List the most frivolous complaints you've received

Crystal-Wings, LVN · Jan 11, 2018

How do people like that get approved for care to begin with???

ventmommy · Jan 19, 2018

How do people like that get approved for care to begin with???

I have often wondered the same thing. Some of our nurses would be like "my other case is just a g-tube or just seizure precautions and they have 24/7 nursing" and I'd be confused because my kid was trach/vent/g-tube/actual seizures/medically complex and we fought for every hour we got.

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · Jan 19, 2018

I have often wondered the same thing. Some of our nurses would be like "my other case is just a g-tube or just seizure precautions and they have 24/7 nursing" and I'd be confused because my kid was trach/vent/g-tube/actual seizures/medically complex and we fought for every hour we got.

That one I had was an adult WC case that I strongly suspect the family was sucking the workers comp claim for every dime they could get. The patient had been trached at one time but wasn't any longer by the time I had him. When I took him on he was getting 16 hrs a day of RN care with the other 8 hrs being family. The daily tasks we did were nothing you needed an RN for, ADLs, supervision (TBI related impulsivity, etc.) Apparently he was still rated as needing RN care from back in the trach/vent? days and no one ever changed it. It came time for the workers comp case manager to review what they were spending on this case (my estimate based on my salary and what the agency charged was in excess of $25K a month) and WC asked for my assessment. I said I didn't think he need that level of care. I thought he would do just fine with an HHA or a CNA, with an RN in to case manage 1-2x a week or something to that effect. The mother screamed at me..."don't you want your job...I'll see that you don't ever work in this town again....yeah, lady whatever....". Workers comp fraud would do more damage to my working ability that you ever could.

Stuff like this is why people have to fight for care hours for those who really need it.....

caliotter3 · Jan 20, 2018

.....Stuff like this is why people have to fight for care hours for those who really need it.....

Yeah, two able-bodied adults hanging around the house all day with around the clock nursing care for their adult son, both allergic to the word JOB, milking the government and anyone else they can suck in to their tales of woe, for every dollar they can get. Too lazy to even do their own laundry.

Beth1978 · Jan 21, 2018

And yet it is almost impossible for an elderly dementia client to get help with medication management and cooking, so they end up in a nursing home, at a much higher cost. Sad.

Crystal-Wings, LVN · Feb 2, 2018

And yet it is almost impossible for an elderly dementia client to get help with medication management and cooking, so they end up in a nursing home, at a much higher cost. Sad.

It is sad!

1TiredOldNurse · Apr 4, 2018

I had a pediatric patient whose mother said I wrote too loudly. (The company I worked for used paper charting). She also complained that I made too much noise turning the pages of my book.

Nursehoy · Apr 4, 2018

I was called into my employers office, sat down with 2 of the main managers because I wasn't sweeping an 11yr old room, taking out the trash, putting the dogs outside to pee at night and that I would walk outside to start my car when it was icy.... this patient is ambulatory. Apart of patient's care plan and therapy is to do light chores... I'm a nurse not a babysitter or a maid. Sorry.

Nursehoy · Apr 4, 2018

I have the same problem currently. It is a pediatric patient not adult. Patient does need some assistance but NOT at the extent of private duty, 24 hour care. I totally feel like this is fraud!!!!

LilyRN99 · May 13, 2018

I had a case where the mother was annoyed that my supervisor sent all the nurses on the case a link to an article about his rare condition.

I've also hear the paper towel complaint and my agency had to supply the paper towels and we had to make sure we used the ones provided by my agency and not the other agency they used.

A child's mom was going to a party and asked me to lie about the time I was there since she might be home past midnight. She wanted more that the allotted time but didn't want me to document correctly.

I put the wrong cream on her child's face.

I didn't put chapstick on the child promptly enough.

I found a thong in the kid's backpack.

Most of my cases the family would not speak english when speaking to each other. I'm so used to it that it doesn't bother me.

A family wanted me to give a tube feeding while the child was laying on a mat on the floor.

A mom was annoyed that I refused to leave before she got home because nothing would happen and her teenager was home.

A family was angry with me because I called my agency to find out if the family made child care arrangements for a sibling that would be home sick.

I could go on.

LilyRN99 · May 13, 2018

I don't even make that much and I have a BSN.

Crystal-Wings, LVN · May 14, 2018

My current case:

The house is dirty and the child's carpet is filthy, there were formula and medication stains on the wall/carpet, yet all the nurses have to take their shoes off because family doesn't want dirt to be tracked inside the house since she's immunosuppressed...(!)

Supplies and some equipment is broken, dirty, or missing. Had to PO suction once and the thing was broken, so I had to run down stairs and search in the messy garage for a new one.

Bathroom the child gets a bath in and bath seat were filthy. I took some antibacterial wipes and wiped mildew off of the back of the seat and scrubbed the bath tub out.

Mom doesn't want nurses suctioning (She doesn't have a trach) her mouth out because everyone does it differently blah blah blah. I do it anyway though because I'll be damed if I let this poor kid choke on her own secretions.

I could really go on and on.