Nurses aren't maids!

[AnaCatRN]

I'm sorry. I really, really need to vent. I work for a pediatric private duty nursing agency, and I'm an RN. This is what I wish I could say to my new patient's mom: Why the heck would you ask your child's new night nurse to do her laundry?! When the hell did they put laundry questions on the NCLEX? Oh, yeah, they DIDN'T because NURSES AREN'T MAIDS! I'm not your kid's nanny, I'm a healthcare PROFESSIONAL - just like a physician. You wouldn't ask your pediatrician to do your kid's laundry, so you better not ask the nurse to do it, either! It's not 1950, anymore, Sparky!

Of course, I didn't say that. To be nice, I folded the kid's clothes tonight, but then I sent off an email to the clinical director at the agency complaining profusely about this insulting request. I mean, seriously! Where do people get the brass testicles to ask a nurse to do a maid's job?

Why do people automatically assume when they get private duty nursing covered by the state or their insurance that whoever is paying for it also thinks it's cool to provide you with housekeeping services? Isn't that insurance fraud? THe state doesn't want to pay for someone to do your kid's laundry. You can't ask me to do that! Not only is it DEGRADING to ask a healthcare professional to do laundry, it must be abuse of services. I hope to God above that no one at my agency told this woman that nurses do chores, because I will go all the way to the top of national corporate management if someone did. This better be an unfortunate misunderstanding on my patient's mom's part as to what nurses do and DO NOT do.

Has anyone else had to deal with this? I had one other patient's mom ask me if that was something we do, and she totally apologized for asking when I politely told her no. This new patient's mom guided me to the laundry room to make sure I understood how the machines work because she is assuming it's totally in my job description to do laundry. She didn't even ask, she just started out with "when you do her laundry..." Excuse me?! I clean the kid and his or her medical equipment. Nothing else! I'm not a home health aide (whose job it would possibly be). It's just not *my* job to do household chores!

OK, vent over. I feel a little better. Thanks for letting me vent.

[LaRN]

I think the parents that DEMAND it are fewer than we're being led to believe.

parents that DEMAND it is the subject of the thread

sorry for triple post, i meant to put all of it in one comment , and unable to delete

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

I make meals, wash dishes, and (occasionally) do laundry for my trach/vent client. I don't mind because it's for him and him alone, and it's all on the same floor, so if something really bad happens I'm 15 feet away. Most of the heavier housework is done by the overnight staff, non-nurses hired directly by the family.

[LaRN]

What Types of Home Care does Medicaid Pay For?

The following is a generalized list with explanations of what is typically offered by Medicaid in most states.

Home Health Care - is medical care provided to individuals in their homes. Trained medical professionals such as doctors and nurses provide these services. It is important to distinguish home health care from home care or personal care which is provided by family members or other caregivers, but not medically trained professionals.

Home Care / Personal Care - is non-medical or custodial care typically provided to assist individuals in performing their activities of daily living or instrumental activities of daily living, such as bathing, eating and assistance with mobility. Personal care, in many states, is covered through either regular Medicaid or through a Medicaid Waiver and frequently through both.

Homemaker Services - include assistance with general household chores such as housekeeping, laundry, shopping for groceries and other essential items as well as in the preparation of meals. The lines between homemaker services and support with the instrumental activities of daily living and "chore services" are not well defined. In some states these phrases may be used interchangeably. Though initially not a Medicaid benefit, homemaker services are now recognized as being essential to helping individuals remain living at home and with relative independence.

[KATRN78]

I found this and do not see housekeeping on this list of nursing care. Medicare Interactive - Types of home health care that Medicare will pay for

This was interesting because it says it does not pay for cooking, laundry etc.... Medicare Interactive - Script

[systoly]

in home health, every now and then I am asked to do personal chores, (usually the family). I just tell them thats not included, and never was. however, i've had some patients who were so pitiful and had nobody to help them, so I would do whatever I had time to do.

i hear you,

the request or demand to do laundry or other custodial care is often followed or accompanied

by "... the other nurses do it.."

i actually like that, because i cannot perform these tasks, because i haven't had the

in-service yet, but since everyone else is doing it - no worries

i actually had a co worker leave a note in the chart

"laundry needs to be done every day"

I gave the note to the mother and said, "I guess this is for you"

but i have done chores not anywhere near on the care plan

sometimes it's that or the patient goes without

it's not right, but sometimes the immediate need supercedes

the principal

as long as it doesn't become the permanent solution

[KATRN78]

Sometimes if there is downtime and Mom is folding patient's laundry I will say "here let me do that" I am being a decent courteous person. No, it's not my job, no I do not chart it and it's not expected of me. I do clean up any drips or mess I make and keep medical equipment clean.

[LaRN]

I was taught in nursing school that we were to keep the patient and their immediate area clean, including equipment, but at no point in time were we taught that we should mop floors and wash, fold and put away loads of clothes.

I'm with OP on this issue, I'll be damned if an able bodied individual is going to give me a list of chores to do. nurses who cave into this are not only setting up the next nurse who works there for failure, but ultimately causing government funds to be abused.

[amoLucia]

I was taught in nursing school that we were to keep the patient and their immediate area clean, including equipment, but at no point in time were we taught that we should mop floors and wash, fold and put away loads of clothes.

I'm with OP on this issue, I'll be damned if an able bodied individual is going to give me a list of chores to do. nurses who cave into this are not only setting up the next nurse who works there for failure, but ultimately causing government funds to be abused.

So well spoken!!!!!

[RNlove17]

I would think that if skilled nursing care is being paid for by tax payers, that does not include housekeeping services. To me, it's a way to get a "maid" off the taxpayers. I do not work in home health and this is one of the reasons I wouldn't. I would put soiled linens in a bag to be laundered, like I would at the hospital, if I had time MAYBE put it in water to soak. Skilled nursing care does not include doing laundry, mopping floors, etc. It does include cleaning the patient and their equipment, preparing/feeding them, etc.

I'm looking at it from a taxpayer perspective in that why should my tax dollars go to someone getting a "free" maid? Wouldn't that be nice if we all got that? It's abuse of government funds. You get a nurse, just like you would if your kid was in a hospital, except you have the benefit of them working out of your home. So the nurse at home should do the same thing (nursing skills wise) as if they were in the hospital.

[eeffoc_emmig]

I mentioned this topic to a fellow nurse who also does private duty - just wanted to get her viewpoint. I was a little shocked when she said that nurses are just as guilty of abusing tax payer money when they read books, watch TV, etc while on duty. Wow. I asked what she does when her patient is sleeping. She says she charts, folds/refolds/organizes drawers/closets, dusts, over and over to keep busy.

I couldn't help it - I told her she's nuts! (Said with love though) :)

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

I mentioned this topic to a fellow nurse who also does private duty - just wanted to get her viewpoint. I was a little shocked when she said that nurses are just as guilty of abusing tax payer money when they read books, watch TV, etc while on duty. Wow. I asked what she does when her patient is sleeping. She says she charts, folds/refolds/organizes drawers/closets, dusts, over and over to keep busy.

I couldn't help it - I told her she's nuts! (Said with love though) :)

0.0 How much charting & cleaning is there to be done?

[eeffoc_emmig]

0.0 How much charting & cleaning is there to be done?

She works the case 3 nights a week - I couldn't even fill one shift with cleaning /charting!