Loud Cartoons for Elderly Patients

[NurseSince2014]

How do you feel about nurses/CNAs/other staff members turning on loud cartoons for their elderly patients to watch? It has been noticed that someone at the facility I work for seems to go into rooms when residents are not there and turns the TV on to the kids cartoon channel, all the way up to volume 100. Some people believe that the TVs are turning on by themselves, but that seems unlikely. Maintenance has checked the TVs several times for any malfunctioning issues, and there appears to be none. Also, some of the residents have noted that their remotes are not where they left them when they leave their rooms, so that makes it seem even more likely that someone is purposely turning on the TV to loud cartoons. While some of the residents brush it off or seem oblivious to it happen, others have made numerous complaints. One resident put on her call lights at least 8 times during the shift because she could hear the loud TV in the next room, where nobody was watching TV.

At other facilities, sometimes they gather residents into the living area and turning on the TV to--you guessed it--cartoons without any feedback from the residents as to what they actually want to watch.

It seems like a strange situation, for sure. Some people think someone is pulling a prank, while others are annoyed, because they feel like someone is treating these elderly patients like children. What are your thoughts? I am not sure what to think about this.

[NurseSince2014]

I've had it where staff have turned on TV programs that my demographic age group would not be interested in, so I change the channel when I get a chance but nothing like you describe.

Could you put out a memo along the lines of "who ever keeps messing with the TVs, please stop it immediately or x consequences may occur"

And get management involved, this person sounds very odd

It's possible, in your case, that they are simply turning the TV on and leaving it at whatever channel comes on initially without paying attention to the actual TV program being shown. This happens sometimes, and is forgivable. It seems like at my workplace, its almost as if this person is insisting that residents watch cartoons and nothing else. At least you are trying to find a TV program that your patients would actually be interested in. But yeah, management should get involved--and maybe the threat of them getting involved would be enough for this person to discontinue their behaviors.

[NurseSince2014]

This behavior creates an abusive environment. The person doing this probably thinks it is funny, but it is not. This individual may be an " excellent nurse", however, who in their right mind does this.

Who has time to continually go into patient rooms plug in TVs and and put on a different station. Look to see who is working when this happens and get management involved.

Or it may be a Halloween prank?

Well, to be fair, the person in question hasn't been found to actually be responsible for doing this, so until then, she can still be considered an excellent nurse. There is a difference between changing the background screens on computers at the nurses station and repeatedly turning on TVs to loud cartoons. However, I also wonder how this person manages to always have time to turn on these TVs. It makes you wonder what aspects of their actual job they are neglecting because they are wasting time.

I think it is probably a prank, but this has been happening since July so a bit too early for it to be a Halloween prank.

[NurseSince2014]

I don't know if it's because ive just finished the mist manic shift ever and now can't sleep, but this whole thread is hilarious. Reading the OP I just lost it. You are so invested in the stupidest thing. And I don't know how anyone would take this seriously. It's a loud tv. Turn it off and be done with it. Also cartoon? The places I've worked it's 24 hour news and quiz shows. And nothing else, ever.

It really is stupid and ridiculous, but it is disturbing residents and is a frequent complaint, actually. If only it were so easy to just "turn off the TV and be done with it." Also most of the residents do watch news and game shows, but every once in a while, there are residents that actually want to watch the cartoons. It's rare, but it happens, so they probably aren't going to block the channel.

[NurseSince2014]

Every once in a while we do have a resident that does watch cartoons, but it is very rare. 98% prefer other shows. I'm not sure how much damage to their hearing is being done, since the TVs are generally only this loud when the resident is not in their room, and the volume is immediately decreased when they return. I agree that it is disrespectful, however, especially since the person doing it is also misplacing the residents' TV remotes.

[macawake, MSN]

It seems like at my workplace, its almost as if this person is insisting that residents watch cartoons and nothing else.

Granted, I don't work at your facility but that's not how I interpret the choice of channel. I think this person chooses cartoons because they are the loudest most annoying crap they can find. If your motivation is simply to make someone watch something, you don't turn the volume up to 100.

However, I also wonder how this person manages to always have time to turn on these TVs. It makes you wonder what aspects of their actual job they are neglecting because they are wasting time.

Not only are they spending a good chunk of their workday not doing their job, but they are wasting time for all other members of staff who have to constantly go and turn off TVs. Not to mention how disrespectful it is to residents to assault them with loud noise.

I think it is probably a prank, but this has been happening since July so a bit too early for it to be a Halloween prank.

It really is stupid and ridiculous, but it is disturbing residents and is a frequent complaint, actually. If only it were so easy to just "turn off the TV and be done with it."

Seriously? Why have you, your coworkers and management ALLOWED this to go on for three months? I really don't understand that part.

It just seems like a ridiculous reason for anyone to get fired.

Think potential interviews:

Interviewer: Why were you let go from your previous position?

Interviewee: Oh, well...I used to turn on loud cartoons in empty residents' rooms repeatedly

Honestly, I don't think it would be a ridiculous reason at all. I'm Scandinavian and we have strong union protection. You definitely can't fire people willy-nilly. But there's no way the union would protect and advocate for an employee who makes coworkers waste time on a daily basis by running around looking for a blaring TV to turn off, when they could be doing their jobs and taking care of residents instead. There's no way the union would protect someone who harasses patients for months on end.

And yes, I think that's what this behavior amounts to. From how you describe the situation, this TV "prankster" is in my opinion a disruptive element.

You came here asking for advice. I'm on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean so I can't help you in any substantial way :) Neither, I'm guessing, can any of the other people on this thread.

I'm a second career nurse, former law enforcement. I've spent thousands and thousands of hours on various stakeouts. If what you're decribing happened where I work, I would happily sacrifice a day off and skulk in a suitably located supply room, waiting for the cartoon marauder to strike

I cannot fathom why you guys haven't been able to catch this person red-handed after three whole months of these shenanigans. It really shouldn't be that hard.

Unless the layout of your facility is very odd, at some point in time it must have been possible for one of you to stick your head outside the door (if you're in a resident's room) and look down the corridor/hallway in the direction where the VERY LOUD noise just erupted from, and see who comes scurrying out from that room.

[Daisy Joyce]

It's noise pollution.

[middleagednurse]

Not to mention that it is patient abuse to use their belongings for personal reasons. The residents rooms are their home away from home; and would it be appropriate to enter someone's home to play their TV?

[RNNPICU, BSN, RN]

Just an interesting question... I know you said engineering checked things out, is it possible that some TVs are connected together and when one goes on others do as well? Is there some preset volume or something wierd with the TVs that the volume goes to 100? How does one have time to go that quickly into each of those empy rooms turn on the TV and increase the volume?

[NurseSince2014]

Not to mention that it is patient abuse to use their belongings for personal reasons. The residents rooms are their home away from home; and would it be appropriate to enter someone's home to play their TV?

Very true. As a side note, it has also occurred to me that these actions are also placing the residents at risk for falls. For example, sometimes the remotes are placed on surfaces that resident's can't easily reach unless they stand up. If they want their remote badly enough, some may attempt to stand or even walk to reach their remote by themselves, even if they know they are not supposed to. One resident actually did fall because she slipped while leaving the bathroom to go turn off the TV in the other room.

[Medic_to_BSN, BSN, RN]

It just seems like a ridiculous reason for anyone to get fired.

Think potential interviews:

Interviewer: Why were you let go from your previous position?

Interviewee: Oh, well...I used to turn on loud cartoons in empty residents' rooms repeatedly

Not ridiculous to me. Maybe I'm just being oversensitive, but this is detrimental to the quality of life of anyone who is in earshot (and, granted, if it isn't their absolute favorite cartoon or TV channel lol). But, seriously, the disruption to rest and the loss of autonomy for those forced to listen ... it's inane and almost cruel at the same time.

[NurseSince2014]

Just an interesting question... I know you said engineering checked things out, is it possible that some TVs are connected together and when one goes on others do as well? Is there some preset volume or something wierd with the TVs that the volume goes to 100? How does one have time to go that quickly into each of those empy rooms turn on the TV and increase the volume?

Good questions, and I don't have the answers to them. Some people were wondering the same thing about the TVs being connected together, but it seems unlikely. The TVs only seem to turn on when nobody is in the room, so it is not always the same TVs that are being turned on. I am not sure what the default volume is for the TVs, but I am pretty sure it would not be 100. If anything, I would think it would be 0 until the resident decides how loud he or she wants it. As far as someone having time to go into empty rooms to turn TVs on, my guess is they probably really don't have the time, but are choosing to turn on TVs instead of performing other essential duties.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

I'm Scandinavian and we have strong union protection. You definitely can't fire people willy-nilly. But there's no way the union would protect and advocate for an employee who makes coworkers waste time on a daily basis by running around looking for a blaring TV to turn off, when they could be doing their jobs and taking care of residents instead.

Unfortunately, here in the US, I know unions (albeit, not nursing unions) that have stood up for employees who have been proven to have done much worse. I'm not trying to imply all unions as being like this, but there have been some that have defended employees who have acted less than honorably.