It's easy: Tamper with things and EXTEND your STAY!

[CaLLaCoDe]

I so dislike it when patient's purposely mess with dressings...

Such as was the case with a dressing to one of my patient's last night...

A picc line dressing removed without mention to me of the situation. He stated that it just came unwrapped by his moving about. However I did notice his itching his person before later in my shift noticing the missing transparent dressing.

Well, I swiftly took action and redid the dressing explaining to him the risk of infection, the potentiality of his having a longer stay, and a lengthened stay at the hospital can turn out to be leathal. Patient's die from, lose limbs from, are impaired by bad infections. Please let me know next time!

I tire and am fed up of folks who infect their persons in order to keep themselves in the hotel/hospital!:angryfire:angryfire:angryfire Do patients like this have a death wish?! Is life on the outside that bad?

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

I don't think it is a matter of "catering" to them...but enabling them to stay in the sick role, which contributes to them draining the life out of the staff and taking away from others who are more acutely ill and truly need the help. To do for someone who can do for themselves is not helping them. Assist them, yes, until they need no assistance. As a poster said, that call bell doesn't go home with them.

And some of the worst offenders are the ones who can drag their IV pole down to the parking lot or another floor to visit with a friend or self-medicate.

Agreed. IMHO, you're well enough to go out for a smoke, you're well enough to go home.

[EmmaG, RN]

This is Munchhausen Syndrome and a mental disorder.

Yep. Some weren't diagnosed as such, but it was pretty obvious. One frequent flyer would fall every time the doc mentioned he was going to discharge her. Always in the bathroom, allegedly banging her head, and always unwitnessed. She'd also fake seizures in an attempt to extend her stay.

[CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN]

I have bad skin reactions to adhesives and tapes. I had a PICC line in my arm for awhile, and after it was finally out, the marks were there for over a year.

I will tell you that indeed my patient was due for a changing of his picc line site, what within a day, so you got me; I'm had! However in my own defense, this man is a frequent flyer, visiting time and time again various hospitals in our area. Possibly there aught to be a nursing diagnosis for this ailment. What say lengthening stay at all costs not excluding endangering self syndrome?

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

i will tell you that indeed my patient was due for a changing of his picc line site, what within a day, so you got me; i'm had! however in my own defense, this man is a frequent flyer, visiting time and time again various hospitals in our area. possibly there aught to be a nursing diagnosis for this ailment. what say lengthening stay at all costs not excluding endangering self syndrome?

how about these ones???

self-care deficit, dressing or grooming — related to perceptual or cognitive impairment

self-care deficit, bathing or hygiene — related to perceptual or cognitive impairment

role performance, ineffective — related to ineffective coping

self-esteem, chronic low

social interaction, impaired — related to sociocultural dissonance

thought processes, disturbed — related to psychological causes

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

Boy, you're on a roll with these, jlsRN!

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

Boy, you're on a roll with these, jlsRN!

They are pretty fun!!!:chuckle:clown::balloons:

[Dolce, RN]

Agreed. IMHO, you're well enough to go out for a smoke, you're well enough to go home.

Agreed 100%.

If you are well enough to complain about the food, beg to go out and smoke, demand more TV stations, and hit on your nurse you are well enough to go home!!!

[clee1]

And some of the worst offenders are the ones who can drag their IV pole down to the parking lot or another floor to visit with a friend or self-medicate.

Or worse yet, to smoke...