I'm not a babysitter!!!!

Specialties Private Duty

Published

2 months a go I accepted a pediatric case for a cute 3 years old boy. The case is very easy since he sleeps all night giving me the perfect chance to do teach and g- tube care. The problem is his mother thinks I'm a babysitter. She just moved to a new apartment with her 2 children my client and his sister 5. She decided that the girl will share the same room with her brother it's a very small room. The girl cries a lot and wakes him up all night ! Now she accepted a night job and she wanted to leave them with me!!! I told the agency before then she threatened them to change agencies . They never discuss it again . Tonight will be her first night going to this night job . What should I do or say . I need the job but not the babysitting part. Thanks

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Decline the case. The other child is not your responsibility. Follow up with your office director and clinical supervisor. Make it clear that you cannot supervise the sibling. This borders on child abandonment on behalf of the mother

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Specializes in Pediatric.

Oh no don't let yourself get used like this! So much liability

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That's what I'm afraid of . I'll be at work in an hour. I think I'll just leave this case . It will be very uncomfortable situation after.

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Specializes in General Surgery Assist.

One of the reasons i left homecare forever. We are not babysitters!

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
That's what I'm afraid of . I'll be at work in an hour. I think I'll just leave this case . It will be very uncomfortable situation after.

Send an email to office management ASAP. If you walk into her leaving you with the sibling, call the on call manager ASAP to advise of the situation and the issue is documented. Do not document the sibling left alone in your narrative. Email the clinical manager & scheduler to be pulled from the case ASAP because you cannot accept responsibility overnight for the minor child sibling and the client. Cover yourself

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

Call, call, call & document, document, document! You are not a babysitter & mom needs to know that. Cover yourself!

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One of the reasons i left homecare forever. We are not babysitters!

Oh wow, are these types of situations common?

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Oh wow, are these types of situations common?

Depending on the location and clientele this situation may not be uncommon. If there are numerous agencies fighting for business, a family member may abandon their child expecting the 1:1 PDN to babysit the abandoned child. The agency has this written in policy that it's not acceptable and may result in a call to CPS.

The more difficult is when your coworker's desperate to be liked agree to these questionable situations and fail to notify the office

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Your agency needs to do the right thing, as I would think they would be as liable as you. My former employer when I was a PDN would flip out if mom left me alone with a sibling-even for a ride in the elevator. They were clear with the families that the nurse is there for the pt. and the pt. only-we could include the sibling in play time or perhaps showing tx or cares (never allowing them to participate, of course) but never where our attention was diverted away from their client/my pt. Oh yeah, they also made it clear to the families that we worked too hard to our license to to do laundry, cleaning and such.

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Why not just call CPS/Police at that point? You are a mandated reporter who is not there to be legally responsible for the child who is not being given PDN. She is abandoning the 5 year old. Imagine if you worked in a hospital and Mom walked in, dropped off the 5 year old, and left her with you to watch while the brother was the admitted inpatient. HECK NO! You'd be on the phone to security faster than white on rice.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Oh wow, are these types of situations common?

I only know that in the larger companies I worked for it was clearly spelled out in the contract the client/parent signs with the agency that we are not to take care of siblings. A copy of the agreement was in the front of the chart with all other overall work and home environment safety stipulations.

I'm not personally aware of anyone being coerced into a situation like that, but there are a number of threads here in the PDN forum where people have detailed their experiences with such situations.

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