Hospital that bans family members

[paramedic-RN]

Normally I don't mind family members that much however after a recent string of AWFUL, rude, demanding family members I'm feeling a little jaded toward them right now. A co-worker sharing in my frustration mentioned that she used to work in an ICU in Alabama that only allowed family members between the hours of 8-830. I"m assuming that was both am and pm although I didn't clarify. Granted ICU's tend to have more strict visitor policies then other department so maybe the rest of the hospital was different. But I thought to myself 'what a magical place, I would drive out of my way and take a pay cut just to work there.' So that got me thinking, does anyone know of any hospitals more specifically ICU's in and around Austin, TX that have similar visitor policies? Also, what do you think about that?

[ProgressiveActivist, BSN, RN]

I just heard the prime minister of Israel say:

when bad behavior is rewarded it just gets worse

People, stop rewarding scammers freeloaders and obnoxious behavior. It only makes them worse.

[Julius Seizure]

don't know about you guys, but my workplace is always comparing healthcare efficiency and airline efficiency, feels like.

Interesting. My hospital likes to compare our patient experience to a trip to Disney World.

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

Our ICU has strict visiting hours but I think it's like an 1 hour every two or three hours from 9-9 or something like that. The cardiac unit has open heart patients so they are a shorter time frame 3 times a day and they are super strict. We had someone woman who was an "RN" come and cry at me because the cardiac critical care unit was mean and wouldn't let her see her husband whereas she always sleeps in the room with him at other hospitals.

[MidLifeRN2012]

I work in psych and our visiting hours are only 1 1/2 hrs in the evening and I love it. Cuts down on annoying family and their questions and complaints

[morte, LPN, LVN]

It sounds as though you do not consider that making an exception for a supportive family member (who the patient wishes to be present) to stay 24/7 to support the patient is reasonable. While I understand that you do not make the rules, evidence shows that open ended visitation from a supportive family member is beneficial for both patients and family members, and improves patient safety. Since you are an ICU nurse, I suggest googling the AACN's statement on "Family Presence: Visitation in the Adult ICU." In my area, hospitals have instituted 24/7 visitation in accordance with CMS guidance; this includes the ICU, with the exception of a brief period of time during shift changes.

While you mentioned the problems you encountered with family members behavior, and told the family members what not to do, even "kicking" one family member out for a repeat offense, you did not mention that you tried to explain to the family why their behavior was not appropriate in the patient care setting, and that you explained the behavior that you desired from the family. If you did not indeed do this, I suggest in future that you do so, and give family members a chance to co-operate once they have the opportunity to understand why you wish for them to refrain from certain behaviors such as, to use your examples, not silencing the pumps, and not bringing children into isolation rooms. Without explanations of the harm these behaviors can cause, how can family members understand why these behaviors are not appropriate? Going just by what you have written in your post, I can understand why you were told to re-read the list of "associate values" and re-consider how you treat visitors.

she explained both things, did you miss that part? and did you miss the part about making freq

and wiling exceptions? are you simply looking for an argument?

[canigraduate]

Yeah, let's ban the nearest and dearest from their loved one's side because they annoy us. We'd all appreciate that when those we care for are ill.

Seriously?

Not because they annoy us. Because they are compromising patient care. I don't care how close your family is, having fifteen of them camp out in your room is not conducive to healing.

Having them treat you like wait staff takes time away from patient care. Having to boot them out because they are violating standards of publicly acceptable behavior takes time away from patient care.

Having to explain to the patient's husband for the twelfth time that, no, we can't make an exception for your 12 year old to stay the night furing the flu season kid ban because she loves her Mommy so much, takes time away from patient care. (Pretty sure he had a date and didn't want to stay home with said kid.)

Letting respectful and appropriate family stay in the room is a different story. But only one. Two, tops. I need to be able to reach the patient in a hurry if they crump.

[ProgressiveActivist, BSN, RN]

I came in to a situation with 2 cots three recliners(provided by the idiot house supervisor) in an ICU room, multiple laptops, a gang of men watching the final four and yelling while their buddy the patient was seizing or having myoclonus. They left when i asked them to.

There was also a so called nurse and a so called lawyer there to observe and record.

Later the entire extended family

of 8 or so people showed up and informed me that they all needed

toothbrushes towels pillows and blankets.

So I called the supervisor and let her know that mr

xxx has more visitors who need a place to stay and she actually gave them a private room and

anything and everything they wanted.

I dont do hospitality for mobs of people. If

management wants to fine by me.

The next day I let the staff nurse know that she lost control of the situation by not educating them from the start.

[chylerlove]

Oh my gosh tell me about it! I don't mind stepping over people in a room as long as they are sensible and recognize "oh, this person is trying to care for my loved one so let me get out of the way for a moment" or at least aren't rude when i politely let them know i need to be standing where they are sleeping.

What REALLY gets me are the folks who do not care that a.) they are not the only person there and b.) everyone else is sick, doesn't feel good, grieving, etc. and thus are disruptive to other patients and families

there was a time when our sitting area was literally full every night with 10 sleeping children of all ages (not children of a patient, but nieces and nephews i believe) and all the adults piled up in the room. no one else could use the waiting room.

Sorry for the vent, but we worry about making one person happy and then their family members are so disruptive that other patients end up dissatisfied... how is that customer service? lol

[PACUpleeze]

When my father had his open heart surgery, I had just moved to a new city and couldn't be there, so I asked my mom to have the surgeon explain the procedure to me on speakerphone. After she explained it I thanked her and she was like "Anything else?" I said "Nope" ( I worked in cath lab and knew exactly what she was talking about). And she said "Wow, thanks for trusting me to do my job!".

Then afterwards, I told my mom how to make sure he got the best care in the CVICU. I told her to be sweet. Sickeningly so. Say thank you, be respectful, have my brother and friends out when the nurse asked. My mom was like "I'm insulted that you think I would not automatically do any of those things!" I told her that sometimes people forget and just do everything I said to a tee. She called 3 days later and said that there was NOTHING that the ICU nurses did not do for her because of how I told her to act. She was like "Thank you for taking care of daddy from a far!"

Point being? (here is the unpopular opinion). I don't care that your family member is sick or dying. We have ALL been there. You are hard pressed to find someone that has not been in that situation at one time or another. You have NO RIGHT to talk to me like I am beneath you, your maid, a slave or ignorant. I give nothing but respect when I am given it and I will not cowtow to you because your 3rd uncle is sick and you want dinner from the food services. I constantly get comments from people about how nice and sweet I am. I am not a mean person, but I do not tolerate disrespect from ANYONE. If some nurses think that it is their job to get verbally spit on every time they enter the room of their own patient, well, more power to you. I am not one of them and I make that very clear upon first meeting with families that I am not the one. My patients get better care, the families see that I am competent and my shift goes much smoother. I mostly do PACU now but occasionally I pick up in the ER and I still apply these rules. Honestly, I think 80% of the time family makes the patient more stressed.

[Lennonninja, MSN, APRN, NP]

Keeping a critically I'll person away from their closest family members is cruel and inhumane. Verbally aggressive visitors can be easily dealt with. They are usually afraid and helpless. I have dealt with many a family member. Offer them some juice an crackers. Deal with their basic needs first. Raise their blood sugar and their fear and anger may dissipate long enough for you to explain their condition and maybe prepare them for what they will see during their visit. Gauge your level of information in accordance with privacy laws. What happened to good old fashioned compassion in this field? Bring back a little common sense. Otherwise you will burn out faster as you become the automatons the corporations pay you to be. Robots can and do monitor and print out vital signs. Humans afford a frightened, ventilated, wired up patient with compassion and reassurance. If you don't have compassion, get out of the field.

Our policy is to not allow visitors to bring food or drinks into the patient rooms, especially when the patient is NPO, that's just cruel. If we start giving them juice and crackers, then what's next? A full breakfast tray, a buffet, getting a pizza delivered? I'm a very compassionate person but I just want to be allowed to follow the rules and not be a waitress for everyone else in the room because I need to spend my time titrating the multiple drips to keep the patient alive, not fetching snacks. We don't have CNAs in my ICU, so they can't do that either.

Pleasant visitors that don't get in my way and don't impede my care, I'm happy to have them stay all shift. Especially if they'll help me feed the patient or keep them entertained and off the call light. The nightmare visitors we've had these last few months have got to go. One visitor called our rapid response nurse because the IV beeped as it went from abx to the flush bag. This same visitor was caught trying to inline suction the vented patient with NO medical & ventilator background. This person would also walk into other patient's rooms looking for the nurse instead of just hitting the call light. And would go into rooms clear on the other side of the entire unit, while walking around in just socks, no shoes. Security was notified about this visitor but management said we had to let the person stay because we have open visiting hours. It's just becoming completely insane.

[Pat_Pat RN]

The last time my wife was in the hospital the staff was great. She was in the ICU for 2 weeks and I was allowed to stay the entire time. They were wonderful. But, being a nurse I stayed out of their way, I slept in a chair in the corner. I helped her up to the BR as she was private and didn't like the nurses or CNAs seeing her naked, and they were ok with that.

This was at Jewish Hospital in Louisville, KY. I did let them know how great they were.

My wife died after 14 days there, it was Thanksgiving 2012 and she was 36. I'm so thankful that I got to stay with her until the end. I never asked the staff for anything but maybe a blanket. I went and got my own food and drinks, but generally I wasn't eating too much anyway.

[Tenebrae, BSN, RN]

Yeah, let's ban the nearest and dearest from their loved one's side because they annoy us. We'd all appreciate that when those we care for are ill.

We have visiting hours in our hospitals. Generally from after 11am-2pm rest hour from 2-3pm then from 3-8pm.

People can visit out of that time as long as they dont cause problems or get in the way, alot of leeway is granted especially if someone is really unwell, or dying

I recall as a student one of my patients actually asked nursing staff to curtail her visitors as she was getting too darn tired. (Patient was having between 5-15 visitors in a shift). I recall one visitor gave us the absolute evils when we told her she wouldnt be able to visit and perhaps she call next time prior to visiting

May sound harsh, hospitals are about sick people, not their visitors. I dont want to ban visitors however my concern is about my patient welfare.