gentlegiver ASN, LPN, RN

Can someone please tell me what would make people harm the patients placed in thier care?? I keep reading about Nurses and CNAs and other staff abusing, neglecting and even killing thier charges. I don't understand why they feel the need to do this. Yes, I take care of patients who are abusive to staff, some are aware of what they are doing others are not. Still I would never knowingly or willingly do harm to any of them.

I consider it an honor to do post-mortum care. It's the last job I can preform for my pt and thier families. That said, while doing the care I talk to them and sing to myself (usually Amazing Grace). I once had a 98yr old lady pass. When I called for premission for RN Pronouncement, the PA who was angry about being woken up, demanded to know if it was an expected death.... my reply was "she's 98... do you think she was immortal??

As a new Nurse I had a 400lb pt choke on lunch. I couldn't get my arms around the pt so one of the CNA's and I joined hands and circled the pt and that did the job. It was cumbersom but it worked!!

Respectfully I disagree and have to say I fail to see how you formed your opinion. I work LTC, I watch my staff give care to thier patients just as they would give care to thier family members. We provide a safe place for those who cannot care for themselves. We watch each and every one of those people and can tell the smallest change in behavior and health. When they are crying in thier sleep, my staff and myself will go and sit with them, hold thier hands, listen to thier fears, or wrap our arms around them and hold them for as long as they need. Yes we have other patients to watch over, but each person is special and loved by us. I have seen CNA's and Nurses take turns sitting with a dying patient while waitting for the family to arrive. I have watched as Nurses took patients out to dinner or church or a movie. I have seen people take the time on thier day off to accompany a patient to the Dr's when the family couldn't. We don't care what it costs for a person to stay in our faculity, in fact, if asked most of us have no clue how much it costs to stay. The reality is that each and every one of our charges become family to us. No, they are not family by blood, but just as important, they become family of the heart!

I work LTC, anywhere fron 25 to 30 pts. We have an 2 hr window, (you have from 3PM until 5PM to pass meds) try getting report from 3 to 3:20 then finding and giving meds to all your patients who are wandering around, gone down to PT, LOA with family (didn't tell staff they were going). You also have to locate your Diabetics and get them before they take off for supper which they start passing out at 4:30. It's enought to make you crazy!!

When I worked agency, I was requested by one of the LTC in the area. They wanted me because I worked there often and they had a new Nurse to orient and the DON didn't trust the staff to train them correctly. They also called me in to re-educate staff and to watch how they did things to ensure they were following policy!

that said, i love my patients, for the most part they are easily redirected. i do my job for the ones who need my help, those who can do for themselves i expect them to do so. if they refuse to wash, shower, eat or drink, i document the heck out of it and let anyone who cares know that this patient who is demanding to be fed thier meal has been seen numerous times feeding themselves cookies, candy, chips and whatever else they want. they are here to get stronger and to go home, not to be babied.

I've been fired from Dementia pts, left the room and came back 2 minutes later to have them tell me all about the "horrible Nurse" who was in earlier and how glad they were that I was taking care of them cause I was thier favorite Nurse!

Here in where I live, we had rain and wind, but no power outages. I did have a tree fall in the road that blocked me in, it wasn't cleared out until this morning. A few small branches fell in the yard. And my orchard didn't lose as much fruit as I was afraid I would lose. Down in the towns and cities surrounding me there was alot of flooding, I live up on a small mountian so flooding really wasn't much of a problem. Hope everyone made out as good as I did.

Well, I've done all I can to prepare for the storm. Everything that can be blown around is now in the garage. My generator is charged, gassed (I'll pick up another 10 gallons on my way to work) and hooked up to the electrical system (just have to flip switches to activate), storm windows down & locked, Have my Maddie's tranqs so she doesn't drop dead of fear (poor sweety was a 6 mth puppy when she went threw Katrina, still panics during storms), plenty of food and water for me and dogs. Now just hoping and praying that all the preparation will be for nothing. I am scheduled to work 3-11 this weekend, should be ok to get in (I hope), my big fear is downed trees blocking me in (mile+ dirt road thru the woods is my only way in or out). I worry about my apple & pear orchard, it's a bumper crop this year and I don't know how much I'll lose. Good Luck to everyone and God Bless!

Apparently he wants a Nurse he can complain about, or you possibly didn't behave in a manner he wanted, like: flirting or joking. Sometimes you can't win no matter what you do. However here are some tips to please him; 1. disappear from the floor so he has to wait an extra hour (or 2) to get his meds. 2. wear Nursing Dresses, real short ones with the top 4 buttoms undone 3. roll your eyes whenever he speaks to you 4. tell him it's not your job when he asks for water, soda, a snack, whatever I'm sure he will love your "Nursing Skills" again. And want you back!

Dumb question, but, what is a DoH??

Great to hear something nice about Nurses instead of all the bad! Congrats to her for knowing what to do & doing it. I know for a fact that I would be one of the useless ones, I would definately be the one calling 911 and directing traffic. All I have is basic First-Aid so I would have to leave the care to those who know!

Look closesly at the wound, if it looks deep, wont stop bleeding, send them out. You can tell a "normal" wound from a"stichable" wound from the depth. If you look and can see that it is so deep it has gone thru all the skin layers then it needs stiches. Temple wounds always win a ride to the ER.

This is rather interesting, all I can say is "Thanks Memere'" she hooked me on hot tea when I was 5 years old. She believed it was a cure-all! http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20110711/can-hot-coffee-or-tea-cut-mrsa-risk