Your Thoughts Requested

Nurses General Nursing

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My husband and I have been having this discussion since my DR recently found a nodule on my thyroid. What do you think or what would DR's think of a spouse requesting to be in the operating room during a surgery? Do you think it is possible, have you ever had anyone request this. I know it is probably something that people just don't address with their DR's but my husband is adament about this stuff, not wanting if something should happen for me to be alone with strangers if i should pass away. Your thoughts and ideas will be greatly appreciated.

CCU NRS

Where do you see on my profile that I am a CNA? That is not even a choice under the educational profile. My orginal profile contained my date passing my RN boards which stated "new RN 8/12/03". I have since changed that so no one can criticize me for being a "new" nurse.

To everyone who has criticized my spelling, grammar and punctuation, I would not even stoop to that level, that is just down right nasty. EVERYONE makes typographical errors and to tell you the truth on this BB board I see it all the time but do I comment on it, NO. Let's stop acting like children! I thought we were here to support each other and our profession, not to be judgemental towards others. I just asked a simple question of "yes or no" to seeing or allowing people in the OR, did not expect all that followed. So please forgive my comments in my posts, as I feel I had to be defensive, because I felt I was being attacked. I fully understand the reasoning for things related to the OR but I still feel the way I did before.

To chris de Lucas, I am not depressed or have anxiety about the surgery, if I have it at all. Need to get a biopsy first. I am one of the most happy-go-lucky people around and of the few people who do not take antidepressants. Norman Bates, come on! Just wanted a question answered. I am not a psychotic person, just have feelings, thoughts and wishes just as we all do.

PS, How was my grammar and spelling?

CCU NRS

Where do you see on my profile that I am a CNA? That is not even a choice under the educational profile. My orginal profile contained my date passing my RN boards which stated "new RN 8/12/03". I have since changed that so no one can criticize me for being a "new" nurse.

To everyone who has criticized my spelling, grammar and punctuation, I would not even stoop to that level, that is just down right nasty. EVERYONE makes typographical errors and to tell you the truth on this BB board I see it all the time but do I comment on it, NO. Let's stop acting like children! I thought we were here to support each other and our profession, not to be judgemental towards others. I just asked a simple question of "yes or no" to seeing or allowing people in the OR, did not expect all that followed. So please forgive my comments in my posts, as I feel I had to be defensive, because I felt I was being attacked. I fully understand the reasoning for things related to the OR but I still feel the way I did before.

To chris de Lucas, I am not depressed or have anxiety about the surgery, if I have it at all. Need to get a biopsy first. I am one of the most happy-go-lucky people around and of the few people who do not take antidepressants. Norman Bates, come on! Just wanted a question answered. I am not a psychotic person, just have feelings, thoughts and wishes just as we all do.

PS, How was my grammar and spelling?

Actually--I do not think that weezie wrote this. The thought process seems just a little too organized. Where is the hysteria?

Specializes in ER.

does anyone remember the three billy-goats-gruff fairy tale and who lived under that bridge?

does anyone remember the three billy-goats-gruff fairy tale and who lived under that bridge?

You are not saying weezie is a troll, are you?

I can usually follow a metaphor, but I'm lost on this one.

Yeah, I remember it--loved that story! But can't see the connection. Please, a little clue or two.

Specializes in Case Mgmt; Mat/Child, Critical Care.
I can usually follow a metaphor, but I'm lost on this one.

Yeah, I remember it--loved that story! But can't see the connection. Please, a little clue or two.

I remember it too, but all I'm coming up with is "troll" also....

The old controlling and rigid approach just does not work---but neither does total freedom for the patients and their families..that's just chaos...

Yes it is and it is a big reason I just left my ICU job...we ALL have choices where we want to WORK too. Administration wanted 24-7 family visiting in my ICU ....you may call me controlling and rigid...but I can and WILL refuse to do it. Not with the liabilities of today. I need to do my important critical care work somewhere where I am not under a microscope every second. When nurses speak up and say they've had enough of this kind of crap, perhaps administrators WILL listen...and I am one nurse who just voted with her feet. :coollook:

Specializes in NICU.

Weezie, unfortunately, the idea of having your husband right by a surgical site totally turns me off. It's would be very crowded around there, anyway, with the surgery on your neck.

I am always turned off when family members want to be right at the patients side, for any procedure. To me, it shows a complete lack of trust in the staff, as non-medical family members wouldn't know what was going on. and could misunderstand the attitude . I know that I prefer to work without family members hovering. I can concentrate on the job at hand. I realize that things do go wrong, but why stress the staff any more than necessary?

I work in an operating room and I can't imagine any reason or rule that would allow a spouse into the OR just because they demand it. Your husband is not being reasonable. We have a job to do in the OR, we can't have every one in there. Even with high risk prisoners, the guards must go through security and be approved to sit outside the OR doors. They absolutely cannot come into the OR room itself. Your husband needs to trust the professional staff that is there to perform your surgery. I doubt you will find any hospital that will allow it even if the doctor says it's okay.

I agree. I can't imagine a family member being in the OR during a procedure. How could the staff and doc do their jobs with a family member in the room?

Can you imagine a family member interupting to ask questions, losing control, contaminating everything or even grabbing the staff, pt or doc?

Then, if a family member caused injury to the pt by their actions, they would sue saying the hospital should have known better than to allow them in.

Even if they stood silently in a corner, just having them there would be a great distraction.

In any case, the risk and the liability would be great.

By no means am I implying that the OP's family would behave badly, but having family in the OR would be out of the question, I would think.

Best wishes to the OP for the best of care and a full recovery.

Weezie, unfortunately, the idea of having your husband right by a surgical site totally turns me off. It's would be very crowded around there, anyway, with the surgery on your neck.

I am always turned off when family members want to be right at the patients side, for any procedure. To me, it shows a complete lack of trust in the staff, as non-medical family members wouldn't know what was going on. and could misunderstand the attitude . I know that I prefer to work without family members hovering. I can concentrate on the job at hand. I realize that things do go wrong, but why stress the staff any more than necessary?

I believe that there is almost always a place for family in the care of a loved one. We have, for too many years, shut out families who then felt pushed out and began to think WE HAD Something TO HIDE. I believe in close contact and frank discussion with family members I have been in nursing for 21 yrs Surgical and Obstetric mainly but some good ole med surg in my infancy in nursing. In OB you get used to having families watching everything you do and you get real used to explaining everything over and over. I believe by facilitating a holistic and inclusive partnership with patients and families you give the best care. When families see how hard we work and how much we care while being knowledgabe and competant (sp) I feel that does so much in fostering a good relationship that there are less law suites and accusations of malpractice and negligence. I currently split my time between a regular OR and L&D at two different hospitals. While I do not agree with letting family members into the operating room during regular surgery for infection controll issues and no real staff to monitor the person and make sure they are alright because it can be overwhelming to see the person you love put to sleep tubed draped and cut on. I do believe that fathers that get to go into the surgical area for the birth of their child is common and appropriate. Sounds like a double standard yes but there are differences. There are people who can monitor the support person in the OB OR should he or she have to leave the room. The person is brought back after induction of anesthesia or placement of spinal or epidural and after prepping and draping. In a regular OR there usually is no one but the circulator that could take care of the visitor and then he or she would be taken away from the task of surgery and that would be a step down in care especially in the case of an emergency. If God forbid there were a code in the OR and the persons significant other was there it would be very difficult to get the job done and take care of the visitor. In C-Sections as I said before the father or support person leaves when the baby goes to the nursery and isn't allowed back in the room no matter what. C-sections are considered dirty cases and most women will recieve antibiotics routinely. IN the regular OR many of the cases are not dirty and adding extra personel just increases the risk of infection. Giving all patients antibiotics just so husbands and wives can be in the room isn't cost effective and increases the risk of more drug resistant strains of bacteria. I call out during surgery to waiting families and give regular updates about what is going on and how the patient is doing. This makes the wait so much easier for families and they dont feel left out or pushed to the side. They feel their being taken care of too. They relax, worry and anger are kept to a minimum. We all know that many malpractice cases are brought forth by people who have felt that care simply was not provided or that they were treated rudely, not spoken too, or that their concerns were minimized and not taken into consideration. As far as being under a microscope I say bring it on because I think people need to see how hard we work how great we are and then maybe they will begin to understand that a nurse is alot more than a bedpan fetcher and or Dr's handmaiden. People in OB have often said that they wish they could get rid of video cameras in the delivery room and some Dr's will not allow it. Again I say bring it on because that tape is going to be my best defense it will show what was done and that things were done right.

blue skies and butterflies

yes i certainly understand the whole bit about the sterile field and infection control but you cant tell me that a lot of infections don't stem from the OR. With the rise of infections in hospital which a good portion being nonsocomial, so what if any likliehood would there be that much more of and infection rate just my hubby being there, i have lived with him for 13 yrs i cetainly know he is not harbering any organisms or infections

Are you sure you are a nurse? I am asking this in all sincerity, and not trying to anger you.

Everyone on the planet is covered with all kinds of microorganisms at all times. Also, no matter how well you know someone or for how long, anyone could have any kind of infectious disease, and it not be immediately apparent.

Also, when placed in a new and stressful situation, the calmest, most rational person in the world can totally freak out.

Addendum:

Well, just finished reading this entire thread. As another poster said, this thread has taken on a "Twilight Zone" feel.

DAQUEENGENE,

Thank you for caring about your patients and me, you are the first one who has not totally bashed me. I am a good nurse and believe in the same things that you do. I don't make people step out of the room when changing "mother" when they have been taking care of her personal needs for years. Why? If they are comfortable, why make them step out? People need to be there for their families because most times family is all you have. With today's shortages it is good to have families participating in the patient's care. Family involvement usually lends to a better patient outcome. When families are involved in the care of the elderly demented patient and ill children they are usually much more calm and cooperative and recuperate much faster with less complications.

DAQUEENGENE ONLY

I know you state no one has been allowed into a regular OR but what about outside the door,in an observation room, or even the surgeons scrub room which usually has windows?

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