I will not defend nurses anymore

[lost soul]

My wife has been in the hospital 4 times in the past 2 months. During this time I have seen terrible nursing care. It seems that nurses are just robots who need to stay on a schedule of giving pills. There is no thinking at all. Every thing is by route.

A good example is that my wife is a diet controlled type 2. (diabetic) She was on glucose checks AC and HS. At HS she was 85. That was at 2100. I left to go home at 2300. When I arrived at 0700 I found out that the night nurse treated her low sugar.... This blew me away.. I asked her why she would treat some one with a normal blood sugar and on no hypoglycemics, and asymptomatic........ I honestly think she did not even understand the question.

Her next admission was for only 24 hours. She arrived in the er at 1900. They did blood work. I found out that her glucose was 75. (normal) Remember this was at 1900. She was sent to a room and I met the nurse. It was routine for her. Just fill out the paperwork. I left to go home at midnight. I arrived at 0700 the next morning. I was told that the nurse treated my wife's low sugar. Again, the same idiocy. She did not even due a finger stick, even though it was several hours after the blood work was done.

If they actually thought they were doing the right thing, they would have checked her glucose after they gave her the food and drink, to make sure her bs was normal. I am sure that if they did that, she would have been high and they might have given her insulin....then they could recheck, and she would be low, and round and round they would go......

I am adding this as an edit, as I may have not been clear. What is below has noting to do with her glucose. They gave her juice and crackers to treat the "low sugar"

I was with her for 16 hours a day for 2 weeks while she was in the hospital. What I saw scared the hell out of me. I had to constantly fight with the nurses to get her care that she needed. They would give her pills that made her vomit on an empty stomach. Then they would not learn and try to do it again. I had to fight for them to give meds with food. I had to dig the pills out of the puke to show that she did not ingest them.

I had this one nurse who wanted her to drink salt water to treat hyponatremia. I finally had to call the pharmacy and ask, or beg, for a pill. Who the hell wants to drink salt water? I pill is just as effective.

dont ask about the pain pills.......

I could write a book about all this. I am sick over health care.

When I was at the university, I was told "patients get well in spite of what we do to them" I had no idea how prophetic that was.

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

How were they treating the blood sugars? Was there an order for "salt water" instead of a pill? Did the nurse have a choice?

[lost soul]

To Pangea,

Maybe I was unclear, I edited my post.

They gave her juice and crackers for low sugar.

I dont understand the question "did the nurse have a choice?"

[BeachsideRN, ASN]

To Pangea,

Maybe I was unclear, I edited my post.

They gave her juice and crackers for low sugar.

I dont understand the question "did the nurse have a choice?"

If the MD order was for salt water and not a pill, the nurse had to administer salt water. A nurse cannot change an MD order only the MD can make a change. ETA: if the MD order said salt water or pill, then the nurse could ask the patient which they prefer.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

I can not give medical advice per AN TOS, however, just some food for thought:

I am not sure what may have sent your wife to the hospital, however, a BS of 75 or even 85 in some people can cause them to be symptomatic of hypoglycemia. And would require treatment. And if she was vomiting and unable to keep anything down, even more so. There is newer literature that suggests that 75 is a normal FBS reading. I am not entirely convinced that people can not be asymptomatic with a reading that is below a 90ish mark. I am not certainly suggesting everyone, but for some, anything below that and they are symptomatic of hypoglycemia.

What I find odd is that all of this was being done by mouth (PO). Did she not have IV access? Usually, when one is has low sodium, the usual course of action in my experience would be IV fluid to balance electrolytes. I have never in my many years heard of ingesting salt water to attempt to make that happen. (back in my beginning years of nursing perhaps if someone had a peg or other gastric tube maybe, but don't quote me on that).

There is also a point where a patient needs to say "I can not and will not take my medication on an empty stomach. I need you to bring me some crackers beforehand" Or you could get her crackers and be sure that she is able to have something. When someone is a diabetic, one of the most tricky things is when their electrolytes are out of whack. And I am just venturing to guess also that if there's low sodium, there is low potassium, and those pills are near impossible for most people to swallow, and again, is there a liquid variety that can be mixed with juice or water?

Because there was an issue with the sodium, I am only guessing that vomiting/diarrhea was what put your wife in the hospital to begin with. Which then discusses to have PO or not PO....ice chips to start....lots of things. To have discussion with the admitting MD on the course of care would also be of benefit.

Bottom line is that yes, nurses are trained in a different way these days. Very "computer is always correct" line of thinking, scripting, the "customer" needs scripting as to free form discussion. Patients move in and off of units quicker, and nurses are encouraged to do that. If you are questioning anything that is being done, ask to speak with the charge nurse.

Also remember that unless your wife is incompetent to make decisions for herself, there may or may not be communication that is happening between herself and the nurse without your input. The goal for any nurse is highest functional level, and for any number of people, that is independent thinking and managing of illness/disease process. I understand that your role may be as caretaker. But it is important to include the patient in the process as well.

In the future, I would most definitely, ask for charge nurse, be sure you are all on the same page as your wife's MD, and if it is a longer term stay, ask for a care conference.

And as a complete aside, it may be also worth looking into discharge planning that will work for your wife. Visiting nurse who monitors progress, tries to head any problems/issues off at the pass, monitor electrolytes....all things that a nurse can do at the house, and may benefit your wife.

Best wishes to you both.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

I'm confused why you're telling this to a bunch of off-duty nurses instead of those in charge if your wife's care? You won't defend us anymore...okay...we don't know who you are, nor do most of this bunch need defending, but okay... (I'm a bit baffled by the salt water suggestion myself. We give Gatorade and restrict free water, along with salt tabs or 2% or 3% NaCl as an IV fluid if prescribed. I have never in all my years of neurosurg/neuro trauma nursing--where we treat a lot of hyponatremia--seen someone suggest drinking salt water. Ick!!)

But in any case, you're barking up the wrong tree if your wife received poor care. Her unit has a nurse manager, her hospital should have a patient advocate. We're a bunch of nurses and students who value our profession enough to use a site called allnurses.com during our off-duty hours.

I do wish your wife the best in her recovery!

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

I'd give a patient with a marginal blood sugar a snack, too ...especially before putting them to bed for the night. Staff doesn't know your wife as well as you do, and they probably don't want to find her unresponsive in the morning.

Keylime explained my other question well.

The other complaints are difficult to comment on without more information that you may or may not want to provide. I find myself wondering if your wife is capable of making decisions for herself, for example ...and why she was admitted.

[windsurfer8, BSN, RN]

Who said nurses needed "defended" in the first place? If you are not receiving the care you feel you should be inform the charge nurse. Or ask to speak to the head nurse. What is the point of your post? That you are using anecdotal evidence to judge every nurse on the planet? That makes total sense. Good work!

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

I'm sorry, I don't believe anyone, doctor or nurse, would tell a patient to drink salt water. Most people would vomit! There are indeed salt tablets one can take by mouth, but the norm is to correct electrolyte imbalances per IV therapy.

[pookyp, LPN]

Your wife knows her BS norms more than anyone. Is she unable to verbalize her needs?

[canigraduate]

Your wife knows her BS norms more than anyone. Is she unable to verbalize her needs?

I was just wondering something similar. In this whole story, the wife did nothing for herself. Is she deaf/mute/immobile? Why didn't she ask for crackers or something when she was getting her meds?

Why do we care if this poster is defending nurses? According to his previous posts, he is an RN. So, he can't defend himself? So confused.

This is just weird.

[springchick1, ADN, RN]

And according to his profile, he's a pre-nursing student. Who really knows.