Need Help!

Thunderkat · Oct 3, 2001

This happened to me when I was a brand spanking new nurse and it really had a profound effect on me:

I was working on a pediatric med/surg floor. I had a little girl who was very sick. She was a post op ORIF bilat hips. She lost alot of blood during surgery and she was only 6 yrs of age. Her parents were devout Jehovah's Witnesses. They were totally adamant on not giving their child blood or any blood products. Well, her H/H was dropping and we begged and pleaded with her parents to no avail. She went into to shock/failure and died. I cried my eyes out. I felt so helpless and futile since it was a preventable death. I totally support an adults right to make choices in regards to their walk of faith vs health care choices. But this child...was a child and a victim of her parents' faith or beliefs, she did not get a chance to find or choose her own faith or way. I am not bringing this up to get slammed, i am just merely bringing up an issue that haunts me to this day... what might have been.......

P_RN, ADN, RN · Oct 3, 2001

We lost a good friend not too long ago with a similar scenario only HE was not of that faith, but his wife was. He died. I am still angry.

I think another thing would be patients with an obviously terminal illness, who beg to be let go, and who have a family member insist upon a full code.

Now another thing that I KNOW I will get slammed for is the stem cell issue. I think that good people MUST look out for the rights of embryonic people.

There is abortion. I will not be a part of it. I am not Catholic, but I will not participate. I have been sent to the "office" more than once when I was floated to that area. Their problem. I have never been so much as reprimanded.

Drug diversion. There for the grace of God could go any one of us. I have always been scrupulous about narcotics. I am not a goody two shoes, and I admit I have snitched bandaids, and used the WATS line. Not narcotics.

Are these enough issues? They are only a few of MANY out there.

P

debbyed · Oct 3, 2001

I am an old fashioned nurse and an old fashioned mother who raised (successfully) my children by the old antage of "Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child" I never beat my children or abused them but I did punish them when their behavior was inappropriate and they knew it, preferring to misbehave anyway. Both Sons are well adjusted and living productive lives.

Now in the ER I frequently see 6,7,8 and 9 year old children brought in for psyc. evaluations because they are out of controll. They use foul language, talk back, show no respect for others and are generally brats.

These children are treated as though they have a mental illness and are put on boat loads of medications and see therapist who try time outs. Most of these children need a swift kick in the butt and need limits set. Behaviors are learned and these children are learning the wrong behaviors from a society that has erred to far on the side of caution.

ICUBecky · Oct 3, 2001

I totally agree with P_RN on her code status. I work in an ICU, where there have been numerous patients who are on vents, intra-aortic balloon pumps, brain dead, being pumped full of blood b/c they are bleeding (w/o changes in HCT)...i can go on and on. And their families absolutely refuse to place DNR orders...just b/c they see their eyes or fingers move or something stupid like that, and believe that they are coming around. this is just wrong!! makes you just want to run out and sign a living will...

good luck on you paper!

huckfinn · Oct 3, 2001

Ditto on the Jehovah issue. This sort of thing really burns my butt!

kaycee · Oct 4, 2001

I guess after working in the ER all these years, what really burns me are the pt's that think they are entitled.

Young healthy men and women on welfare that demand to be seen in a hurry for stupid nonurgent complaints. Who expect free medication or at least prescriptions for over the counter meds that they say they can't afford. A bottle of Tylenol for your kid is worth as much as the couple packs of cigarettes hangin out of your purse.

The ones that get themselves to the hospital for a sore throat then expect the hospital to pay a cab to take them home.

The ones that bring in the whole family to be seen at one time for URI symptoms that started that day.

The ones whose kids are playing with Game Boys in the room and then can't wait to get home to play Nintendo but they can't afford meds for them.

The ones that when you work long enough you see their kids come in as young adults and they're on welfare too.

The ones who clean the treatment rooms of bandaids and dressings and any thing else that is not locked down.

Sorry, as you can see these people really pi$$ me off.

I love to say to them, get off your lazy a$$ and get a job. I'm sick of paying for your health care!!