I want an honest opinion of this crap

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Ok, here it goes. We were notified at work that there was a meeting we were told would be in our best interests to attend, not mandatory. It was a pt. She is an ob nurse at a private drs office who came in with " stroke like symptoms". She was triaged immediately, placed in a hall bed, ( only one available ), seen by a mid level within 20 minutes, had ct scan within 10 minutes of that.

The nurse who had her started her iv with some difficulty and cold not get bloood, it was drawn by the lab and they lost it. It was redrawn. She DID NOT have a stroke and was sent home. Her husband, the attorney, sent in a nasty letter to the hospital threatening legal action and they were allowed to come in and address the staff about our " lousy care"!!!!

She and her husband stated that (1.) they did not call 911 (2.) they passed 2 other hospitals to come to us (3.) they didnt see the dr, they saw the mid level (4.) we lost their blood and she was traumarized by having to have it drawn a 2nd time (5.) she did not get tpa (6.) the neurologist did not come in to see them.

We sat there and listened to this crap and I for one felt like we were slapped in the face. She didnt call 911? She passed 2 other hospitals to come to us? She was mad at the neurologist? She had a tia and was upset over not getting tpa?

Administration allowed this to happen to avoid a law suit, thinking if they let these people vent they would go away. She waived her hipaa rights so now everyone in the ER knows about this woman and what happenned and even though she was given guide lines to follow she didnt and pointed out some people who were thoroughly embarrassed!!!!! They were not even allowed to respond to this woman and her stupid husband.

I want to know what other nusrses think of this scenario!!!

I would have gotten up and walked out during the meeting. This was not a case of nurses and staff screwing up but of a pt screwing the staff to meet her own needs. And this bit of advice comes from an RN would won a med mal case steming from my husbands death. It's people like this that cry wolf when nothing happened is what gives true med mal cases a bad rap.

But sounds like she will go to another hospital next time. :yeah:

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

This is the result of our sue happy culture and management's attempt to appease the public at any cost. :rolleyes: They've probably read the latest study saying that 'customers' are less likely to sue if allowed to verbally abuse staff, who sit like docile little slaves ready to appease their masters. :rolleyes:

Specializes in dialysis (mostly) some L&D, Rehab/LTC.

Yep...it's crap!

Specializes in ER,ICU,L+D,OR.

Attorneys do not intimidate me at all. And if my employers had told me that we had to sit there and not respond to their tirade. I would have told them no way. I am quite comfortable and assured about who I am, and what kind of care I deliver. That I do not take abuse from anyone. And when they cross the line. I will respond in turn. I have done so and I will continue to do so.

I believe and support that patients or the customer deserves a certain respect and allowance. But for those who cross the line, I do not hesitate to let them know what the boundaries are. I will not be disrespected by anyone. Professionally, Socially, or Personally, you do not make this redhead mad.

I think that administration allowed this to happen in order to avoid a lawsuit. Take it for what it is and let it go. Much better to have this little scenario than to go through the hell of a lawsuit.

Specializes in ER,ICU,L+D,OR.

If that was administrations desire then, I would have refused to attend this meeting. I just not could have been anything but who I am.

Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

It's not mandatory but it's in your best interest to attend the meeting? Well, then I'm not going. How dare this woman and her husband rant and rave over something that ER nurses can't control. I can't control a Neuro doc coming to see my patient that's the job of the primary team needing to consult. Seriously, I would not have stayed for that meeting and surely would have gotten up and left

Specializes in MS, ED.

Unbelievable.

Really.

I haven't heard of this sort of scolding and humiliation since I left my last corporate job. Kudos to your staff for keeping their composure and remaining professional despite management throwing you to the wolves!

Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

Apparently administration will let anything happen so long as they don't get sued.

Specializes in tele, oncology.

Honestly, the whole time I was reading your post, I kept thinking "You've been punk'd" in the back of my mind.

I probably would have gotten up and left, citing patients who actually needed me instead of listening to such nonsense as my excuse.

I have never heard of this either and it seems rather unsupportive of staff to allow a patient and/or family member to come in and berate staff because they are upset with the care. If administration was hypersensitive about this issue because there was an attorney involved, why not handle it through risk management and/or the legal department? In my humble opinion, all this meeting accomplished was to validate and empower the complainant and demoralize the staff.

When you are confident about your level of care and the committment of your staff...and if you feel you "do the right thing"...you don't have to worry so much about legal issues. I'm sorry to hear that this happened to you and your team!

Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.
Honestly, the whole time I was reading your post, I kept thinking "You've been punk'd" in the back of my mind.

LOLOLOL:yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah:

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