Patient and family priorities

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

Sometimes I find patient and family priorities frustrating. Had a patient in the other night, and as we were triaging the patient, the parent wanted to know "aren't we going to do anything for their pain" then "Can I have some water" and then "when can I feed them" and "Can I get some water?" This was all before we'd even gotten their names in to the system. I understand the concern about her child's discomfort, but she asked for water twice and we hadn't even completed triage. They'd literally just been dropped off by EMS, placed directly in a room, and there were two nurses and a doctor at bedside doing assessments and getting the patient's name, birthday and medical history.

"Ok mom, I'm in the middle of assessing your child's mental status post fall, but let me go grab you that water now."

[EmergencyNrse]

Welcome to the ER

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

Usually I just shake it off but there was something about this situation, that the mom was REALLY worried about her kids but also REALLY wanted some water lol. It's stuck with me I guess.

[MissKayRN]

I had a patient who was in the PCU and started to go downhill so she went out for some tests, and then came back to our facility's ICU. We found out she was MUCH sicker than we had thought, had bilateral pleural effusions, newfound CHF and s/p acute MI, etc. etc. Unresponsive for the first two hours back in the ICU. She finally started to open her eyes, and we were speaking to her about what was going on, and she looked at the picture on the wall and said, "I don't like that picture. I want you to change it now." UGH. I'm trying to save your life right now and you want me to stop to move pictures around on walls??

I have other stories, especially pertaining to this particular patient, but that's the first one that always comes to mind.

[JDZ344]

I once cared for a woman whose daughter wanted her moved to a different unit RIGHT NOW because she didn't like the colour of the paint on the walls. Never mind anything else- the mother actually was pretty sick.

[Sanuk]

Had a patient tonight who, while I am doing an EKG for their CP, asked me for a pillow to prop their legs on. First, there are never any pillows to be found in the ED, and number two let's make sure you're not a STEMI first, then you can make comfort requests, mmkay?

[Dixielee, BSN, RN]

I had a mother lodge a complaint against the ED last week because we did not offer food to the entire family during their 2 hour stay. 15 yr old male with wrist injury from football. Had him triaged and in x-ray within 30 minutes, had to wait on radiology reading, placed him in velcro splint, gave ibuprofen and had him to discharge in just over 2 hours and they filed a written complaint. The mother said since they were there at 1700 and it was mealtime, we should have provided meals!

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

Usually I just shake it off but there was something about this situation, that the mom was REALLY worried about her kids but also REALLY wanted some water lol. It's stuck with me I guess.

Some people under stress can behave in mysterious ways........but so can an abusive parent:madface:. And remember you are dealing with the general public and you realize that it's a really scary world out there because you have seen them personally.

[DixieRedHead, ASN, RN]

My personal favorite:

"I have been having abdominal pain, vomiting, and had diarrhea for three days, haven't been able to keep anything down. I am a diabetic, before the doctor comes can I get a tray?"

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

Screwy priorities happen everywhere. I was helping the charge nurses prepare to send someone out rescue....acute change of condition, 02sats in the 70's despite supplemental oxygen. A woman comes up to the station and said her mother wanted pudding. The charge nurse, who was new, was going to drop everything to get the pudding. I politely told the woman she would have to wait a few minutes. She told me she was going to call the director because she expected service when she asked for it!! I told her I WAS the director and would be happy to get her mom some pudding once we had taken care of the extremely sick patient. She threatened to call the Administrator. I told her she could call anyone she wanted as long as she got away from the nurses' station. By the way, her mom wasn't diabetic or even sick. She was scheduled to be discharged the next day.

At another facility, we had to evacuate an entire unit because of a problem with the liquid oxygen. All the staff people were wonderful...all the residents were great...all except this one family member who kept hollering for more gravy for her husband's potatoes. Lady, we're evacuating because the oxygen might explode! Let's go. She told me she was going to report me to management (I was the supervisor) for "neglecting her husband's needs". Somehow I don't think Maslow had gravy in mind when he formulated his hierarchy of needs.

[Sun0408, ASN, RN]

This is why I like my pts vented and sedated :)

Bad for me to say but hey, we all have our population that we just love and that is mine...

[Thedreamer]

I had a lady being admitted for low H/H and Afib new onset, 88 y/o to my PCU. CRX/CT = r/o CHF + she had pleural effusions.

All her sitter cared about? When is she getting a dinner tray?

I was just floored. The lady is just got to my unit, shes confused, I havent even been IN to see the patient yet and her PDA/sitter is already making requests? I told her I hadnt even seen her orders or even if she was allowed to eat yet. The lady said, "Well she hasnt eaten all day." Seriously? Didnt you guys just come from home? You didnt feed her ALL day and its now 6pm? She came back 3 times within 5 minnutes wanting updates on that tray.

Finally I got the orders, great a diet is there.. got it ordered and sent up. 10 min later guess whos eating dinner? It wasnt the patient thats for sure.

Just makes me sick.