News of Mother's Death Left on Answering Machine

Published

At the LTC facility where I do PRN work a patient died and while she was a DNR her death was rather unexpected. This occurred during the early morning (about 5am) and night shift was still on duty.

When the LPN could not get an answer at the family's home, he left a message on the answering machine that their mother was dead.

Is it just me or is this a major NO-NO!?!?!?!?!?!?

I was kind of appalled when I heard this, apparently others were as well, which is why it is the topic of interest right now.

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No, no, no, no! Oh my gosh no.

How truly heartbreaking and sad and just WRONG.

steph

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I think thats a BIG no no. Do you know what happened when she got the message?

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I agree that this is a big no no. What a devistating way to find out about a family members death.

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That sounds like someone who would make a sick prank call instead of a professional dealing with patients. Who would do that? :angryfire

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Ortho/HH/Radiology-Now Retired.

NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!

Something similar happened here in Australia. A young person died at the hospital after an MVA. Some IDIOT policeman phoned the parents and informed the mother, over the PHONE!, that her child was dead! The mother promptly had a cardiac arrest and died!

THat nurse needs a bloody good talking to! IMHO.

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NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!

Something similar happened here in Australia. A young person died at the hospital after an MVA. Some IDIOT policeman phoned the parents and informed the mother, over the PHONE!, that her child was dead! The mother promptly had a cardiac arrest and died!

THat nurse needs a bloody good talking to! IMHO.

OMG!! That is truly horrible!

If it's 5am odds are the family is sleeping. Did she call more than once? Could anyone go to the house? I had to do that once. I had to wake the family up to tell them to get to the hospital. I didn't give them specifics or anything.

A BIG no no.

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Specializes in Everything but L&D and OR.

I can not believe that!!!!!:madface: :madface:

All you need is some common sense to tell you, would you want someone to call you in the middle of the night and leave a message like that?

Besides, hasn't this nurse heard of HIPPA? It's only been out there for years now!! I would be beside myself if I would have heard that.

Sorry, but inappropriate things like that jsut really get me steamed.:angryfire :banghead:

Christy

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That is so unfeeling and deplorable that it really does not even deserve a comment.

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Specializes in Everything but L&D and OR.

Sometimes I wonder what people are thinking when they do stuff like that.

I remember the 1st time I had to call a family member about a death, I was in nursing school in my last week of clinicals. I had to leave a message for the son to call the facility about his mom, but I did not give any info. It was about the scariest thing i had to do in clinicals!!!:eek:

I made it though.......... and now I've been a nurse for 10 years. The good outweigh the bad, so I still love what I do.

Christy:redbeathe :heartbeat :redpinkhe

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.

That is just awful! What a way to find out. :(

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How about insensitive, unprofessional, and down right ignorant. Not to mention a Hippa problem. That nurse needs some training on end of life care.

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