Doctor Asked For A "Kind" Nurse

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Let me preface this thread by stating a few things:

1. I'm not posting this thread to bash certain religions, I'm posting to vent, gain understanding, and get a variety of views.

2. Whatever your belief, please respect the beliefs of others.

That said, I admit to not understanding how parents can stand by and watch their child bleed to death.

Teenager, throwing up blood for 2 days, H & H 6.1 and 17.0. Platelets 14. WBC 1.0. Pancytopenia. A religion that does not allow blood products or transfusions. Essentially we will be watching this patient die. As the majority of us know, some fresh frozen plasma, units of packed cells, the ability to SAFELY do an EGD and the patient would be discharged home in about 2 days.

Instead, in 4 hours when the next CBC was done, the Hgb was down to 5.8.

I overheard the attending doc asking the charge nurse to assign a "kind" nurse as this was a "difficult" case. I felt that was unnecessary, because as hard as it is for all of us to watch this, we still treat the patient and family with compassion.

My main point: I'm hoping someone could explain to me, how in the world can you stand by and allow your child to die?

Harsh question, and I'm sure an age-old question, but I do not and can not understand it.

OMG......I take it back. This is gut wrenching too...:o

I've watched people slowly (over days) bleed to death. Very sad.

Today has been very, very difficult. I had to go back to my office and cry, pull myself together and come back to work on the other patients in the unit. I can't interact with the family anymore, and my social worker is picking up the interactions so I can work on the insurance aspect.

The patient is getting progressively short of breath, anxious, tearful.

The attending is detaching and having a hard time with his anger.

The other specialist confided that she is "this close" to embarrassing herself. I had to commend her because she is handling this case SO well out of all the other docs. But, she is human and is a mother also.

The crash cart has been moved near the room. :o :crying2:

Specializes in NICU.

Aww. So sorry Vegas that must be so hard.

What about that "artificial blood" that's starting to be used? It's called H-B-O-C, for hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier - the generic term for Hemopure. It's made by Cambridge, Massachusetts-based pharmaceutical firm Biopure. It is used extensively in South Africa, where HIV contamination is a major problem. It is available here, but experimentally. I believe that it is approved for JW patients, although I may be mistaken. But it could be worth looking into, and soon.

Unfortunately I can't give the total picture of this patient and have to leave out some key points since this is a public site. But the HBOC is not an option.

I apologize for not being able to give more info, there is a lot more to this case (so very sad) I wish I could share - I could really use some input, but.....

House legal, nurse ethicist, attending doc are now here. A lot going on.

Don't forget to hit the cyber bar on the way home...you'll need it.

Vegas: I'm thinking about you; let me know if I can help.

As to why he was brought to the hospital, alternative treatment modalities which did not violate their beliefs, and comfort measures for a loved one. Da!!!

Wow, Vegas what a horrible predicament for everybody.

Supportive thoughts are being sent your way.

Keep up your good work.

Update: Got the approval for air ambulance and transfer to the special facility.

Don't know if/when we can transfer, patient is too unstable today and the accepting physician can't take the patient until the blood counts are at a certain level (?), but, at least we're ready if something turns around.

Going to the cyber bar for awhile. Thanks, everyone.

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