In your experience have you seen this happen?

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I am not a nurse but a Radiologic Technologist for 39 years. Medicine has been my life many modalities. My mother is in a nursing home unable to verbalize because of a CVA. She has ogelvies syndrome caused by over medication with narcotics in this same home. She gets frequent UTIs. I was in checking on her last week and when we put her on the toilet via hoyer lift. I noticed a contusion at the pubic area. Looked live it had been pinched (fingers). She also had a large tear on her arm, not uncommon because of her thin skin. Although I told the nurse on duty when I went to remind her that her clonidine patch was 6 days over due for change, she didn't even look at the area of injury. The next day when I went in it was BLACK BLUE and as big as a baseball. I inquired again as how it happened. Got many different stories, was also told that she vomited that morning when I had observed the contusion. I think it was because it hurt so bad when they damaged her. The final story that administration gave me was that it was done when they did the cath for UA. I have done many caths for VCUGs etc and never heard of that happening. The report that they had given the Dr. as I inquired was there was a bruse about the size of a thumb. I don't want to cause any trouble but there has been ssooo many problems. In a routine cath placement could this happen?

All good questions..No she is not on anything to thin her blood as her CVA was a Bleed. The CNAs are all great with her, it is the nursing staff and head nurses as we as family have refused to let them put another narcotic patch on her as her pain is from the bowel gas she has from the ogelvies syndrome. They want her to be quiet as she hollers when she needs to be on the comode. She is 90 and the only way we can keep her bowel moving at all after it was in complete shut down from narcotics is to give her reglan 4 times a day to promote motility form above along with many stool softeners and antigas meds. They don't want to put her on the comode after her meals and have become very upset with the family that we are insisting as that is the only way to keep her from getting another pseudo obstruction. Each time the family has asked the nursing staff to check for a UTI because she is showing symptoms that family has recognized it has been a hastle and they insist she doesn't have one and it has every time been wrong. You would think they would begin to trust our instincts but it just makes them upset and I think they are starting to take it out on her. It is very difficult to find another place for her in her condition but we are desperately trying and are there every day most of the day.

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Specializes in Acute Care/ LTC.

it breaks my heart that you (and your mom) are going through that. Something certainly doesn't 'seem right there. if you aren't getting satisfaction with the care from nursing, social service, DON, or administrator, you may try your local office or aging or ombudsman. they can educate you on what should and should not go on with residents in nursing homes. you also may want to talk to her actual doctor. if he writes orders for tests etc..they have to do them. good luck. hugs again.

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Specializes in LTC, Memory loss, PDN.

I will never understand why someone would rather deal with a soiled brief and or constipation or worse then just take a few minutes to toilet a resident. Even if the bruise was an accident (did I just say that?) I'm glad to hear she's moving and has good family support. Please ask the new facility what their policy is on injury reporting. Accidents happen, but the family needs to be informed and not find out on their own. I always find that suspicious.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Cath Lab, Cardiology,Neuro.

Go to your state's elder affairs/disabled affairs agency, also go to the media and find out if there has been complaints against this facility.

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Specializes in At the moment, TLC..

WOW! Ive read a few posts here about nursing homes and I know that they are the exception (I hope) but those stories SCARE me. Ive worked in Long Term Care for twenty years and I have to admit I have seen and heard a few scarry things. How ever when there was there was swift movement to doccument and report, along with help and support for the staff member who commited the offence.

I think that when there are for profit LTC facilities the clients and nursing staff come up on the short end of the stick, the pockets of the owners fill.

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Specializes in acute care and geriatric.
All good questions..No she is not on anything to thin her blood as her CVA was a Bleed. The CNAs are all great with her,

something doesnt jive here, if they are so good with her why refuse to toilet her after meals...why not cooperate with your reasonable requests...?why not test the urine if you ask nicely and notice s/sx...

it is the nursing staff and head nurses as we as family have refused to let them put another narcotic patch on her as her pain is from the bowel gas she has from the ogelvies syndrome. They want her to be quiet as she hollers when she needs to be on the comode. She is 90 and the only way we can keep her bowel moving at all after it was in complete shut down from narcotics is to give her reglan 4 times a day to promote motility form above along with many stool softeners and antigas meds. They don't want to put her on the comode after her meals and have become very upset with the family that we are insisting as that is the only way to keep her from getting another pseudo obstruction. Each time the family has asked the nursing staff to check for a UTI because she is showing symptoms that family has recognized it has been a hastle and they insist she doesn't have one and it has every time been wrong. You would think they would begin to trust our instincts but it just makes them upset and I think they are starting to take it out on her. It is very difficult to find another place for her in her condition but we are desperately trying and are there every day most of the day.

my advise, since you have not found a better place for her, the family should take turns being with her, there is less chance for abuse if the family is around, try to find someone there who can help you- maybe a lone understanding nurse...

WoW what a dilemma!

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Specializes in Hem/Onc, LTC, AL, Homecare, Mgmt, Psych.

Bruising from placing a cath? Not likely. Another theory as to the bruise on the groin area -- it could be related to pinching from the hoyer sling used to lift her. I've seen that happen before, especially in people with fragile skin that are dependent on others for mobility. The facility is supposed to investigate bruises and skin tears of unknown origin and report them to the MD and family and set up a treatment if needed and make interventions to prevent a reoccurance.

Clonidine patch 6 days overdue? :angryfire Is it the pharmacy not delivering it or is the staff skipping it? Yes talk to the social worker and director of nursing, write down all your concerns. Look up your state Ombudsman program to see what you can do to report your concerns if they don't take action.

If your mom gets frequent UTI's you could ask for the MD to add in orders for cranberry juice twice daily and vitamin c tablets. See that she is put on an official toileting program to prevent UTI recurrance or bowel obstruction: some of the programs might read "toilet with AM cares, before and after lunch and supper, and with HS cares. Check and change on night rounds, offer bedpan if dry" Goal to void with each visit and have 1 bowel movement daily.

I wish you the best in resolving these problems, thank you for being an advocate for your parent. Not all LTC's are bad.

-Sara

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Can anyune tell me if they have ever been in a nursing home that did not reek of urine? I never have.

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Specializes in acute care and geriatric.
Can anyune tell me if they have ever been in a nursing home that did not reek of urine? I never have.

Sorry , we dont grow roses and lilacs.....and during diaper changes, well nature has her way... we do open windows, have automatic air freshners, use creams to properly clean and leave the area smelling fresh, and we do send garbage out frequently and certainly after diaper changes,,, but again- no lilacs or roses!!!:bugeyes:

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Specializes in Mental and Behavioral Health.
Can anyune tell me if they have ever been in a nursing home that did not reek of urine? I never have.

Where I work doesn't reek of urine. My residents are toileted, and kept clean. I'll admit that most nursing homes are gross, but not all nursing homes are. I know that long term care can be done right. I've seen it. I've done it.

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Sorry , we dont grow roses and lilacs.....and during diaper changes, well nature has her way... we do open windows, have automatic air freshners, use creams to properly clean and leave the area smelling fresh, and we do send garbage out frequently and certainly after diaper changes,,, but again- no lilacs or roses!!!:bugeyes:

When I read this post I immediately thought of a LTC facility with its own little garden area in the back where the residents could participate in growing roses and lilacs!

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Specializes in acute care and geriatric.
When I read this post I immediately thought of a LTC facility with its own little garden area in the back where the residents could participate in growing roses and lilacs!

We have a beautiful garden where one of the Rec aides is a green thumb, so she does gardening therapy with the pts, and labels each plant e tc, its a heavenly area- large, green and spacious, colorful with different types of flowers, and FAR FAR away from the diapering areas and bathrooms.

I can safely say that most of the time, our facility does not smell, only during diaper change rounds, and well, what can you do?

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