Pt wants to return to ICU???

[twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN]

A thread below got me thinking about what a pt said to me this weekend. I was told by a young (not pediatric young, but teenage in 20 year old body young) patient that he wanted to go back to the ICU because he always had a nurse there for his every need.

I did try and tell him that moving to my med/surg floor was a good thing, that he was healing from his surgeries, and that he should give it time to get used to it. I of course wanted to say a few other things to him but professionalism kicked in and I bit my tongue (it was a very difficult shift besides him).

I was wondering what you would say to that question?

[Blee O'Myacin, BSN, RN]

Its scary to be young and sick, and making that leap from the ICU to med-surg is a big deal. I think that it has more to do with that and less to do with needs as in water pitchers and slipper socks.

"Every need" could mean pain meds, reassurance, frequent vital signs, all signs to a person that they need that level of intervention - so to suddenly go to the floor, even if they are well enough is sometimes scary.

So to answer your question, I'd ask the patient what he meant by "every need" and make sure that we were addressing his concerns. Even a "well, its good for your recovery to go out into the halls and walk around and get your own water and you can do that on the floor" type of thing.

Our patients get upset when they go to the floor too - they are used to us being *right there* since we only have four patients at the most. (one or two if they are critical). I try to tell them that it is a step on the right way out of the hospital.

Blee

A thread below got me thinking about what a pt said to me this weekend. I was told by a young (not pediatric young, but teenage in 20 year old body young) patient that he wanted to go back to the ICU because he always had a nurse there for his every need.

I did try and tell him that moving to my med/surg floor was a good thing, that he was healing from his surgeries, and that he should give it time to get used to it. I of course wanted to say a few other things to him but professionalism kicked in and I bit my tongue (it was a very difficult shift besides him).

I was wondering what you would say to that question?

[TazziRN, RN]

I hear similar things in the ER, pts complaining because we're running around but not paying attention to them. I hear "I thought this was an emergency room." I tell them, "It is, but you're not here with an emergency." (Never to a true urgent pt, of course!) I agree, you should find out what the pt meant by that, then do some educating.

[mced]

I always give patients like this the standard Virginia Henderson response. Nurses do for the patient that which they cannot do for themselves. Example: If they cannot breathe, we will breathe for them. We are not there to provide for their every need. We are there to assist and help them recover back to a point where they are doing as much for themselves as possible.