I. Just. Can't....

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Specializes in SICU.

91yr old, end stage everything, family wants "everything" done despite multiple talks with MD's regarding what exactly is their expectation and how its not going to happen quite that way.. So when the pt coded, we got the family all close and personal with the code and all the rib breaking so that they could see that indeed we are doing "everything" .

Now they want to sue the hospital for battery and ABUSE because we broke the pts ribs during cpr....

I. Just. Can't......

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Specializes in hospice.
:banghead::banghead::banghead:
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They were irrational jerks before her death.

Still irrational jerks.

Wanting to sue and suing are two different things.

Suing and winning are two different things.

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Specializes in Critical care.

Cracks me up when I read the obituaries of the patients that have died in our unit after a long drawn out code. The first line is usually about how they passed so peacefully with their family around them. No mention of the ten people pounding on their chests and electrocuting them.

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People just don't understand what resuscitation really involves. It's awful that we put our loved ones through this when there is no reason. Then to threaten to sue. What a bunch of ignorant fools.

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Specializes in LTC, med/surg, hospice.

They won't get anywhere with that.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

Oh, that poor patient. :(

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Sadly this travesty is repeated time and again.

Once had a DNR patient (signed, sealed, unsealed or whatever, and placed in chart) who had a couple of family members who would NOT leave the room (even overnight, regardless of the rules). And when Grandma coded said family began jumping up and down to "DO SOMETHING!!!" She even declared that since she was the HCP in case Grandma became "incompetent", it was now HER call to SAVE HER LIFE!!

Grandma was never incompetent, she was old, but now that she was failing to breathe and have her heart beat, well, guess that's "unable to make her own medical decisions" to this witch. Dead now equals incompetent?

Supervisory staff caved, unhappily, and allowed the code because they figured Dead Grandma couldn't very well sue but Live Related Princess certainly could. Old story. ICU was SO ticked to get Grandma as a transfer in the wee hours (oh yes, we "saved" her) so she could die a day or two later on their time.

Travesty.

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Specializes in LTC.

Oh how very sad for the patient. I can't imagine putting my Gram thru that.....

Hopefully the family learns from this and doesn't make other elderly family members full codes----but I doubt they will learn.

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Oh how very sad for the patient. I can't imagine putting my Gram thru that.....

Hopefully the family learns from this and doesn't make other elderly family members full codes----but I doubt they will learn.

Can practically guarantee they won't learn a thing. Will simply proclaim to whoever will listen that the staff at Memorial Whatever Hospital "killed" their loved one because of incompetent code procedures. You'll see it, no doubt.

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Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

I think it should be part of an ethical intervention that family members view what's going to be done during a code.

There should be a short video of what it looks like when a 150 lb nurse with adrenaline pumping, starts pounding on a 90 year old 80 lb chest.

Most of us form our opinions about healthcare by watching hospital shows on TV. Can you imagine a code on General Hospital? Is that even on anymore?

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Specializes in LTC.

Trust me, some smug, self righteous attorney will slither out from the under rock covered in fecal matter he inhabits and take the case.

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