Question for you Seniors? Please

mattsmom81 · Jul 18, 2002

I think you made a good response. If children 'invite' sexual advances from adults they have been 'taught' to behave provocatively, by the molester.....

BBnurse34 · Jul 18, 2002

We have had a run of heroin babies lately.

Generally the mom's other children are spread out all over the US with grandparents, aunts, fathers and CPS. I would be lying if I said that I was able to behave "compassionately" toward these addict mothers. However, it is my obligation to give safe care and educational opportunities to all patients.

I don't think that we have to be compassionate, it's an emotion. We can control our behavior to the patient.

And always remember to chart these patient's perverse statements or behaviors.

mc40421 · Jul 18, 2002

I've been in a few situations where I just had to try not to pass judgement and gave that patient the same nursing care I give others. It's certainly not easy and at the end of the day it sometimes bothers me when I think about things. I once had a prisoner who tried to verbally make me feel uncomfortable and the two guards just laughed at everything he said and seemed to enjoy it, but I ignored the remarks, did my care, and left. The night before another nurse encountered the same abuse from him and tried to handle it by answering him back and she ended up in tears. I was determined that wouldn't happen to me. I also talked to the supervisor for the guards about what had happened and they were reprimanded and made to apologize to staff.

sleepqd · Jul 19, 2002

While I was in school, a woman here left her baby in the car seat, doors closed and windows rolled up, for approx 5 or 6 hours before the poor little thing was found. It was 96 degrees outside that day. She was pregnant at the time, and delivered while in prison. She was sent to the psych ward where I was doing my clinical for evaluation. I knew her, had seen her in the ED lots of times. I told my instructor not to let me near the witch.

The only reason I would have helped her was so she would live to stand trial. Our job descriptions and our very nature say that we are there to provide needed care. It doesn't say we have to like it. It doesn't say it has to make sense. It just says we have to do it.

micro, RN · Jul 19, 2002

You just do', for eight to twelve hours you are there to take "nursing" care of your patients.

But you are entitled to your feelings and your emotions about certain issues. If bothered too deeply and it would effect the care that you can give, discuss it with your charge, etc., otherwise

detach and do your job.......and clock out.....

debrief with someone you trust and confidentially of course.........

micro

the answers and the situations that we are involved with nursing are not easy...........

Flo1216 · Jul 19, 2002

I had to take care of a drug addicted young woman who had a positive tox screen during labor. My inital reaction was one of disdain and disgust but I was a professional and put those feelings aside and did not pass judgement, while everyone else did. I gave her the same care I would give anyone. And actually, I become more involved and got to know her and helped get her into a good treatment program. She has been clean and sober for almost 5 months now and baby is doing fine. She said I was the only one who treated her like a person and that I made her feel good about herself and her chances for recovery. A lot of these people do reprehensible things , but not all of them are bad people..they are people with problems. And even if they ARE bad people, it is not OUR place to judge them.Leave that to the cops, courts, etc. I would take care of ANYBODY, no matter what they did and keep my feelings to myself. And sometimes(I know not always) as I learned from my OB experience, when we don't judge we actually may make a difference.

CATHYW · Jul 19, 2002

Originally posted by Jay Levan
My answer is simple, short, and sweet. It is NOT my job to Judge the person, no matter what they have done. My preference is not to know the details, however even if they should be thrust upon me, I have learned to go about my tasks, in rendering nursing care to a patient, with a detachment, and many times, I have found myself in sympathy, of the horrible plight that awaits such a horrible person, if they do not repent of their sin.

This is exactly how I feel. You do not have to like a person to provide care for them. Even if you abhor what they have done, you ask your nurse-type questions, do your nurse-type exam, drsng change, whatever. For someone of this nature, they will likely have an officer in the room with them, so you can talk with him/her also. Conversation can be brief and simple-something you might've seen on TV, what the weather is doing. Be polite, and then, OTD until it is time to check, or until the patient calls for you.