how did they know I was in the hospital??

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I am a pre-nursing student. My mother passed away in Dec. of '08 and I've always wondered something...I was in the hospital when she passed, I had just given birth two days prior to my fourth child. Anyway, the hospital called my husband at home to tell him that my mother was brought into the ER unresponsive and that she had passed. They wanted to know if they should go to my room and tell me, or if he wanted to come to the hospital and tell me. How did they know I was in the hospital? My mother lived alone so nobody could have told them this. Does this mean that she had to have been alert enough at some point to tell them where I was? How did they know I was in the hospital? This has always made me wonder...any ideas on how they knew this info?

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

When my Mom had a stroke and was not verbal, the firemen were able to look in her purse (this was 1986 before cell phones) and find my number. (She was able to call 911 but couldn't speak to the operator so they went ahead and sent out a police officer and he found her down after breaking down the door.

Maybe the fireman or whoever found her was able to get the info from something in the house??

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Did you list your MOM as an emergency contact when your were admitted. Had you mentioned that you MOM should be allowed to be admitted to visit you? Had your MoM ever been at this facility and listed you as the next of kin? When you gave birth you list your maiden name......was that the same as your Mom? Did you Mom's PCP know you were about to or had just given birth? Did a neighbor at the scene tell the EMS or police that her daughter was in XYZ hospital and just had a baby. Who called EMS? Who brought her to the ED? As an ED nurse there are MANY ways we obtain information and utilize the police department to question neighbors. Police will also use telephone/address books to locate next of kin....hit redial on the phone or cell phone and talk to whomever answers.........there are many ways they figured it out......I'm sorry for your loss:heartbeat:heartbeat

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I've seen things like this happen before, but I'm from a teeny-tiny town. Any chance this was just one of those "everybody knows everybody" scenarios?

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Yeah, I totally understand that they could have found my number in her purse...but, they knew that I was hospitalized. When my husband got the call they didn't ask for me, they already knew that I wasn't there. It has always bothered me that "if" she was able to tell them this information, what else did she say to them? My mom and I were VERY close. Since she lived alone, anytime she felt sick or lonely I went to her house to sit with her...even in the middle of the night. It still bothers me that she was alone during her passing. I would have been there if I wasn't in the hospital. I'm sorry, this is just me venting my emotions. I have never really moved past this, even though it's been over 2 years. It's just always bothered me that I wasn't there for her last words, and it makes me wonder if she did tell them where I was...what else she might have said. I know that those questions will probebly never be answered, and that I need to move on. Sorry again, this is post is really not "nursing" related enough for me to have posted it.

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Yes, she is the one who called 911. I guess I probebly know the answer to my question...she more than likely told them. I just wasn't sure if there were other ways for them to have found out. Sorry again...it's just something I have always wondered about. Thanks for taking the time to respond :)

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I feel your pain. When my Mom had her last stroke, she was alone, fell, crawled to the door and when the police broke the door down, the door fell on her. That was in 1986 and I still think of it often.

Don't feel bad that you want to know what happened. You were close and its only natural you would want to know. I would bet that her thoughts were of you and the new grandchild. She lives on in you and your children. Probably what makes you such an obviously caring nurse.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Yes, she is the one who called 911. I guess I probebly know the answer to my question...she more than likely told them. I just wasn't sure if there were other ways for them to have found out. Sorry again...it's just something I have always wondered about. Thanks for taking the time to respond :)

We answer all kinds of questions and there are many ways we get information......Emergency nurses and the police are very accustomed to being detectives.......you sound sad.....:hug: I lost my Dad about 2 years ago and I know how you feel......I miss him everyday.....:hug:ask questions anytime

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I feel your pain. When my Mom had her last stroke, she was alone, fell, crawled to the door and when the police broke the door down, the door fell on her. That was in 1986 and I still think of it often.

Don't feel bad that you want to know what happened. You were close and its only natural you would want to know. I would bet that her thoughts were of you and the new grandchild. She lives on in you and your children. Probably what makes you such an obviously caring nurse.

They had to break down the door at my mom's house too. It was very hard when I went to her house the first time, The door was broken, the coffee table was on it's side, there was tubing and some things with her blood on it from where they had worked on her. It was very difficult to be the one to clean up after. Her passing was very unexpected, she was just at the hospital the day prior to see me and the baby. She said that she felt like she was getting a cold, she called me just hours before she died to tell me that she still felt bad and that she probebly wouldn't be in to see me the next day...When I went to her house to clean up there were Christmas presents that she had wrapped for us. I found the receipt for the gifts in her purse, she had just bought them the day before she passed. We opened them on Christmas morning, that was a very hard Christmas. Anyway, thank you to everyone for letting me vent :)

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They had to break down the door at my mom's house too. It was very hard when I went to her house the first time, The door was broken, the coffee table was on it's side, there was tubing and some things with her blood on it from where they had worked on her. It was very difficult to be the one to clean up after. Her passing was very unexpected, she was just at the hospital the day prior to see me and the baby. She said that she felt like she was getting a cold, she called me just hours before she died to tell me that she still felt bad and that she probebly wouldn't be in to see me the next day...When I went to her house to clean up there were Christmas presents that she had wrapped for us. I found the receipt for the gifts in her purse, she had just bought them the day before she passed. We opened them on Christmas morning, that was a very hard Christmas. Anyway, thank you to everyone for letting me vent :)

Hi Mara

Sorry to hear about your mom. It's one of the hardest things in the world to lose a parent or anyone close to you. I lost my father 16 years ago and still have problems with it. To be perfectly honest, some days are still very difficult, but things do get better over time.

As for them knowing you were in the hospital, having worked Registration before, an emergency contact is very often a parent, child or other close relative. Since you were in the hospital you may have given it to them; maybe not your most recent visit, perhaps an earlier one? If your mom had been there before, she may have listed you as an emergency contact on a previous visit as well.

Working with Fire / Rescue too, I know that sometimes EMS or ourselves will look for contact information if it's necessary, but not always; there usually isn't time. If that did occur, it may have happened at the hospital if they, or your mom, had grabbed her purse or handbag before leaving. I think the more likely scenario is that the hospital had your number somewhere from a past visit; either yours or your moms. You can always call or pay a visit and ask if your information is listed somewhere; I doubt they'll have any problems looking for you.

My condolences and take care!

JC

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Are you concerned that HIPPA was broken?

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Specializes in ER, Med Surg. ICU, Mgmt. Geri. Hme Care.

Hi: I'm very sorry for your loss, and unfortunately I know how it feels. As I read what yo wrote I revisit my Mom's passing, she was in a nursing home. She was terminally ill, but that day I worked at the Hospital willing to go to be with her after my shift.shortly before the shift ended they called me on the phone to let me know she had passed. I always think why I had to go to work and couldn't be with her instead. She passed 12 years ago, and I still miss her a lot, so don't feel sorry, and thanks for sharing, it tells me I'm not alone.

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