my experience as RN/pt in my own hospital

fab4fan · Feb 29, 2004

Sorry to hear about all that lisa.

Unfortunately, this happens all the time to non-cancer pts. We as nurses need to start making a lot of noise about it, using the studies that are out there to prove this is wrong.

Dave ARNP · Feb 29, 2004

Firstly, let me apologise for the poor care you received by those who proclaim to practice pain managment. The care you received is so far below standard that it's not even funny.

I don't have the pleasure to dealing with anesthesia residents, although the family practices ones I get can be quite trick.

To berate a patient for chosing a method of anestheisa other than the one the provider chose is obsurd. Not enough money in the world to keep me awake during an ortho case.

To answer your questions, no you are not a bad patient/person/nurse because you were "hard to put to sleep".

Secondly this is NOT the best that we can do at eliminating a patients pain. With todays advances, surgery can be quite painless.

People just can't be afraid to make it so.

Glad to have you on the board! Hope you decide to make it your home!

--Dave

I was injured in an accident with my hydraulic table at work( foot caught in mechanism and squashed- took 30 min to take the table apart and retrieve my foot) I had to have a surgical debridment and skin graft, was on a wound vac for a few days stuck as a patient in my own hospital. What an eye-opening experience..... I had an anesthesia resident berate me verbally because I refused spinal anesthesia for surgey-sorry guys but NO WAY. Then the day after he continued to berate me because I was "hard to get to sleep" (redhead) Thankfully, one of my RN coworkers came to see me and suggested a femoral block for the graft surgery- so I asked for that. They were still wanting to do spinal but I absolutely couldnt stomach the thought of the residents poking around in my spinal canal. Post op I was prescribed 2 mg of MS which may have taken the very slightest edge off the pain and 10 mg of oxycodone which helped about 50% I was awake ALL night after surgery and about fit to be tied when they came in for rounds the next morning. The resident then prescribed some phenergan which the nurses then refused to give because I wasnt nauseated.
If this is the best we can do for post-op pain, Im afraid its hopeless. Too bad I never got a patient satisfaction survey cause I had a few opinions to share.
Once I was discharged, I pretty much had to tough it out with a few vicoden to take the edge off. Is there something therapeutic about experiencing acute pain that Im unaware of? Am I a "bad" patient because I wouldnt consent to spinal anesthesia and was "hard to get to sleep" ??? Yikes.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Feb 29, 2004

Still not to late to send a letter to Patient Represntative or whoever responsible for survey. In our facilities, they are looked at and reports such as yours ARE acted on.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Feb 29, 2004

Sorry you went through this.

I was reading and article about Elizabeth Kubler Ross' experiences as a cancer pt in the hospital a few years ago. She said her experiences as a pt showed her that all her research and writings have made no difference at all, as she suffered a great deal of pain that was not addressed.

As another posted suggested, I would write a letter detailing what you went through.

Wishing you a complete recovery- :balloons:

FranEMTnurse, CNA, LPN, EMT-I · Feb 29, 2004

Originally Posted by lisaloulou

I was injured in an accident with my hydraulic table at work( foot caught in mechanism and squashed- took 30 min to take the table apart and retrieve my foot) I had to have a surgical debridment and skin graft, was on a wound vac for a few days stuck as a patient in my own hospital. What an eye-opening experience..... I had an anesthesia resident berate me verbally because I refused spinal anesthesia for surgey-sorry guys but NO WAY. Then the day after he continued to berate me because I was "hard to get to sleep" (redhead) Thankfully, one of my RN coworkers came to see me and suggested a femoral block for the graft surgery- so I asked for that. They were still wanting to do spinal but I absolutely couldnt stomach the thought of the residents poking around in my spinal canal. Post op I was prescribed 2 mg of MS which may have taken the very slightest edge off the pain and 10 mg of oxycodone which helped about 50% I was awake ALL night after surgery and about fit to be tied when they came in for rounds the next morning. The resident then prescribed some phenergan which the nurses then refused to give because I wasnt nauseated.

If this is the best we can do for post-op pain, Im afraid its hopeless. Too bad I never got a patient satisfaction survey cause I had a few opinions to share.

Once I was discharged, I pretty much had to tough it out with a few vicoden to take the edge off. Is there something therapeutic about experiencing acute pain that Im unaware of? Am I a "bad" patient because I wouldnt consent to spinal anesthesia and was "hard to get to sleep" ??? Yikes.

__________________

A spinal anesthesia was forced on me a couple years ago. The surgery was for a urethral stirrup. I told the anisthesist I didn't want one. I cannot tolerate morphine. It makes me extremely pruritic. In response, he told me it was the best way to have the surgery done, and then he injected me with Versed so fast it made my hand ache. Then just as expected, I began to itch all over my entire body. What made it even worse was I also had pnumatic stockings on both legs. Benadryl doesn't touch it. Various attempts were made to get the itching under control, but nothing was effective until Narcan IV was given via drip for as long as the nurse3 dared to give it. After that I was given Demerol for the pain.

KimRN03 · Mar 4, 2004

I was in the hospital recently to have a laparotomy which included having an ovary and tube removed. I had good care during my hospital stay, however, when I went home things were a different story. I developed one complication after another (UTI, Yeast Infection, Stent Irritation). When I called both of my physician's who were involved in my care, it took the nurses awhile to contact me. Now, I know they are busy, but I could NEVER speak with one directly on the phone, always had to leave a message first. I had to run to the pharmacy repeatedly to try different meds. I wonder sometimes if I was just being a 'difficult patient' because of being an RN. The thing was I thought being an RN would help them out a little, but I can't help but think maybe they shouldn't know what I do for a living. Maybe I will play dumb next time. It sure has given me a good perspective of what my patients go through. I think I will be a better nurse because of my experience.

nurseygrrl, LPN · Mar 6, 2004

A spinal anesthesia was forced on me a couple years ago. The surgery was for a urethral stirrup. I told the anisthesist I didn't want one. I cannot tolerate morphine. It makes me extremely pruritic. In response, he told me it was the best way to have the surgery done, and then he injected me with Versed so fast it made my hand ache. Then just as expected, I began to itch all over my entire body. What made it even worse was I also had pnumatic stockings on both legs. Benadryl doesn't touch it. Various attempts were made to get the itching under control, but nothing was effective until Narcan IV was given via drip for as long as the nurse3 dared to give it. After that I was given Demerol for the pain.

Are you sure he wasn't a MENTAL PATIENT???? What a wack job! I'm glad you came out of that ok!

Repat · Mar 6, 2004

Sorry you went through this.
I was reading and article about Elizabeth Kubler Ross' experiences as a cancer pt in the hospital a few years ago. She said her experiences as a pt showed her that all her research and writings have made no difference at all, as she suffered a great deal of pain that was not addressed.
As another posted suggested, I would write a letter detailing what you went through.
Wishing you a complete recovery- :balloons:

That makes me so sad - I read all of her writings that I could when I was in school. Where did you read this? :crying2:

FranEMTnurse, CNA, LPN, EMT-I · Mar 6, 2004

Are you sure he wasn't a MENTAL PATIENT???? What a wack job! I'm glad you came out of that ok!

HerEyes73,

Well, I waited until I got my medical records, then I filled in the survey sheet the hospital always sends. I detailed that incident as well as an even worse incident with an old Urologist who was filling in for my regular Urologist, because he couldn't remember names, ex: he used the word, "bugs" for microbes, and he ordered me to clean my incision with Peroxide instead of soap and water, and worst of all, he took me off my Demerol, and replaced it with Percocet, 5mg.

My comment about that was, Dr........needs to retire! Then I wrote down every detail.

When I went back for an office visit, I saw a sign posted in the waiting room stating Dr.......would be there only one day a week until a replacement could be found. The old boy went bye, bye.