Update: ER RN on trial for not reporting bruising

Disablednurse · Mar 26, 2003

I agree with the article, they are going after the wrong person and those who should be charged once again will get away with causing a child to die. State officials should pay more attention to who they let in the system as foster parents.

Merry1 · Mar 26, 2003

What about the MD who tended the child?? Why isn't he/she charged? Just curious.

passing thru · Mar 26, 2003

In our ER, we know to personally make sure the doc sees all bruises on children, the elderly, the incapacitated. It is preached to us at least once a month. It's policy. It is not up to us to decide. It is our job to do skin assessments on all patients and verbally report all bruises. We accompany the doc while he is assessing bruises. It is time consuming, but the hospital has made child abuse, elder abuse , invalid abuse etc. a major major priority. My butt would be history if a bruise was not reported to the emergency room doc.

Too bad more nurses didn't take the day off and support this nurse. There should have been 6,000 nurses there.

deespoohbear · Mar 26, 2003

I agree with Merry1. Why on earth is the nurse always the ONLY one at fault? Seems like a witch hunt to me. I hope this nurse's attorney nails the prosecution.... :devil:

And we wonder why on earth there is a nursing shortage? :confused: :rolleyes:

Furball · Mar 26, 2003

Total skin assessment on all ER pts? I've been in the ER several times, frequently with nasty bruises due to karate class, and have never had a total skin assessment. Does the ER nurse really have the time? The ER's I've been to are veritable zoos.

sixes · Mar 26, 2003

Boy does this burn my A--. Since when does ER do skin assessments unless there is an obvious reason, like a rash or a complaint?

Our 18 year ld who is Autistic had a seizure at school and was brought to the Er via ambulance. He had an abrasion on his nose and forehead. No on not the nurses or the Dr did a skin asssessment.

There concern was his seizure activity.

Where the hell was FDA should they not have been doing home visits on there own people to ensure the safety of this child??

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Mar 26, 2003

Admitted a 60s age guy to the floor from the ER with Pneumonia.

I was a new grad so I did a thorough assessment - made him remove his socks. Four of his toes were black and crunchy. Was his admitting MD aware? NOOOOO. The patient wasn't even concerned.

Notified his MD, who promptly freaked out. The toes fell off a few days later.

passing thru · Mar 26, 2003

Yes, in our ER , we do a total body skin assessment. If you come in seizing, needless to say, a bruise on your leg does not take priority. ( Does this really need to be written/explained to you?)

However, before you are transferred to another unit, or discharged, you will have a "once over" by a ER nurse.

How long do you think it takes an experienced ER nurse to do a visual skin assessment on you? All of our patients are undressed and put into hospital gowns. The majority are on monitoring--electrodes-blood pressure, etc.

There is a place on our ER admission assessment form: "skin assessment". It is filled out and the ER nurse signs it.

And yes, to most people, our ER would look like a zoo.

However, each patient has a nurse who is responsible for carrying out all the ER policies while he is a patient in the ER and the nurse sees to it that the patient is not transferred out of ER until all the "checks" are done.

If you were assisting a patient out of their clothes and applying electrodes and b.p. cuff, ; how long would it take you to look for any signs of trauma?

We do not have any nurse aides in our ER.

If a patient is able to undress themselves and get into the hospital gown, how long would it take you to look the patient over and check for signs of trauma?

It isn't a time consuming task at all. It is a high priority at our hospital. Each unit even has a camera.

Furball · Mar 26, 2003

There are cameras? You mean I was caught picking my nose while waiting.......?

sjoe · Mar 26, 2003

Nice to see the medical community supporting a nurse.

MomNRN, BSN, RN · Mar 27, 2003

Add another dimension to these stories. I had a student come in with obvious fingerprint bruising to her neck as well as bruises near her eye. She told us her stepmother had struck her with a belt and the buckle struck the corner of her eye. The bruises on her neck didn't need explanation although she provided it.

Our social worker initiated an emergency call to DCFS since she was the first to assess the situation. I further documented with Polaroid photos and written statements in her file.

DCFS' statement on above situation: since she is 13-years-old, we will not get involved because we cannot assume the mother wasn't protecting herself from attack.

The last time I checked it was still illegal to choke children regardless of their age! Yes, this child is no angel and could be accused of provoking attack, but someone needs to be the adult!

It is infuriating - I could go on and on!