Weeping Willow

I don't know if I could do it but I am so glad that you want to, as these kids and their families definitely need all the help they can get. God bless you. OP, do you know who Christopher Rodriguez is? He's a 10 year old boy who was shot last week in Oakland Ca, while taking a piano lesson. A thug, Jared Adams, who was robbing a gas station across the street go him. Paralyzed now. He, too, needs lots of good nursing care. Do you think you could do that type of Nursing? Too sad for me. Maybe someone who knows how can post a link.

I think we can and should limit inmates' medical care. They should certainly receive basic care (food, clothing, some medical care) but it need not be top cut beef, Old Navy, or absolutely marvelous medical care. Paying patients don't get that. Inmates don't have to have it, either. We need to be decent and courteous but we don't have to give them the Ritz. I have seen where anyone who wanted it could get a "cold set up", that is, Tylenol and Sudafed, at sick call 5 days per week - whether they needed it or not. When it was cut out due to budget, our workload decreased and the cost was more manageable and those who really needed it could and did still get it. Bandaids were reserved only for open wounds and areas that needed padding. And it was the nurse's call, not the inmate's say so. Our doc was ordered to start using her I&D skills, her pelvic exam skills, her derm and ENT skills, etc. We started doing ECG's in house, rather than at County hospital or private contracted hospital. Someone has to pay for everythig. We even started charging inmates $1 to see the doc. If they didn't have it, they were put to work and/or their families paid it before they got to visit with them next visiting day. Everyone always managed to fork over a buck.

I don't think we're pathetic at all. Abused yes, and little solidarity. Pathetic, no.

So how's it going now that you have been there a few months? I was a PHN for about a year and enjoyed it. We did TB management, worked in Immunization Clinic on occasion, followed up on STD, Lead Poisoning, failure to thrive, high risk OB, worked with the schools on drug/alcohol issues, nutrition, safe sex, nursing as a career, and hygiene issues, and did lots more that does not come to mind just now. Oh, yes - we monitored the shelters that were put up after a huge flood left a lot of people homeless. We made sure there were no rampant infectious diseases and that sort of thing. The role was sort of nebulous to me and I had terrible personal problems at the time, which probably made it more difficult than necessary. I did enjoy it, though, and liked the freedom to set my own schedule and work away from the facility, although I did not like the winter weather and heat of summer. Can't have everything. I'd do it again, given the chance.

I don't know that it is particularly unfair to the kids or that she is being asked to sacrifice while her husband is not. It sounds like he is away because of a military order to be stationed somewhere in particular. And it sounds like the kids are doing ok. I do hope she can cut down her hours and stay on this job that she loves. I hope she doesn't try to do too much for her terminal mother in law, even though she wants to. She has got children to think of first and also must sleep. FMLA? Moving, working closer to home, changing to Days, cutting hours? Just not sure what to advise but hope it works out favorably for you and your loved ones.

Why not check with the Ohio state board that licenses LVN's?

talk to her first. If you don't get a satisfactory answer, run it by your DON. Something is afoul. Glad you caught it. It could have been dangerous.

Every unnecessary "frangrance" needs to be banned. Deodorant, nail polish, lipstick, hair care products, dryer sheets and detergents, and may more products are really awful when one is allergic to them. Out of courtesy for others, they should not have any place around coworkers, certainly not around sick people. Even scented inks, some food smells, cleaning products - all can be miserable for the allergic.

What was the nurse supposed to do? She can't tackle him or lock him up. There should have been someone in Legal to immediately advise the staff of what to do in this case but, of course, there either was no access to the hospital attorneys or no one thought to do it or heaven knows what. What a mess. And, yes, lots of details are missing. We need to watch the development of this case carefully.

If someone has the interest and nerve, they can even get a judge to order proper care, issue restraining orders against family members who interfere with proper care, and even appoint a guardian to see that all of this is carried out. But someone has to involve the court system and that has to start with the Administrator of wherever this poor soul is located. The OP should bring it to Admin's attention.

What more is there than morphine? Fentanyl patch? Other ? Induced coma?

I believe the son is breaking the law by doctoring his mother, his relative. Make a discreet, anonymous inquiry to the doctor licensing board in your state and go from there. do not name him to the officials just yet but do get the information. does your administration know he is doing this? They need to step in and go to bat for the patient, if she really is suffering. I guess you could report this as abuse to the proper authorities, too, or just refust to take care of her any more if you think she is in too much pain. What does he want her so alert for anyway? If she is that sick, being doped would be a blessing for her. Is there an ethics committee? Maybe it was better when we had no antibiotics, transplants, and lots of other modern "miracles", which seem so often to be used as torture devices. Better a good quick stroke, accident, or heart attack that kills instantly without all this suffering for patients, their loved ones, and their caregivers.

And this, IMHO, is abuse of LPN's. You do darned near the same things RN's do for considerably less pay. Yeah, you go to school for a shorter period, sometimes 3 years shorter, but the same work is expected of you. I'm glad you can do it but think the pay is not fair for you.

I'm not sure I could be silent about a lazy, selfish charge nurse and not explode. If my Manager wouldn't deal with it, I think I'd have to mention it next time the DON makes rounds. I always treat others with courtesy, I help whenever needed, I try very hard never to ask for help. I try to just do my work and learned long ago not to tell my personal news at work if I don't want it spread all over the building.

We have a form that a patient signs upon admission. It gives us permission to discuss the patient with whoever's named on the form. Otherwise, we can't do it. OP, stand your ground. Refer to Supervisor if needed.