I was horrified today!!!!

Specialties Emergency

Published

Today i got a 38 year old patient in by ambulance from a ECF. He had a stroke a year and a half ago and is not able to move on his own. He understands everything that is said and can answer any questions you ask of him. First of all the paramedic said more then once in front of the patient how bad he smelled, it was bad to say it once but she kept saying it and he could hear and understand her. Then as I am doing my assesment I see he has a foley that looked like it had been there for months, with no urine in the bag. He was on a cloth pad that was soaked in urine and had been there awhile. He had ***** drainage arount the entrance of the cath also. A huge bed sore on his cocyxx, and one on his heel that went to the bone. He had a temp and looked like crap!!!!! I changed his foley and got over 2000cc of the nastiest urine I have ever seen in my life (and I have seen alot of nasty urine). He also had a PICC line that had a dressing that looked like it had not been changed in forever!!!!!!!! I called the ECF and asked when his foley had been changed and of course they could not give me an answer!!!!! I guess my biggest gripe about the whole thing is how can any nurse work in a place like that and live with themselves????? Anyway sorry just had to vent!!!!

This was posted in 2005. You guys had me all worried about this man.

Oh good Lord! I didn't even check the date!!!

Specializes in CT ,ICU,CCU,Tele,ED,Hospice.

i didn't either

Today i got a 38 year old patient in by ambulance from a ECF. He had a stroke a year and a half ago and is not able to move on his own. He understands everything that is said and can answer any questions you ask of him. First of all the paramedic said more then once in front of the patient how bad he smelled, it was bad to say it once but she kept saying it and he could hear and understand her. Then as I am doing my assesment I see he has a foley that looked like it had been there for months, with no urine in the bag. He was on a cloth pad that was soaked in urine and had been there awhile. He had ***** drainage arount the entrance of the cath also. A huge bed sore on his cocyxx, and one on his heel that went to the bone. He had a temp and looked like crap!!!!! I changed his foley and got over 2000cc of the nastiest urine I have ever seen in my life (and I have seen alot of nasty urine). He also had a PICC line that had a dressing that looked like it had not been changed in forever!!!!!!!! I called the ECF and asked when his foley had been changed and of course they could not give me an answer!!!!! I guess my biggest gripe about the whole thing is how can any nurse work in a place like that and live with themselves????? Anyway sorry just had to vent!!!!
This is criminal neglect.

Please report it! You can save other patients the same horrors.

They will let you keep your report confidential. I suggest you do this to protect yourself. You never know how many friends you do not have until you stick your neck out and someone gets consequences for being abusive.

Go for it. This guy (and others like him) has only you.

Specializes in ER, Outpatient PACU and School Nursing.

I would of reported it to my charge nurse, nursing supervisor and my OT police officer to send a officer out AND called the state immediately. that is just unacceptable. how horrible for that patient to be treated that way...

Specializes in Emergency/Critical Care Transport.

Had a patient like that years ago. Came in from the ECF in deplorable condition, had thick crud under his nails that also seemed to coat most of his body. Guy was brain damaged after an MVC bed confined, contractures, had to be fed, bathed etc. You know the whole total care thing. As such he was labor intensive patient we saw him frequently, usually whenever the ECF was short staffed. We reported the horrible conditions of this pt including his multiple pressure ulcers, poor foley etc. The State Board looked into it took depositions from all of us and...........

wait for it

Not a damn thing was done about it. We got some bureaucratic mumbo jumbo about how if they ever came down hard on one of the nursing homes it would have a chilling effect. They would stop accepting high maintainence patients and the ED's would be flooded with pt's that had no where to go.

Quite frustrating indeed.

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