Glen Beck's hospital experience

MarySunshine · Jan 7, 2008

I thought fentanyl patches were strongly contraindicated for post-op pain. That would make me very nervous. His ranting about how fentanyl is an end-of-life drug was a little silly though. I've given it to many a patient who wasn't dying.

Anyway, it does sound like he had some unfortunate post-op complications and significant discomfort. I definitely see some legitimate concerns in his writing. Maybe that one big guy nurse wasn't helpful. And I definitely would have worked hard to assess his pain level and assure him about his fears about breathing. So he encountered some not-so-helpful staff. But he also wanted some red carpet treatment, too.

Bad writing, I agree. I wasn't exactly moved to tears.

siggie13 · Jan 7, 2008

I agree with everyone else. He obviously does not know enough to be spouting off like that and I cannot imagine any doctor prescribing all those meds for him! He sounded like he was still on quite abit and I do believe he probably had a hemmorrhoidectomy which is painful but really!. To me, it also sounds like his doctor was passing the buck to the hospital staff to deal with this difficult patient for him. One bad experience and he condemns the whole system...did sound like he expected "special" treatment because of his job. Thanks for the post...very interesting.

Penny8611 · Jan 7, 2008

Not that I have an opinion, or anything, but Glenn Beck is an unmitigated moron.

I'm just sayin'.

oramar · Jan 7, 2008

Several times I have come across him on his tv show, always very whiny, very self rightous. Don't like him, would not give creadence to anything he says.

pickledpepperRN · Jan 7, 2008

A friend is still angry years later because the nurses told her there were no dogs under her bed after surgery.

She is mad at me because when I visited her I actually looked under the bed and told her there were no dogs.

She still thinks I sided with the nurses against her.

emmycRN · Jan 7, 2008

I agree with everyone else. He obviously does not know enough to be spouting off like that and I cannot imagine any doctor prescribing all those meds for him! He sounded like he was still on quite abit and I do believe he probably had a hemmorrhoidectomy which is painful but really!. To me, it also sounds like his doctor was passing the buck to the hospital staff to deal with this difficult patient for him. One bad experience and he condemns the whole system...did sound like he expected "special" treatment because of his job. Thanks for the post...very interesting.

Yes. And I think it's ironic that he gives kudos to the "wonderful" docs but complains about the nurses when it it's obvious to me that the docs catering to his every whim (probably due to his "celebrity status) was what landed him in this situation.

emmycRN · Jan 8, 2008

A friend is still angry years later because the nurses told her there were no dogs under her bed after surgery.
She is mad at me because when I visited her I actually looked under the bed and told her there were no dogs.
She still thinks I sided with the nurses against her.

:lol:

Altra, BSN, RN · Jan 8, 2008

If Glenn Beck thinks that a hemmrhoidectomy and Fentanyl trip conjure up horror-movie style despair ... he's obviously had a blessed life.

What a whiner.

RunnerRN, BSN, RN · Jan 8, 2008

In reading about this experience, I think he made a few stupid decisions, was poorly informed on a few points, but also has some valid concerns.

I'm not going to go into everything that struck me in the article, but I'm definitely hung up by his account of tx in the ED. I work a lot of triage and make every effort to greet each pt as they come in; it helps me not miss anyone that should go back. No, a distended bladder and post op pain does not need to go straight back to a room, but as long as we aren't crazy with sick pts I can usually find a place to put a pt like that to a)place a foley and b)give them a chance to lie down. As for needing an MD order, it is really simple (at least in my facility) to grab one of our docs give a 2 second story (he had X surgery yest, went home, hasn't voided in 12 hrs) and get a verbal order for a catheter. With a patient like this, the initial solution is so simple that (again, as long as we aren't crazy and busy) I can't stand to let them sit out in the WR.

The rest of his tx in the ED, just from a psychosocial viewpoint, was horrible. I have never, and will never, allow a woman to completely support her husband's weight as I wait impatiently for them to catch up. Grab a w/c and show a little compassion for Pete's sake! I don't doubt that his account is a bit skewed based on his narcotic usage and pain, but a lot of this has very simple solutions.

ETA-Yes, I think he probably has blown most of his experience out of proportion to what actually happened, but I also think there were some interesting aspects of his story. Even if he was aggravated b/c he wasn't taken directly to a room "because my doctor called ahead" (also one of my pet peeves) there is no reason to not make eye contact with someone and help them to a room safely.

Katnip, RN · Jan 8, 2008

It drove me nuts when people would come in saying "my doctor called ahead," like we were going to reserve a stretcher or something. And doctors actually expect that.

We don't know if the ER that night was crazy busy. Could very well have been and probably was, given that most ERs are these days. It was, what a day or two after Christmas? That's when all the people who put off their troubles long enough to celebrate the holiday finally decide to go in.

GrumpyRN63, ADN, RN · Jan 8, 2008

Just an absolute wuss !!! :icon_roll

SharonH, RN · Jan 8, 2008

So Glenn Beck is whiny and self-important? What a surprise. He really seems to be upset because he wasn't treated like the celebrity he thinks he is. I've taken care of hundreds of guys like him, guys who on a certain level think they are just a little (or a lot) better than most people and are surprised when their every need isn't catered to as it should be(in their minds). He expected to be whisked right back because his doctor called ahead and was surprised when the nurses didn't bow down when he walked in. His physician should have admitted him directly to the floor. Actually he should have never been given the option to go home; hemorrhoidectomys are very painful and he already had pain control issues. The error in this case belongs to "absolutely amazing" Littlejohn and Stamford.