Visitors with no common sense!!

Huganurse · Jun 9, 2002

When did nurses loose the ability to run the nursing units? I don't care what the policy states re visiting hours. I control the visitors numbers and who is there as the bedside nurse. (When I'm doing BS nsg). I decide what's best for the patient at the time. I only allow those to visit who are beneficial to the patients recovery. If too many show up, I make them take turns visiting. If a SO or kids or anyone is upseting my patient I tell them they must leave. I have never had problem with this. If I need to do a procedure, I tell any visitor who's there to leave unless I think that person will be able to help by comforting the patient or help me (People who are already caregivers at home, I make my assistants). Maybe it's my military approach and convincabilty. The patients are greatful so there is no fallout from that end. I always just took this task as part of my job.

I could see why L/D and M/B care could be difficult to control. I'd like to suggest that you work with the predelivery patient education folks at your facility. Include visitation and reinforce that the mother needs to let everyone she knows ahead of time who will be there and not. What happened to the viewing through the glass window at specific times? I know that things have changed alot over the years and birthing rooms are now the norm with the baby staying in the room with mom. Seems that mom could take the baby to the newborn viewing area at the specific time so everyone could see without bombarding the nursing unit and patients rooms. It seems that instituting more stringent rules would be easy right now. Security is an issue these days and maybe the PR wouldn't suffer, if it was done in the name of security and safety to limit visitors.

SmilingBluEyes · Jun 9, 2002

GREAT suggestions huganurse...but if you think all those have NOT been considered and attempted, think again. hard to do, when you are NOT backed UP! that is the frustration we in OB (and other areas, i am sure) face, period! And i agree, security isa HUGE ISSUE....we have been trying for LONG time to convince mgt. that it is a priority that needs addressing SOONER RATHER THAN LATER....had MY druthers, we would be LOCKED DOWN 24/7...but it ain't happened yet...prolly will take a abduction or assault to make it happen. who knows?

nursejws · Jun 9, 2002

I'm a student as well, but I can't believe how people can be so rude. When my Dad was in ICU, granted, all of us were there at all hours of the night. I think they gave us a little slack because all of us were from out of town, and my Dad wasn't going to make it. Regardless of the hour, at least ONE family member was in the room at all times. With that being said, when the nurse or any of his dr's came in the room to do their job, we always stepped back, and stayed out of the way. Even the nights I stayed in the room all night, yes I did, right by the bed, holding his hand...I told the nurses if they needed to be where I was just knock me out of the way. We also thanked them profusely for letting us stay in the room. We pretty much took over the waiting area too. We never asked for any food or drink...maybe ice, but never anything else. Once we knew where the ice machine was we always asked first too.

Call me weird, but all of this is common sense to me. After a while, since there was 7 kids, they did ask us to limit the room number to 2-3, and that was fine too. I usually stayed there with my Mom, then if my sisters or brothers dropped in, I would go smoke, or get a ride to the house we were staying at for family members and get a shower or take a nap. The night before he was removed from the breathing machine, everyone, except Mom, went to dinner...oldest brother took us all out, then I went home with him because I was exhausted and needed a good nights sleep without my sister. It did me good to do that for many reasons.

One question...whatever happened to set visiting hours? I've only recently experienced a hospital that didn't have set hours, or at least lock the front door, or announce that visiting hours are over. While I like to support my family and friends when they are in the hospital, one should never overstay their welcome. Especially in the hospital! I recently took a friend to the ER, and they had to list the people that were allowed to call, or visit, while they were there. Obviously, immediate family (s/o, kids of AGE, parent) should have the right to visit...but I think if the patient can tell you what they want in relation to visitors, their wishes should be respected.

Also, while my Dad was in the hospital, this other guy, who had a room full of people just hours before, coded. We were asked to leave my Dad room. My Mother was allowed to stay in with my Dad, door shut and curtain pulled. We even stayed out of the waiting room waiting on the family to come back...the man didn't make it. That was the saddest thing since they were all talking and joking around just a few hours before.

Huganurse · Jun 9, 2002

Postscript:

A thought...

When nurses controlled the hospitals, it was a controlled environment........Visitors, germs, numbers and ratios............

When nurses were stripped of being the controllers..........So that they could be controlled.........We now work in an out of contol environment...........where the patient is king or queen for the sake of PR........And corporate money mongrels rule................How will we ever move forward from here?

SmilingBluEyes · Jun 9, 2002

VERY GOOD POINTS,huganurse...we need to "go backward" here to "move forward"!

Huganurse · Jun 9, 2002

This thread reminded me of a previous thread I called ignorant visitors found at: https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11054

fergus51 · Jun 9, 2002

My problem is with the people who know the visiting hours and still won't leave! On post partum we even turn off the light because we have a scheduled quiet time in the afternoon, but people STILL don't get it! I make them leave and if they protest I point out that there are other patients on the unit who do need the rest, even if your friend doesn't.

Anagray, BSN · Jun 9, 2002

I delivered my son via C-sec, prematurely. My roomate came in with an emergency C-sec, full term.

My birthing experience was the worst - she had visitors from early morning to late at night - kids, screaming teenagers, constant noise, telephone ringing off the hook, people were loud an abnoxious.

On top of that, as soon as i arrived to the room (just coming off the drugs) I wanted a drink. After I drank it, a nurse came in and basicly yelled at me, because I wasn't recording my own I&O !

( i had no idea I was suppose to)

sorry, but i needed to vent on this one.

Remembering my experience, I am looking out for my patients now - many of them are elderly, they have caths done, pacemakers put in, i want to make sure they get rest!

prmenrs, RN · Jun 9, 2002

This is a gentler, fonder memory of babies' moms: we sometimes get calls from timid [usually Hispanic] moms who whisper, "How's my baby?" So we whisper too, "What's your baby's name?" "Maria" or "Jose". No last name! Still whispering: "What's your LAST name?"!!!

Always cracked me up!

cbs3143 · Jun 9, 2002

Visiting hours can really get "interesting" on a post-partum unit when the husband is visiting, a female friend arrives to visit, and shortly after that, the visitor's boyfriend (alleged father of the child) joins the mix. A small room with a new babe is not the place to start throwing things and engaging in hand to hand combat, but it does happen. Some days, we need a security force just for the OB department. My wife is an OB nurse and shared that story to vent her frustrations. I'm sure some of you other OB nurses have seen similar lunacy.

nursedawn67, LPN · Jun 9, 2002

How about those fool visitors that bring in and give unprescribed meds to their family member...because they either asked for it or that family member felt the resident/patient would benefit from it! Nevermind all the meds we are already giving them! Let's overdose them or have a nasty drug interaction so we can say the hospital/nursing home doesn't know what they are doing!!

mattsmom81 · Jun 9, 2002

Totally agree with everyone here about the rudeness of people today. I should write a paper and submit it to Reader's Digest....I can call it "I am Joe's Nurse" and I will outline how frustrating my job is today caring for Joe in the hospital...particularly with rude, entitled, clueless visitors in my way, taking up my valuable time with idiotic 'needs' they think are more important than anything else!

Some of my top complaints: Families with small children that let them run all over the unit, eat patients's snacks, and even crawl on our crash cart and put drinks on top of the defibrillator.....when i told them this was unacceptable they reported me to administration.....

Unwed moms who leave infants in boyfriend's rooms while they g out to party....trouble is, boyfriend is out of it and on bedrest, unable to care for an infant....as already pointed out, nurses become the 'babysitters'.

Family members laying all over the rooms leaving zero room to walk. They are also in all the empty beds on the unit without asking permission(if we have any that is) or they're all over the halls, waiting rooms, and making as much noise as they please. God forbid we ask them to move, or keep the noise down.....we are reported for rudeness by these 'entitled' visitors.

I blame most of this on hospitals and their push to provide 'customer service'....demoting us to service workers from professionals. They have helped to reduce our status as nurses in the eye of the public today.