Home Health and Maintaining a Theraputic Relation

[AutumnApple]

Since returning to work after being out of the country for some time, I have worked on a few different home health assignments. Up until this point, my experience was primarily in a hospital setting.

I've had no major problems and in fact am enjoying my current FT position tremendously.

With that said, a couple things I've seen have made me want to facepalm myself a thousand times over. Mostly its the family's behavior, not the patients.

One in particular was putting her autistic child to bed hours early, with an extra dose of sleeping pills.

I dealt with it. But I was surprised how, before admitting what she was doing, this family member tried to win me over with excessive friendliness. It was as if she believed, if she kept me happy, I would not address the sleeping pill problem.

I am to the point where I keep family at arms length, offering no friendliness beyond what the job requires. And if they are trying too hard to win me over and go beyond that, I might be a little suspicious.

Anyone else notice this? Family trying to be a bit too buddy buddy because they want you to overlook things.

I mean, I am a Mandated Reporter so their efforts are fruitless but.......they still try.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

I've seen nurses play right into it and want to be besties with the parents and dramatically crossing professional boundaries. They may have had such a relationship with your predecessors and thought you might do the same. Consult with the clinical manager before reporting to CPS.