I am a new grad nurse working on a med/surg floor, and this is my second month of orientation. I have had a great orientation so far with a really supportive preceptor and everyone on the floor is very helpful. This afternoon I had a situation that has left me reeling and frustrated.
There was a patient on our floor that was awaiting placement in a nursing home. He is an octogenarian and has many co-morbidities and has been slowly decompensating.
Apparently, on a day that I was not working, he started going into respiratory failure and also had a large hematoma on his chest that was new. What happened isn't apparent. According to the CNA that was a sitter in his room and the documentation by all staff involved, there were no falls or any other incidents. He was transferred to the ICU and while there, his family decided to put him on comfort care. He was transferred back to our floor and I got him as a pt. It was confirmed that he was on comfort care and I went about making sure he was comfortable.
His family showed up and started asking questions about what happened. When I told them that I was not there and all I know is what is documented and what I was told, they just kept grilling me. They have decided that he fell and we are covering it up, and nothing can convince them otherwise. I just kept taking the tactic of empathizing with their concern and telling them I know nothing (which I do!) Then they started asking why he was not getting fluids, not being monitored, not being treated with XYZ. When I (gently) explained what comfort care is, they said "so you are just going to let him die?" I was flabbergasted. I read the note about the family meeting in which it was decided.
Then they started taking pictures of everything on his body, calling me in every 20 minutes to ask me the same questions over and over again. And new ones, about why he has bruising on his abdomen (heparin shots), so on and so on.
My preceptor just told me not to take it personally and just do the best I can for the patient and keep repeating that I just got this patient today and I have no idea. That is all well and good, but I just was wondering if anyone has any advice as to what might calm this family down enough or explain clearly enough the situation that they might cease grilling the staff and spend their time loving their father/grandfather/husband? I know that in my time with him, I did all I could to make him feel comfortable. I know that there was nothing, as a mere mortal, I could have done to ease their suspicions or their grief.
Also, what do you think about this mysterious hematoma that happened concurrently with the respiratory failure? I don't think it would be possible to cover up any falls or anything, as it would be impossible to get him back into bed without help. I also don't think anyone involved would ever in a million years do something like this. But the family persists in believing it. I told them that I understand where they are coming from and why they are concerned, but explained why I don't think that would happen.
I know that this is not something I have to worry about being at fault for, but I am worried that they are wasting their last moments with their loved one on suspicion and anger. I am worried that everything I am saying is just giving them ammo to keep being suspicious. I have the day off today and I know I am not going to be able to stop worrying about it.
Am I just being an oversensitive new grad? I know we live in a society where any sort of death is looked upon as "someone's fault" Should I just let them vent their frustration and let it go?
I know this was long and had a lot of questions and is kind of fragmented. Any thoughts would be helpful.
The sick and stupid thing is they feel that if they get enough evidence and sue and get lots and lots of money (rare) then they'll feel better about the experience... Where the truth is they're more than likely ruining peoples lives in the process and feeling like sh*t still.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
i can smell a future lawsuit. it seems that these days people (family members) are less genuinely concerned about their family, but are more concerned about gathering enough info to get a payday from the hospital.
i had a pt in a ltc that was brought to us with an extensive history of falls and related injuries. his wheelchair that was supplied to us by the family and a velcro seatbelt (not restraint) that he was easily able to get out of. he had the ability to communicate his needs. on many occasions he was found with his belt off or in the process of taking it off. well as was expected he fell. i was standing at the nurses station, facing away from him when he fell, forehead first. he was sent out to the er and had sustained a minor concussion with no new breaks. his x-ray report did show that numerous old breaks in various stages of healing. well he later did from complications related to hospital-acquired pneumonia (not from our ltc). the family hired a lawyer and suing for a large sum of money. approximately 5 months later (and after i no longer worked there) i get a call from fl dept of children and family services asking a bunch of questions. i was told that the complaint against the facility was recently filed.
sorry for the rant, but why do families feel the need to sue when a relative dies of unknown etiology or causes related to their illness? stop trying to get paid and move on with life...
why was a physical therapist brought to you in a wheelchair?
shiccy
379 Posts
The sick and stupid thing is they feel that if they get enough evidence and sue and get lots and lots of money (rare) then they'll feel better about the experience... Where the truth is they're more than likely ruining peoples lives in the process and feeling like sh*t still.