Private sitters in the hospital

[NightOwl0624]

One of my patients had a private care giver stay all night with the patient when the wife went home. Apparently the family has used private care givers for about 3 years now during the night. The one earlier in the week was decent, she didn't anything at all for the patient but did stay awake (even though he did manage to pull out his iv anyway).

Last night, the "care giver" didn't even attempt to stay awake. She got a pillow, blanket, and slept all night on the couch in the room. You could hear her snoring from the hall. We were in and out of the room all night and it didn't seem to bother her, she slept just fine!

I usually mind my own business, but this one really bothered me. I'm off for the next few days, so I probably won't see the family again, but was wondering how others would handle it.

Would you tell the family what you saw, or mind your own business?

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

What harm would it be if you just ask the family? On the other hand...if you don't ask/ tell the family, they could be paying a person just to sleep.

[Mynameispeggy]

I am a private caregiver. We were hired more as a companion than anything. I am not trained medically at all. Our duties included preparing meals and stand by assist. His health has taken a turn for the worse physically the past month and been in a hospital and skilled nursing unit for that time. The hospital personnel all expect us to do everything but give meds and take vitals. Today is the first day he has had a catheter ever and I didn't realize it required cleaning. My point is, not all caregivers are medical caregivers and some are just basically companions. I am allowed and encouraged to sleep at night. I don't personally nap during the day but others do. So I would approach the family out of concern of the care the patient might be receiving but not in an accusing manner cause you never know what the arrangement is. My question is, if something were to happen to the patient in the hospital, who would be held responsible? You or the caregiver?

[SCSTxRN]

You could always ask the family if they have any other openings for night sitters, because you have a friend who needs a night job that lets her sleep enough that she can still work in the day... from what you've seen, the night sitter gets enough sleep to hold down a day job.

[Tequila Jackson]

I work for an agency and my client is in the hospital NOW. But my job got in our adls that we are not to provide care we are only there as a companion. Because it's against the law to provide care for a patient that's in the hospital. We don't work for the hospital they're under the hospital care. So it's not or job to change them and take them to the bathroom. However I still do it because I believe in team work and also the nurses look pissed when you call them to do their jobs. But we don't provide care. If we wasn't there the nurses would have to do all that. But work overnight I take cat naps and sleep with one eye open. I wouldn't dare fall deep asleep and be snoring. That's to MUCH.

[Crash_Cart]

On 11/28/2011 at 6:35 PM, Mynameispeggy said:

The hospital personnel all expect us to do everything but give meds and take vitals. Today is the first day he has had a catheter ever and I didn't realize it required cleaning. My point is, not all caregivers are medical caregivers and some are just basically companions. I am allowed and encouraged to sleep at night.

Seems there's a misconception that you are somehow responsible for providing them with nursing care.

Obviously without any kind of training how to do that exactly, I can understand why you're not.

I guess providing nursing care is simply not your intended function. You are just there to tell the nurse when the patient needs something?