Went into a patient's room today - the son(patient) is a pleasant man in his 40's with mental retardation. The MD's removed his epidural today and he still has a chest tube. I tell him, "Ask for your pain medication when you need it. If you don't need it, it would be better not to take it."
Right before this - Mom had told me she was going to go home at 10 pm. But after I said this, she became irate.....she said the following.
"New nurse's don't know anything. I have been a nurse for a long time. A nurse kills 2.5 patients in her career - that's a statistic. Nurse's don't have the corner on dealing with pain and doctors don't overperscribe what patients can have. I am glad that when I am old, I won't have to worry about being in a nursing home because you young nurses will take care of me to where I don't leave the hospital."
I really tried not to be baited by what she said. I commented that she had a dim view of her professions future, that I WILL give her son pain meds when he asks for them and needs them.
She demanded to know my last name, and when I asked why, she said, " I only take down the full names of people I don't think are going to give good care to my son. His father died 6 years ago and he's all I have left."
I was stunned that someone would have such a dun view of our profession! And after I was just trying to give the patient some options!
So I had the doctor talk to her and I wrote a note detailing all this and put it in the chart. The intern said that she said she was just tired andgrumpy and she knew she was out of line.
So There you have an older nurse's view of where our profession is going.
Have any of you ever seen research data to collaborate her claims that a nurse "kills 2.5 people in their career." ?
Specializes in Spinal Cord injuries, Emergency+EMS.
Just my two cents, depending on his level of functioning, is he able to ask for pain meds? Also, they teach us in school that it is best to take pain meds before the pain gets severe...to "stay on top of it" if you will. Do you have rationale for it being best not to take it if you're not in severe pain?
we have two co-existign problems here
the 'i know better becasue i'm a nurse relative'
AND
the parent of an adult with learning disabilities ... sometimes these parents are they and their child's own worst enemy
This is a nurse, someone that knows how thin we are stretched, someone whose son is mentally handicapped, someone who knows her son's nurse may be on the computer instead of taking care of her patients.
Don't know of any study, but I would guess the 2.5 would be an AVERAGE.........
This is a nurse, someone that knows how thin we are stretched, someone whose son is mentally handicapped, someone who knows her son's nurse may be on the computer instead of taking care of her patients.
Don't know of any study, but I would guess the 2.5 would be an AVERAGE.........
See, I can't take good care of my patients *without* being on the computer. I have to look up their lab results, imaging results, vital sign trends, medications, and anything else pertinent to their condition and care. It's people assuming that when a nurse is on the computer, they are not caring for their patient that is a little harsh, in my mind.
See, I can't take good care of my patients *without* being on the computer. I have to look up their lab results, imaging results, vital sign trends, medications, and anything else pertinent to their condition and care. It's people assuming that when a nurse is on the computer, they are not caring for their patient that is a little harsh, in my mind.
I was actually talking about the OP, who was posting to this thread and others (a couple dozen posts as a matter of fact) while working. I know we use the computer for our work.
Sandra, I was a little hurt by your post. Sure I was at work...... I had already done my strips and plans of care. It was a slow night and no one else needed help. I know I am not the only one who does non work related activities at work. Still - You are probably right - I should curtail posting while at work.
Specializes in Trauma acute surgery, surgical ICU, PACU.
Where I work we have a computer in the BREAK room, and that's what nurses can use to post, do emails, whatever - while they are on their actual break time. It allows us to have our fun and do it out of the view of the public. Too many times, family members are not very understanding when a nurse is SEEN doing anything not related to nursing. It sometimes is all about appearances. And sometimes it is about the fact that care has been lacking on other shifts or on the current shift, no question there.
I work in an ICU with 1:1 or 1:2 nursing, and I've had too many comments from families who think I am getting apid to sit on my butt. Unless you have a task in your hand, they sometimes don't understand what the nurse "does all day".
i'd like to know where the statistic 2.5 patients comes from? if she thinks she is so smart she should take care of her son at home by herself. perhaps she should spend a night in the holiday inn express right after she performs surgery on herself at the dinner table.
Emmanuel!!! I loved Princess Bride!
EmmaG, RN
2,999 Posts