a preg test) and they bring their 3 other kids, under 5yo with them, and then get mad when they a) can't bring the kids back so papa can sit with mama or b) can't leave the kids in the WR alone with the 5yo in charge. Give me a break!

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Maybe I just had a bad day today, but I think that if you leave your exam room for any reason other than to potty or go for testing, you should have to be re-triaged

Jen, I agree with this wholeheartedly.

guess what! we do this! if you leave to smoke you've officially eloped!

2 visitors only here, more if the situation is critical.

i think 'no visitors until the dr sees the pt' is ridiculous though. if my hubby couldn't have been with me, i would have been very upset. i think that is selfish on the dr's part. i bet s/he wouldn't let his spouse sit alone on a stretcher!!

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Specializes in acute medical.

Do you have access to databases? EBSCO host and Blackwell Science Journals are often very helpful.

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Specializes in Emergency.

We allow 2 visitors in our ER; but, folks are always sneaking back when the locked doors open. I don't care unless they get in the way of care or are downright obnoxious! You know the ones. They tell you how to do your job! My feeling is that Security should be stationed at the locked door and should be in charge of passes.This would keep visitors to a minimum and would keep nurses from getting harangued for enforcing the visitor policy!!

Press-Ganey gets around, doesn't it?:eek:

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Specializes in Surgical Nursing, Agency Nursing, LTC.

Our facility have rules but don't enforce them. Sometimes a patient could have up to 5 visitors in the room. So when you go in, you can't get to the patient, they act like you have to maneuver aroung THEM. Asking a crowd of people to leave the room so u can examine the patient tend to be a chore... they act like with all 5 of them in the room they DON"T have to leave the room.

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