I am struggling with patient families lately.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Dec 28, 2012

Amen Sister!!!!!!

amygarside · Dec 28, 2012

I hope that you will be able to find a way to get this over with. After all families will be part of the patients life. Although I understand your situation and feelings because at one time or another I felt them too.

RyanCarolinaBoy, ADN, BSN, MSN · Dec 28, 2012

Hmmm, while I understand nursing frustrations with family, I also have seen families catch things that nursing staff were too busy or just plain didn't care to notice. As a nurse, I don't mind family members as long as the will let me do my job. I find that many of my coworkers get frustrated having to explain meds and things to family. That has never bothered me. I have seen firsthand a patient suffer neglect secondary to no family present to care and the nurse just not caring either...trust me if I was in a hospital u can bet I would want an advocate on my side while I lay in that bed sick!

~PedsRN~, BSN, RN · Dec 28, 2012

Welcome to my world.... since I work with little people, I always have a room full of parents and siblings with them. Honestly, I like it that way (because the ones who are left alone... SO SAD). That being said, I have very rarely had a difficult patient. But I have definitely had my fair share of difficult parents! It's just one of those things you deal with with a smile on your face because you have to.

eatmysoxRN, ASN, RN · Dec 28, 2012

I don't mind family members but that's only because we can technically only have one visitor stay overnight in the room. It's policy and typically that keeps families satisfied without me having to be hateful

Blackcat99 · Dec 28, 2012

I work at a LTC facility. We have some "regulars" who spend the night. Most of them just want to constantly complain all night. I remember one night when one of the visitors said she wanted to leave but had "forgotten" her purse for gas money. All of the staff gladly chipped in money to get her out of the facility. It was definately worth the money.

cienurse · Dec 28, 2012

Whatever happened to the good old days of "visiting hours?" The job is hard enough without family members (who don't speak to one another!) interrupting the nurse's med pass several times with complaints, observations, and requests for information. I'm all for family visits but there's a reason why the doctor feels the patient needs hospital care. If a person doesn't feel they can trust the care the hospital or LTC facility is giving without having a family member there 24 hours a day, then it would be cheaper for them to bring Mom or Dad home and pay for 24/7 nursing care there!

applewhitern, BSN, RN · Dec 28, 2012

I get sick of the family members, too. The boyfriend/girlfriend thing gets out of hand, too, cause it seems like they are always piled up in the patient's bed with them, and act ticked when you come in the room. I really don't want to see you two wallow around together. Also, we have a lot of semi-private rooms, and family members will lay down on the other bed, not caring that it needs to be kept clean for the next patient. Gone are the days when we could tell them they can't lie in the bed with the patient, or keep visitors quiet and to a minimum. I agree it is sometimes a good thing to have someone stay with the patient; I myself have stayed with family members and "caught" stuff that was extremely important, but I kept quiet and out of the nurse's way. My biggest pet peeve is when family will come and stand in front of the nurse's desk every 5 minutes, for water, blankets, etc., instead of just ringing their call-bell, and stare at you. Never mind you might be on the phone with the doctor, lab, etc. If they would just ring the bell, the secretary would ask the appropriate staff to handle whatever their needs are.

imintrouble, BSN, RN · Dec 28, 2012

I get what you're saying, but usually the pt is just as caught up in the reunion as the rest of the bunch. The last time I had an issue with a family, the pt was admitted with end stage COPD. The 80 pounder who has to decide whether to eat or breathe. Or in this case to talk or breathe. The whole room was crammed full of family, everybody talking, and the only way I could distinguish my pt's voice was because it was the one gasping. Talking as much as air would allow.

Do you think I wanted to stick my neck out and recommend the party continue in the lobby? Uh uh. Not me. The pt was a grown woman, fully capable of making her own decisions, and she chose to participate in the party. I figured they'd clear out pretty fast when mamma turned blue.

OCNRN63, RN · Dec 28, 2012

Whatever happened to the good old days of "visiting hours?" The job is hard enough without family members (who don't speak to one another!) interrupting the nurse's med pass several times with complaints, observations, and requests for information. I'm all for family visits but there's a reason why the doctor feels the patient needs hospital care. If a person doesn't feel they can trust the care the hospital or LTC facility is giving without having a family member there 24 hours a day, then it would be cheaper for them to bring Mom or Dad home and pay for 24/7 nursing care there!

Testify!

Vishwamitr · Dec 28, 2012

Whenever a family member complains to the administration, the administration invariably sides with the family member, no matter what the issue is. I found a male visitor laying in bed with my female patient in a compromising pose. I politely corrected them. To make a long story short, I was written up.