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.
if i were that patients family i would be livid if i recieved a message on my machine that my mother had died.:angryfire :angryfire :angryfire what was that person thinking? people like that need to be taken outside and have the crap beat out of them, so they will know what the pain they inflicted on someone else feels like.
i'm sorry that this is harsh, but what gives that person the right to do something so unprofessional, uncaring and rude as that. it can give nurses and ltc facilities a bad wrap.
Imagine if a newspaper or tv station got hold of this. This guy is a TOTAL boob. I am sorry. I had a cat die who was being treated at the vet. They left me a message to call the office. They didn't even leave it on tape that my kitty had died.:angryfire
Were I the DON, I'd fire him. And then kick him in the ankle. And then give him to the family.
ETA: Okay, I was actually joking, but that might not be so bad, to have the family talk to him, after they're slightly less livid. But only if they want to, obviously.
Had that been me, I would have to find this person and it just would not be nice. I'd have to ask them is this how you would like to find out about your mother's death? Talk about sympathy.
Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.
I saw the title on this and immediately gasped!
I worked for many years at an ALF as the nurse on duty...and if people passed or needed to be sent to the hospital I found it was my duty to find the family members and let them know...never left anything on an answering machine except to please call as soon as possible!
There were so many times where the phone numbers left for family were wrong or disconnected or what not. I would get my DON and head of the Administration and we found it was good to find the residents address book (all three of us as witnesses in the room!) and start there...usually we found cel phone numbers we didn't have and were able to get a hold of family. Or we could usually contract the MD's office and see if they had any new numbers for family (and usually they would be helpful and try too!).
Oh my...I would NEVER leave that info on an answering machine...I always asked the family to please call back as soon as possible and who they should ask for (in case it was after my shift), and try really hard to find the contact persons work number or cel.
He wasn't at the inservice today and in the midst of all the other issues we were getting fussed at about I forgot to ask anyone for a follow up.
I still keep replaying the interactions I have had with this guy in my mind....I don't know the guy very well but the couple of times I took or gave report with him he struck me as a little strange. Guess I was right.
It must have been awful for the family. I would probably take him aside to figure out what the hell he was thinking when he did that, and does he not understand how it would affect the family?
As for the pattern mob lynching that takes place here when someone does something wrong, all I can say is, have you really never done anything completely stupid that you regret?
simply deplorable, leaving a message of a loved one's death on the answering machine.:angryfire
being a hospice nurse, i have to tell family members of a loved one's death rather frequently and i hate telling them over the phone, period.....nevermind leaving a message. there is absolutely no excuse for such insensitivity.
mommy2boys
161 Posts
if i were that patients family i would be livid if i recieved a message on my machine that my mother had died.:angryfire :angryfire :angryfire what was that person thinking? people like that need to be taken outside and have the crap beat out of them, so they will know what the pain they inflicted on someone else feels like.
i'm sorry that this is harsh, but what gives that person the right to do something so unprofessional, uncaring and rude as that. it can give nurses and ltc facilities a bad wrap.
erin