I had a patient the other day who kept me hopping. At our hospital, we are required to round every hour, but with most patients, it ends up being more often due to acuity of our patients...especially with this patient. She was on two drips, neuro checks (which WNL), went down for a test, etc.. I am big on patient care, and I took great care of my patient. The entire day family was constantly in the room...lots of family and visitors ALL DAY. At one point, I know there were at least 6 or more people in that room at one time...some were young, loud, in the way children. I managed it well, I maneuvered around them, and I did my job beyond. They were even the type that would tell you how to do stuff, like maybe you should do it this way, get her up this way, etc.. Continued to handle it well. They were nice though, patient was really sweet lady...no problems. Well, close to the end of the shift, one family member/daughter comes to tell me they were going out for a little while to get some food, do we have a bed alarm? I went in the room with this family member, set the alarm (know it set due to loud beep and the light was on). We even made the comment about the beep due to pt was lying there sleeping, and we made comment about "good, it did not wake her". Family member leaves. She witnessed it! About 10 minutes later, the alarm goes off, I run down the hall in no time since I was in another patient's room close by, and the patient had just moved a certain way in the bed, and she triggered the alarm. I reset the alarm, checked and situated pt...everything fine. As things go at end of shift, patient down the hall started having some change in status-increased BP, tachy, arms hurting...assessed her, called dr, got orders with new meds to give her right then IV. I was in that room handling that patient's status when alarm goes off again. Peeked out door, saw there was someone going in room, continued to take care of more critical patient. Well, night shift comes in, I go to finish my charting on critical pt, give report, finish up (had already done final round on other patients as well). I am sitting at desk, daughter of bed alarm pt comes up to desk shaky and mad to complain requesting charge nurse. She states they have been pressing call light "forever" and no one had answered or came to room. Secretary and other nurses at desk stated they had not received any calls from room. Also, she states how ridiculous it is with all us there and us being a smaller hospital than one at before, it was a shame no one came as soon as called, how they were at such and such hospital, and it was a bigger hospital, and they had no problems with someone coming as soon as needed, getting what needed, etc.. Then, she proceeds to say how her father tried to get the pt out of bed to go to bathroom and the bed alarm did not go off. She says "if something happens to my mother, then we will sue your a.... off!" Well, I was upset. We checked call light, found out they were pressing the wrong button (after pressing right one all day long)...problem there fixed. Still upset about bed alarm. I explained to charge nurse and others around that I had set the alarm and reset once as well. I know how to set a bed alarm, especially on a bed that we had at previous hospital I worked at, and as I said before, it beeps loudly and lights up. I do not know who, what, how the alarm was not on. I understand she was concerned about her mother's safety, but they had been taught not to get pt up without assistance (obese, older pt as well) along with other safety measures, plus family was back in room. Then, she complains how they had asked during the previous night shift about getting a BSC. No one mentioned all day about this, did not get it in report either, no order for, nothing. Just F.Y.I.-we were getting the lady up on the side of the bed close to the bathroom with no problems all day. I worked my butt off all day with that patient, rounded more than every hour, had good bedside manner, good patient care (and so did my preceptor/I'm not a new nurse, just new at this hospital...been there a month). There was nothing wrong all day, then BAM! It had me going home feeling like crap...why do family members act like this? And everything was documented by the way. I even told my preceptor that family is leaving to eat, so I set bed alarm. Anyway, some people you just cannot please no matter what it seems. I just worry too much (my preceptor told me not to worry about it or lose sleep over it, that some people are just like that...and she is a great nurse). Also, I am too passive. Should have talked to daughter, but I kept my mouth shut.
