Lessons learned from the other side of the call light

[grace90, LPN, LVN]

What are important lessons you've learned about nursing when you've been a patient or a family member of a patient?

For me, the last couple days, with my son on the peds unit, I learned that when a nurse keeps you up to date about what test results were, when the consulted surgeon is not coming cuz he's tied up in an emergency surgery, what the most recent orders were, it's really helpful.

I'll post more of what I learned later, but I am whooped.

[Super Nurf]

I think we learn a lot from being on "the other side". It all only helps us to be a better nurse. It's amazing what I've seen, I gotta tell ya, but it has taught me volumes.

[luvschoolnursing, LPN]

When my dad was sick and dying from cancer, I learned that all the tests, education and skills in the world don't mean as much to a family and patient as kindness, respect and attention to daily comforts. A comforting bath and warm food mean more to a dying man than a nurse that has super technical skills. I also saw how poor staffing deprived him of those basic comforts. Fortunately he had family with him almost all the time, but sad for those who don't.

[biker nurse]

grace, so sorry for your situation. been there and done that and totally know how you feel. I'll pray 4 you and your family. The nurses were great when my son was in the hospital as well. Make sure you take care of your self too. your son needs you more than ever!!!

[Dixielee, BSN, RN]

I was a very young nurse when my grandmother was admitted to the hospital where I was working. I got a call early one morning saying she had taken a turn for the worse. I knew what that meant, and drove to the hospital expecting the worse. Some of my family were already in the waiting room, and a nurse I didn't even know walked toward me, not saying a word and put her arms around me and let me cry into her shoulder. She held me for as long as it took. I remember that act of compassion and love vividly and it was 30 years ago. I never knew her name, but that one act of compassion has never left my consciousness and I have done my best to live up to her example when I am the nurse and not the family.

Many times, pure love is all we can give, and that is what she gave to me. Who ever you are, where ever you are, display that love to others in need and you will never go wrong.

[teeituptom, BSN, RN]

When I had my MI, rather than use thecall Light I would go down to thenurses station myself.

Just being me I guess

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

Great thread!

Here are a few of mine:

1. Sitting in the hard chair of a waiting room for a couple of nights in a row when a loved one is ill can make YOU sick. Hospitals really need to be more family-friendly. I could no more leave that hospital than I could cut off my foot. So he went home with a surgical incision and I went home with a bladder infection.

2. I can read through the chart for any of my patients, yet I know nothing about what's been going on with my own status. :angryfire What now, is it a HIPAA violation to tell the patient what their H&H is?

3. You'll never know how helpless you can feel or how good a glass of Florida water tastes until you have to wait for someone to bring it to you and help you drink it.

4. When I say I'm having pain? Translation: I'm in absolute agony but it's not my style to make like a Drama Queen in front of my colleagues.

[HeatherB,CST]

I learned the hard way that if the nurse shoos you (family) out to insert a foley even though the patient asked for you to stay, and if while you're waiting outside and hear moans and screams, it's okay to intervene. (I didn't and regret it to this day.)

When I was allowed back into the room he was knocked out (morphine), and when he woke up he had bruising all over his member and scrotum. I was not medically trained, and didn't know that it wasn't normal for someone to have that much pain with a foley insertion. I sat in the hall thinking "wow, foleys must hurt" and did NOTHING. Several staff at the nurses' station heard as well, and just averted their eyes from me. I could have prevented that assault and I didn't have the wherewithall to speak up.

Know what's happening to your person, and don't assume every nurse is a good one.

[DEB52]

I have been a patient many times over the pass few years. I learned how overwhelming things can be when you are a patient. Just a smile or a touch can help. I have very, very bad veins. So now when my patients tell me that they have bad veins, I can say that I understand and that I know what it's like to have someone "digging" in my arm with a needle and miss. And I don't dig. On my last admission, I had a good experience and appreciated all my nurses. Listening also goes a long way. So now I try to make rounds on all the patients to see how they are doing and ask them if they need anything. Being a patient gives you a new prespective on things and shows you how you would and would not want to be treated. So hopefully you would or would not treat people like that.:caduceus:

[Christie RN2006]

When my grandma was sick we had to have someone in the hospital at all times with her so she wouldn't hurt herself. I can't tell you how frustrated I would get when we would put the call light on to get some help and we could see people sitting at the desk, but no one would come. At one time we watched the time and it took over 30 minutes before someone came in to help us! Of course by that time we had already dealt with the problem. My grandma had giant cell arteritis (GCA) and was on high doses of steroids which made her go crazy. She would try to pull things out, get out of bed, start swinging at the "bugs" that she thought she was seeing, etc. That was a very difficult and stressful time for my family and unfortunately I learned the hard way what it is like to be a family member of a patient on a floor that is understaffed. The biggest complaint I had was the noise at night. The nursing staff on that floor had a radio on at the nurses station and it made it very difficult to sleep.

[catlover314]

My mother's physician was the kindest soul I'd ever seen...Mom was elderly and tired of endless interventions to keep her 'going'. The quality of her life was minimal. She had CHF with Afib and bad asthma. When she said "I just want to go home and die." he said ok. He arranged hospice for us and we took her home. The staff nurses said "She's not that sick, why is she going on hospice?" She died 6 weeks later, in her home, just the way she wanted to go. We were able to be there with her and had many treasured times. She had not one bruise on her when she died...unlike the endless bruises whenever a hospital stay was required (not due to inept care...she was just old and bruised easily).

I also learned whenever a loved one is in the hospital a family member should always be there to make sure care is given when needed, that med errors are minimized, and that someone who has time can fluff the old pillow. Most places are so understaffed its just a good idea to have a family helper/advocate present.

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

I also learned whenever a loved one is in the hospital a family member should always be there to make sure care is given when needed, that med errors are minimized, and that someone who has time can fluff the old pillow. Most places are so understaffed its just a good idea to have a family helper/advocate present.

I agree.