i have a hard time asking people to leave...if it's totally not necessary that they be there, i don't beat around the bush. but we do get a lot of trauma patients, broken up and mangled. this often means young people with parents, aunts, brothers, cousins. and what about when they come from out of town and dont arrive till night time? also, we get alot of the icu step down syndrome. mostly they are still very sick and the family thinks they should be in the icu. they have all night visiting privledges with private rooms over there, and it really it one of the most beautiful units. ours is in the oldest, smallest part of the hospital, no privates. i reassure that i'm going to take very good care, i check and chart on my pts hourly, yada yada yada...i some of them just can't tear them selves away. we do tell them they can hang out in the waiting room and check on their loved one periodically, and i understand why the rules are in place. i still feel awkward and cold asking them to leave!! i'm wondering if anyone can offer some of their 'lines' used in these situations.
p.s. when i came back from lunch last night the waiting room looked like a homeless shelter with everyone sacked out with bath blankets, fully dressed and crammed together. sheesh, i'm gonna have to start using the back elevators.
