Ok, first off let me say I know this topic will probably generate a lot of strong opinions. I will also state that I am not a perfect person and don't take care of my health 100% so please don't think I am trying to be an elitist or something in posting this.
Disclaimer aside, I want to know if other nurses sympathize with me.
I am going to try and be as brief as possible in my story. First of all we have 2 resident patients on my floor that have been there over a year. They are obese and have suffered strokes. They require total care. These particular patients are about 250lbs and 1 has hemiparesis and the other has use of 1 arm (not sure what to call that).
The patient that really has me over the edge is one that is over 300lbs, vent dependent, unstageable sacral (of course, no one wants to turn this patient which is a whole other issue), lower extremities contracted with knee replacements, on dialysis, PEG feeding, restrained because she pulls any tube in sight, and contact isolation for c diff and acenotibacter. This patient has been on the floor for 3 months so far because no LTC facility will take her (understandably).
Not to mention all the cellulitis patients and other comorbities we deal with on admissions.
I am a 25 year old male and starting to feel back pains. This really has me over the edge as a combination of lazy/uneducated coworkers and heavy (literally) care.
Please share how you deal with these kinds of patients and what I can do to reverse my growing animosity towards these patients.
I have to struggle with this myself. For example,when we get a 500lb patient, the work that goes into getting them on and off treatment is immense at times.
I try very hard to look the person in the eyes, and talk to them kindly, and really, really work at remembering there is a human being who has feelings, hurts and pains that put them in the place they are.
I had one very large lady who used to ask for me everyday. At first I was annoyed, but I realized she just wanted a hug from me; she needed that human connection and felt it with me somehow. Changed my whole outlook.
I am no angel; I just try very, very hard to keep the human element involved when I get frustrated or exasperated.
There is a federal push to make more workplaces a "NO LIFT" facility; meaning, no manual lifting is allowed.
at my current employment, if the pt cannot get up from a fall independently, you MUST use a lift with a two-person transfer; there have been people fired in the past that did not follow policy.
I soooooo wish we had this policy, and that pts couldnt refuse it. So tired of them feeling its our responsibilty to hold them up.If the equipment is available we should use it.
we have one of those apex lifts/stand assist. So many pts try to refuse it.
heron, ASN, RN
4,649 Posts
THIS is compassion.