Flaming Mad at Local Hospital!!!

[Jay-Jay]

:angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire

Okay, here's what happened. My father's health has been declining rapidly for several weeks now. This morning, my mom could not get him out of bed (he's 88, she's 90). My brother left work to be with him, and at my prompting, called for an ambulance.

They took him off to hospital around noon and kept him all day. When he arrived there, he was unresponsive and unable to answer questions. They did a full battery of tests: CT scan, bloodwork and urinalysis. Due to SARS, no family members were allowed in the ER, so my brother and I stayed home with Mom, and kept in contact with the hospital by phone.

Finally, my brother left to go home and get some clothes so he could stay overnight (mom is legally blind, and dependent on my dad to be her eyes.) I called the hospital at 5 pm to get my dad's test results. I was told that he was 'fine' ....coherent, and in his right mind. The nurse 'thought' he was mobile, but wasn't sure. She said they couldn't find anything wrong and 'all tests were negative, so we are sending him home by Ambu transport.'

I pressed her for more information. She said she'd just come on shift at 3 and didn't know anything. She passed me to another nurse, who said my dad 'did not have an infection' and his CT scan was negative. I wasn't terribly happy with their report, but decided to allow them to send him home.

He arrived home around 7 pm. It took two people to get him off the stretcher and into a chair. His legs would not support him. As soon as he stood up, he urinated all over the floor. I got him settled in the chair, brought him some dry clothes, and fed him supper. Yeah, hospital hadn't even bothered to feed him! Mom supervised his meal, while I got on the phone to the hospital, with smoke coming out of my ears!!! Before I did so, I glanced at the papers the hospital had sent home with him. Well, well, well, what have we here?? A script for SEPTRA??? And the nurse told me he did NOT have an infection?? Yeah, RIIIIIGHT!!

Once I got a nurse on the phone, I demanded to know WHY he had been sent home when he wasn't even able to walk without assistance. The nurse responded, "Well, we understood that you had a meeting set up for tomorrow to complete long term care papers."

I angrily informed her that the papers required an examination by a doctor, and just HOW was I going to get him to the doctor's office in the shape he was in?? And, moreover, you cannot get someone into long term care just at the snap of your fingers...it takes time. Meanwhile, we are stuck with him at home. There is NO bathroom on the first floor of the house, and nowhere to put a bed, either. Mom doesn't even have a hideabed couch. So far, we have ONE hour a day of homemaking services to get Dad up and dressed, and that's it. Hardly enough for someone who cannot even walk to the bathroom. And of course, both my brother and I work, and neither one of us lives with Mom and Dad anymore.

She passed me over to another nurse who was more sympathetic and better able to answer my questions. She went to look for dad's chart, to see if she could find out why he had been put on Septra. Meanwhile, I'm glancing at the test results they'd sent home, and figured it out for myself. He had a UTI. Hmmm...no surprise there! He had a cystoscope done last Thursday. I checked my watch, and realized the pharmacy was closing in ....ooops!! FIVE MINUTES!! I dropped the phone, and sprinted for my car. Got there just in time to get the medication.

When I got back my brother had returned, and we decided to get him settled in bed. Dad is just over 6' tall and weighs about 185 lbs. Luckily, my brother is 6' 1' tall, and I'm pretty tall too, and as a result of my nursing, know body mechanics. Between the two of us, we managed to get him upstairs to bed, but there was more than once on the trip when I was sure he was going to topple backwards down the stairs. I did pericare on him, and got him settled. Meantime, he was humming and singing to himself, totally out of it. My brother and I had to use main force to get him to lie down on the bed, as he just wasn't capable of following our instructions.

AAAUUUGGG!! I am SO furious at this! I tell you, E----------General Hospital is going to hear from me tomorrow! I am totally DISGUSTED at what they did to this poor man!

[canadiannurse21]

Sorry to hear about your situation. In my hospital, there are beds on medical for patients awaiting admission to a long term care facility. There should be a holding place, either in the hospital, or a separate place altogether for your father and others in need like him. I hope and pray your family gets through this hard time--:kiss

[Jay-Jay, RN]

Latest news: they've taken him off the antibiotics, as all blood cultures were negative. Good thing too, he ripped the IV out 7 times!!

I saw him tonight, and cannot believe the change since Easter Sunday, when he walked for over an hour with my husband. He can barely feed himself, and kept falling asleep towards the end of the meal, as though the effort of eating had exhausted him. His O2 sats are normal, CT scan shows no major changes. His liver enzymes are out of whack, however, and the nurse asked me if he'd ever had a drinking problem!! (She obviously doesn't know my dad! He's not a teetotaler, but he's darn close!)

So, they're going to do a CT scan of the abdomen on Monday to R/O cancer, cirrhosis, etc. Doesn't sound good....

[jemb]

Keeping you and your family in my thoughts, Jane. It must make you very sad to see your father so ill with no apparent explanation. ((((((Hugs)))))

[mother/babyRN, RN]

How are his electrolytes? My sodium was off by 3 points once and I was confused...My prayers for you and your family....{{{}}}

[Jay-Jay, RN]

I don't know (sigh!) In spite of being an RN, I had a heck of a time getting any info out of the nursing staff. Part of the problem was his nurse took an hour and 15 minute long supper break! I was sorely tempted to rip a strip off her, but bit my tongue for fear she would take it out on my dad if I complained.

[MelRN13]

Praying for you Jane, keep us updated.

[jadednurse]

My heart goes out to you and your family Jane. I went through a similar situation last year when my grandfather died. And it was at a hospital that I used to work at. Made me furious, made me sad. My thoughts are with you...

[mfdteacher, BSN]

No one can condone the actions of the RN you spoke with first. As an agency nurse with a full time wonderful job, my limited time in the ER on weekends lets me see the burnt out and frustrated nurses. They work 12 hours shifts and lots of overtime and are constantly short staffed. Then we expect them to treat people with respect and dignity. Perhaps you're seeing a symptom of our health care crisis. I'm glad I work when I want to instead having to but angry as hell for what happened to your father. I wish the $$$hospitals and $$$HMOs would get it together so nurse could once again nurse and TAKE CARE of people like your father. Know that you have helped me strive even harder to be the best I can be for your dad, your children, your siblings, and anyone who comes to me for care.

[fergus51]

Originally posted by nrw350

I would think that they would allow you back there with your dad if gloved, gowned, and masked even if there was a risk simply because you are also a nurse and understand the implications! That is also a load of crock too. IMHO.

Let us know how it all works out.

It's the ministry of health setting the rules from day to day, not the hospital's nurses. I worked at the door and had to refuse entry to family members. It was TERRIBLE and many of them wanted to mask and come in, but were not allowed under any circumstances. I almost started to cry when one woman asked me why I wouldn't let her in, when I had no say in the matter.

I hope things start to look up for your family Jay-jay. I know from experience how hard it is to start the LTC road.

[yannadey, LPN]

Thanks for the update sorry Your dad isn't doing any better & for your experience with the nurse

but this just brings the state of our health care system to the forefront the bottom line now-a-days is money(making a profit & paperwork) not patient care.

Will continue to keep your dad in my prayers.

[rnrncan]

Jane as a former Case manager with another hospital in York Region I can totally identify with the problems you identify. If we received notification that a patient needing home care was to be sent home it was almost after the fact. I can't count the number of times that I stood in the halls advising the docs that so and so can't return home until a physio /OT has seen the patient and equipment sent in. Family notification seemed the last thing on their priority list. On more than one occasion, I was the reason pts. didn't go home in what the hosp felt was a timely manner. Besides doing the above ideas re notification to the CEO etc of E ..GH I would also call your locall CCAC and ask that your father be reassessed for additional services until this crisis is over.

[Jay-Jay, RN]

Originally posted by rnrncan

Jane as a former Case manager with another hospital in York Region I can totally identify with the problems you identify. If we received notification that a patient needing home care was to be sent home it was almost after the fact. I can't count the number of times that I stood in the halls advising the docs that so and so can't return home until a physio /OT has seen the patient and equipment sent in. Family notification seemed the last thing on their priority list. On more than one occasion, I was the reason pts. didn't go home in what the hosp felt was a timely manner. Besides doing the above ideas re notification to the CEO etc of E ..GH I would also call your locall CCAC and ask that your father be reassessed for additional services until this crisis is over.

OMG!! I MUST be tired! :imbar I clicked on "edit' instead of "quote" and wound up putting MY post inside yours! The perils of having moderator powers! LOL! Here's what I posted:

It was the CCAC case manager that finally got him admitted to HRRH (Church St.) She called for an ambutrans, after verifying that the hospital wasn't on redirect, as it was the day before. I am very grateful for her efforts...she spent a lot of time on the phone with me and with others to work out a solution. Too bad the CCAC case managers at the hospital weren't more on the ball the previous day. I did talk to one of them, and it SOUNDED like he was going to be admitted for LTC placement.

BTW...90 yr. old mom...WALKED herself to church on Sunday, ALONE. She has very limited vision, due to macular degeneration, but she managed okay (uses a white cane). Once there, she REFUSED numerous offers to drive her home. Yeah, it was a really gorgeous day, and she didn't have to cross any streets to get to the church. Gutsy, stubborn old lady!

I work in home care, so I agree with leaving people in their homes as long as possible. I've told my brother: this is what she wants...give her a chance, let her fail (if she's going to). Then, when that happens, it will be her coming to her OWN decision, not something we're forcing on her. Besides, it's much easier to navigate around a familiar place when you have limited vision. When she was at our place for Thanksgiving, she had trouble finding her way back to the dining room from the kitchen.