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Discussion

Malpractice?

HI,

As you may know I just got a job doing Peds Home Health which is more like private duty 8 hrs a day for 4 days. I went and met the pt and family yesterday and this is just going to be quiet different and new to me. Family seems nice and live a very tiny home. The little girl has CP and feeding tube and hx of seziures but mom says it's been 3 months since her last one. She has speech and Ot that come to the house every week and mom is at home but runs errands alot she said. These are my questions if anyone can answer them as I don't have a mentor in this field who can help me. Who protects me? Do I need to get malpractice insurance to cover me in this sue happy world we live in? Nothing sparked me to worry about them and If I don't know how to do something I am not the type to fudge my way through something at the cost of a patient either, I am just thinking of the possibilities. Plus there are somethings that I seen that are not necessarly the greatest for the child that are takeing place as far as feedings and how they have her lay, and smokeing going on in the home. Big Ethical decisions, how far DO YOU take the teaching and talking of subject matters? The child is YOUR pt and the family isn't but this is THIER home? Just curious as to how others have handled situations in the past. And Just curious as to how it worked out with others who may have had a mom stay there the entire time with you and the child. I do not mind at all, in fact it will be very nice, just wonder how you drew the line between nurse and mom? Anything else important you may think I missed please let me know. Thank you for your help! I need all the input I can get on this. I want to do a great job for this child but protect myself also!

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What is CP?

  • Author

Cerebal Palsy

I personally think its a good idea to carry your own personal malpractice insurance. Even if you are covered by the agency policy, that policy is not looking out for your personal best interest like your own policy should.

As far as the other issues, I would advise that you first get to know thw family and try to get to understand how they are coping with their child's disability, as well as get an idea of the education level and receptiveness to change. Bear in mind that with a disabled kid there is never a shortage of people trying to tell the parents stuff they should be doing for their child...if they actually did every little thing they were advised to it would take up 48 hours a day!! So find a way to present the information in a nonjudgemental way and remember you need to convince the parents that this is really important and worth the extra time.

I have had my own insurance since graduation and always encourage every health care worker to have their own.

As far as the child if the child is safe, clean, dry, getting well cared for the parents should be allowed to do what they want in their own home with regard to smoking.

JMHO,

renerian

  • Author

Well for intances, the child has a suction machine prn and the yanker was on the floor uncovered with the dog running around and on it, the girls tongue was caked with yellow which showed me she was not getting oral care, and feeding tubes left hanging for I don't know how long so the dog could run and play with it. Unsanitary things that screamed at me from being a floor nurse and going into a home setting is like a big shock, I guess maybe you see all these things and go "WOW!" HAHA

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