Patients Waiting for Pain & Nausea Meds

Ortho_RN · Jan 25, 2004

We provide care to patients regardless if they are the drunk driver who hit a pedestrian or someone who stabbed a cop and ended up getting shot..

We care for these patients WITHOUT prejudice(Im sure I spelled it wrong). So if that drunk driver or the one who shot the cop is in worse shape, and the others are stable then they get helped first... Isn't always fair but that is the way it goes.

So do you think your Veteran family member should be seen before the pedestrian hit by a drunk driver who is bleeding out and has numerous fractures??? Everyone deserves to be seen and cared for in a timely manner, and I honestly believe that most nurses do there best to do what they can to make it happen. But you know I couldn't administer than pain/nausea med if the doctor hasn't ordered it yet.. But I will still be the one who is noncaring and lazy....

live4today, RN · Jan 25, 2004

Doglover.........NO one person is more deserving than another. Every human life is important! Even yours. :nurse:

Dave ARNP · Jan 25, 2004

Cheerful,

You are my hero of the thread.

IF, you just made that remark and kept a straight face.

:D

Dave

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Jan 25, 2004

Originally posted by Doglover
First of all, my family member was in perfect health until two years ago when stricken with a rare neurological disease which was NOT lifestyle-induced. Second and more important, they risked their life serving overseas during WWII and deserved some respect and appreciation from the ER nurses, not to be forced to lie in agony on a stretcher in an open corridor waiting hours for pain and nausea medication. It is high time that nurses and others started showing some appreciation for Veterans who have served their country, and it is an insult to them to give priority to some smoker with self-inflcted COPD or an obese, comatose diabetic who ate too many donuts and caused their own disease (not to mention squandering scarce resources).

Unfortunately the legal profession does not agree.

Again, I reinforce that you need to address this issue with the administration of that facility, as they are the ones that staff the hospital ( or understaff the hospital). They ultimately control the temperature and the diet and the room availability, NOT THE NURSING STAFF. Therefore, you are abusing someone to whom you have no right to abuse as they are not at fault.

Also, frequently, the MD is tied up in the same emergency that the RN is. And until they assess the patient and order meds, the nurse cannot give so much as a sip of water to the patient. As in most ERs, there is one (maybe two ) MDs, there are time constraints. Again, yell at administration for their incredible cheapness.

Likewise until the legal profession/court rules that the comfort of our veterans supercede the rights of others to merely stay alive, your gripe is with the laws, courts, and lawyers of this country. Please vent your spleen at those entities.

There is a nursing shortage in this country because nurses are tired of being abused for issues that are not of their control. If you want to even see a nurse in the future, start directing your diatribes at those at fault for these situations, not just the closest available target.

live4today, RN · Jan 25, 2004

Originally posted by MD Terminator
Cheerful,
You are my hero of the thread.

IF, you just made that remark and kept a straight face.

:D

Dave

Thanks Dave. I tried.........:chuckle

warrior woman · Jan 25, 2004

Then I am sorry to say that healthcare SHOULD NOT be your chosen field, as we all have to treat all patient's to the best of our abilities REGARDLESS of the disease or trauma that they may be afflicted with. If you continue to exhibit this callous, judgemental attitude toward people who don't fit your description of "deserving blameless patient" then there's no way that you can treat patient's effectively. I also think this thread should close to limit fallout from possible replies. Thanks.

Rustyhammer · Jan 25, 2004

Originally posted by MD Terminator
I've administed no medication, although 5mg of IV Haldol was what I was thinking about.

Dave

Should you give something for the pain?

-R

Nurse Ratched, RN · Jan 25, 2004

We've checked out the thread and I feel the posters are doing an EXCELLENT job of showing things from the nurses' POV. I personally don't expect that we will convince anyone with such a clear chip on his/her shoulder (whether deservedly so or not.)

I am very proud of the posters who have displayed such tact in responding to a very angry post from an obviously angry person.

Anyone who has a complaint of this nature should take it to the adminstration of the offending facility, not to a bulletin board where we cannot help him/her. I highly doubt that the complainer will get very far suggesting that a patient in cardiac failure (regardless of how it happened) should be put in line behind the guy who needs morphine. Ain't gonna happen on my watch, and the day admin says it should is the LAST day I work in a hospital.

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Jan 25, 2004

What she said.

Dave ARNP · Jan 25, 2004

Yes, everyone who's having to read this CRAP please fill out the pain assessment survery and return it to one of the RN's who is circulating the room.

I've already given an order for saline locks, and I will be ordering pain medication according.

For those in mild pain, your RN will be giving 30mg of Toradol IVP.

Moderate pain will be getting 75mg of Demerol / 25mg of Phenergan, IVP

Severe pain will get you 2-4mg of Dilaudid IVP.

Please submit your papers promptly so that I may sign your orders.

Dave :roll :roll :roll :roll :roll

warrior woman · Jan 25, 2004

Sorry Ratched. Didn't mean to get carried away there!!

Nursekatydid · Jan 25, 2004

Originally posted by Doglover
I have read many different postings on various boards here where nurses seem to think it is OK for patients to wait for hours for pain and nausea medication. Well, it is NOT OK. Just because some other patient has a "life-threatening" ailment does not in the least justify having someone in agonizing pain and/or nausea lying in misery for hours. Many of these so-called "emergencies" that get triaged to the top are lifestyle-induced from obesity, smoking, drinking, drug abuse, and reckless driving. On the other hand, certain other illnesses in which the patient suffers severe pain are NOT due to lifestyle factors; they are random misfortunes that the patient did not create.

Nurses and other health care workers (excluding those who are solely private pay) are obligated to serve the public, and that means patients and their families and visitors.

I have read that one of the jobs of nurses is to "educate" patients about their disease and to provide emotional support and counseling about managing their illness. Funny thing, but when my loved one was in the hospital they received zero support or information from the nurses. All of the information was from the DOCTORS and the Internet.

Doglover,

Just because someone is in pain does not mean that it is a life threatening ailment. Now I am not saying that it isn't serious, pain is a very GOOD indicator that something is wrong. As nurses we are in NO PLACE to judge someone on how they got in their situation or how they got their disease. you actually did make a good point (surprise, surprise) about how we are obligated to treat the public. That is an obligation and a good nurse does so without bias. It is hard, but that is a very important part of nursing.