help, pt with open wounds and colostomy has his bedroom infested with cockroaches.

BBFRN, BSN, PhD · Aug 29, 2009

You may want to report this to your superior. If his home environment is not safe from vermin, that is a real health risk. Maybe there are some local resources near you that can help out with ridding his home of the cockroaches?

Tampa121 · Aug 30, 2009

Hi there,

Thank you for responding to my concern. I did report it to my supervisor. She suggested I clean his room! Elevate the dsg supplies and colostomy supplies on empty boxes. Well, I did what she suggested and I know they are not gone. There were many live ones and some dead in the boxes I through away. Soooo, I casually mentioned it to her boss, after she asked me, how did your day go? I replied, "Kinda yucky, I cleaned out a patients dsg supply boxes of roaches and did the best I could, but I am sure they are still there and will be back, he has open food containers all over the bedroom floor around his bed, his wife even cooks on a hot plate in his room. Her reply, that's the kinda place you tuck your scrubs bottom of pants into your socks and don't bring your bag in there". I do bring my bag in, but hang it on a doorknob and give it many shakes upon leaving, plus shake myself, too!!! Then, all of a sudden,my supervisor called him and supposedly he has the Orkin man coming! I wonder who said something to her!!! I have been reporting this to her for weeks, actually since I started seeing him in mid-July and documenting with every visit the presence of insects! My fear, he won't have Orkin man come, just said he was to appease her. It's sad. He is a Veteran and a quad, and is bedridden with non-healing wounds. I did suggest, perhaps the Veterans can help him. Oh well, not my problem anymore, as I have done my job, and have gone per-diem with the company which gives me the ability to say NO, "oh, I've got an appointment that day". With me being the only RN, besides my supervisor, she's going to have to start doing the q2wk sup HHA and 1X monthly for LPN sup!! I could have reported this whole issue to Elder at Risk and I didn't, I thought my company would help me to help him. I even asked for MSW to go in, (behavior issues), her reply, they've already been there and he refused her help. He kicks everybody out that tries to help him. Sounds like A report to Elders at risk or Adult protective services, they are hoarders and home is very littered. Also, what puzzles me is he has been on service with us for well, over a year. You mean to tell me, NOBODY saw the bugs!! I looked through his records, no mention anywhere! Not even on his SOC care plan and subsequent Recerts OASIS. The recert OASIS has a question where you check off Insects/Rodents Y or N. All the previous entries said no and his environment was safe!! He is verbally abusive to me every time I see him, I know he is angry, bt, Geez, I was tending to his wounds, emptying foley, had to kneel on floor and one crawled over my knee, killed 2 in his bathrm, my very first visit! You know, I even vac'd his bedroom floor as best I could one visit! Cuz, I bumped an open container of Pringles and they fell on the the floor. I never judged him or tried to make him feel bad about himself.

I did HH in MA in Boston/Chelsea area and the agency had no problem reporting these kind of issues, to help the patient have a safe, clean environment! I know there are cockroaches in FL, had one fall on my head, when I was touring an apartment. Needless, to say I didn't rent there! I am in a great condo on the first floor of a mostly owner occupied small 40 unit complex, they have a company who comes and spray all around the exterior constantly and installed some king of traps all around the units outdoors in the ground. I am sure it costs the condo association plenty, but the owners don't want roaches in their units!! Sorry, for the rant, I am moving on. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my lengthy reply!!! :)