have you ever had family members who interfered with treatment?

[Ms.RN]

I had a family member who came to visit a patient said whenever this patient is done with IV ABT, we are suppose to remove it and throw it out in the trash because she's allergic to residue of ABT. Well, i'm due to hang her next IV ABT in an hour so I'm not suppose to hang it becuase shes allergic to it? How would you react to this?

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

I respectfully disagree that needlessly wasting expensive medical supplies does not interfere with treatment. It may not have an immediate impact on this patient's care, but generating unnecessary, non-reimbursed expense impacts the cost of health care for all of us, and ultimately our access to health care.

Respectfully, I think this is a bit of a stretch. As I stated, I do think it is wasteful, but it does not directly interfere with that specific patient's treatment.

If this visitor has such a significant sensitivity to "antibiotic residue" (whatever that is), then her mere presence in a hospital setting where antibiotics are in constant use is inappropriate and dangerous. Other than allergens that can be carried as dust-like particles in the air, I know of no case where an allergic person has been exposed and suffered a reaction merely by his/her presence in the same room as a particular substance. Please correct me if I am wrong, but I don't believe she is at any risk unless she is handling the IV bags, tubing, etc., which she has no business doing.

I agree. I think this lady is an attention seeking nut. But, she has had her whole life to practice this unhealthy behavior, and one nurse calling her out on it is not going to suddenly "fix" her. In fact, calling her out on it could, by extension, create unnecessary stress for the patient and other staff members who must follow after you and work in this person's presence. Sometimes it's best just to accommodate the silly request, while you silently shake your head to yourself and think what a nut this person is, and be glad that you only have to deal with her for a short period of time, and that she is not your family member, or better yet, that you are not her.

[Creamsoda, ASN, RN]

the family member is allergic to residue of antibiotic. when nurses hang iv abt and when its done infusing, nurses keep empty iv bag hanging in iv pole until the next dose and just change the bag when its time to hang the next dose right? family member claims that she is allergic to residue of abt. i dont know what she meant by residue but she said she worked as pharmacy tech and she had to quit her job because she was allergic to so many antibiotic. so she want nurses to throw the abt ivpb out after its done infusing, so it doesnt leave a scene of antibiotic. i hope i clarified a little bit.

that makes a bit more sense. shes probably not lying shen she says that. i work with a nurse who is severely allergic to penicillins. when they make the assignment, they have to make sure her patient isnt on anything like that, or if they suddenly order a penicillin, someone has to admin it for her. im amazed that she is able to work as a nurse at all, lol, but she does it, shes just very carefull. so ya, for this patient, just throw away the the piggyback bag if she really insists. shes apparently had anaphylactic reactions a few times and keeps an epi pen on her just in case. we all just try to be carefull around her.

so this family member may not be exagerating, but who knows maybe she is attention seeking

[Shenanigans, RN]

Yeah, sounds like that family member has some issues. I'm allergic to all manner of IVABs and I've had no issues drawing them (adhering to best practice has probably helped).

But one time I walked into a room and one of the pt's friends was actually adjusting the drug chart! On our ward we would leave some really general paper work in a folder with their drug chart and obs chart! The pt's friend and the pt were both IV drug users and the friend was increasing the dose of morphine and the route - to IV, but we're not allowed to give IV morph on our ward, only SubC so we all knew they were full of it.

Secruity was called and they were escorted off the premesis. The chart was scrapped. But we still keep the charts at the bed side - its beleived to be part of informed consecent and involving the pt in their care more... but not that much more!