RMalfaitRN

After 10 years as an ICU nurse, my hospital built a brand new critical care unit. Most nurses would think it is great to work in such new, high-tech surroundings. Unfortunately for us, the new unit came with completely open visitation, there isn't even a door to be locked. What I haven't seen addressed anywhere in the research, is why we are encouraging families to sleep in the patient rooms. After all, our new ICU has beds, recliners, bathrooms, etc. all for the family to use. exactly how do I provide "family-centered" care when there are 6 to 10 family members sleeping in the room??? I have never been treated as badly as I have since my "strong administration" started this mess. The very last shift I worked, my shift supervisor was less then 6 inches away from where a family member punched the wall in the family room. I had asked her to please talk to the family so that they would allow the cancer-ravished, recently coded loved one to rest, after all it was almost midnoc and they came into her isolation room, disobeying all isolation precautions, turned on the TV and lights. There was 5 or 6 of them and the pt was a full code. If this is now ICU nursing, I'm out of the business!!!! All the teaching and "butt-kissing" of families does not work in every instance and the clinical nurses should be given the tools necessary to do their jobs successfully and be backed 100% by their "spineless" administrators. This will never happen in my hospital. My boss made it very clear to me that my opinion(and that of my colleagues) does not matter, unless of course you are one of the few who will tell them what they want to hear instead of the truth. There are approx. 10 hospitals in this city and my current administration feels that the best way to attract patients and avoid lawsuits is not through excellent patient care, but via "kissing-up" (administration calls it PR) to the families. Afterall most medical lawsuits are filed by family members and not the patients themselves. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, my other patient on the same shift had orders to call security if anyone tried to visit before she was extubated. The pulmonologist was tired of not being able to extubate his patients in a timely manner b/c of too much stimulation--this time we got lucky, the spouse agreed with the plan of care after the pt failed 3 previous tries at extubation. Now, how could this situation be good for any patient??????? I would be interested to hear from anyone trying to work in a ICU where the family is sleeping in the rooms. I thought family centered care is when the family assists and participates in the care of the patient, how is this accomplished when they are sound asleep?? I have accidently woke-up family trying to give care to their loved ones in the dark and they are soooo rude and mean sometimes. I don't care what anyone says, I KNOW that all this family discourages the nurse from being present at a bedside that she can't even get to!!!!! We are NOT allowed to ask family to leave for personal cares or any other reason!!!! Thanks for letting me vent!!!!:angryfire :angryfire