"Wasteful Nurses"

[eeffoc_emmig]

Apparently, my new patient's mother thinks we're all "wasteful nurses". I already bring my own hand sanitizer and hand towels for my own use, now I have been informed that I must bring my own hand soap and toilet paper. She says we're all so wasteful and will no longer let us spend her hard earned money.

I'm starting to rethink staying on this case. I accepted the no TV/internet use rule and the bar stool to sit on in the kitchen alllll night long, but no there are more rules. I would never treat nurses like this if they were in my home caring for my child.

[ceebeejay]

The problem home first complained that I didn't use gloves for everything. I used for diapers, and bodily fluid contact, immunizations. So, I started using gloves for everything, including the disposable suction sheathed suction caths that had to be used about 20-25 times a shift. Then, I got told I don't need to use gloves! Whatever. I need to let go, I keep getting more upset as time goes by. Not good. Triclosan makes my skin blister and peel (even in my mouth), so I usually carry my own triclosan free hand soaps just in case.

[toomuchbaloney]

Here is the thing...

Families of sick children will often exercise power in ways that they are allowed because they are powerless to change the circumstances of their child's health.

Families abuse nurses because either the nurses allow them to abuse them and do not report the abuse,

OR

the nurses do stand up for themselves and do report the abuse, but the employer does not support the nurse.

[Elle23]

. I used for diapers, and bodily fluid contact, immunizations.

You give immunizations at the patient's home?

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

You give immunizations at the patient's home?

I give my kid's Synagis at home.

[caliotter3]

I work with actual wasteful nurses. I think they put on gloves to hand the kiddo a sweater. 3 boxes of gloves gone in one week of 8 hour a day nursing, no vent.

And there are those nurses who actually steal, especially boxes of gloves, as well as meds, like valium, etc. We had one nurse ask the patient's mother if she could take a brand new bed pad for her other patient. When mom said no, she took it anyway, with other items of linen. Some people have a lot of nerve as well as a sense of entitlement.

[ceebeejay]

Here is the thing...

Families of sick children will often exercise power in ways that they are allowed because they are powerless to change the circumstances of their child's health.

Families abuse nurses because either the nurses allow them to abuse them and do not report the abuse,

OR

the nurses do stand up for themselves and do report the abuse, but the employer does not support the nurse.

Or, they stand up for themselves and get released by the parent. And, in the end what is the agency supposed to do about that? Nothing. They cannot go against the parent in requesting the RN be removed for that case.

I completely agree with your assessment that they exert power of what they can. It's dead on and exactly what is going on. I still don't believe it's okay to just be mean, unreasonable, or disregard the fact the RN is a person and deserves a basic amount of comfort and respect. But, it will happen and there is not much that can be done about it except to leave the case. Sometimes, bills and responsibility trump our psychological needs unfortunately.

[ceebeejay]

I give my kid's Synagis at home.

Yes, that.

[ceebeejay]

Thank goodness, my other case is a wonderful, wonderful family that puts that energy into getting all the care and assistance for their children rather than passive aggressively lashing out at all of the caregivers. And, the kids are better for it. That's all we all really want. It's so hard when you see a kid that can make so much more progress but the parent stands in the way with their own issues.

[RetrieverGirl, BSN, RN]

What's the nit pickiest thing you've ever been called out for in home care? These are some of the things that I have heard while working as an aide:

Don't use too many gloves

Use the alcohol wipes sparingly (She even wrote this on the box)

Don't use too many towels

Don't wash any clothes

Don't use the bathroom garbage

Don't use too many wipes

Don't use too much bleach

Don't comb his hair this way...

You're not fixing the shower curtain right...

Really, I am not a wasteful person at all. In fact, I started supplying my own gloves just so I didn't have to listen to her. I'm sorry, but I like to use gloves when I come in contact with bodily fluids. At most I think I use 2-3 pairs of gloves per day for a shower day. I'm just waiting to hear her complain about me washing my hands or using paper towels (I even reuse paper towels to dry my hands). She says the water bill is too high. I understand the cost issue, but I also want to have a clean working environment and try to maintain infection control also.

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

I was talked to about drying my hands with paper towels. Apparently, they're considered luxury items, to be reused 2 or 3 times before being thrown away.

[Elle23]

I give my kid's Synagis at home.

Interesting!

Why would they choose to do that instead of giving it at the doctor's office?

[toomuchbaloney]

Or, they stand up for themselves and get released by the parent. And, in the end what is the agency supposed to do about that? Nothing. They cannot go against the parent in requesting the RN be removed for that case.

I completely agree with your assessment that they exert power of what they can. It's dead on and exactly what is going on. I still don't believe it's okay to just be mean, unreasonable, or disregard the fact the RN is a person and deserves a basic amount of comfort and respect. But, it will happen and there is not much that can be done about it except to leave the case. Sometimes, bills and responsibility trump our psychological needs unfortunately.

So true

More than once I have had conversations with the families or patients in HH or Hospice outlining which behavior would and would not be acceptable relative to their treatment of the staff providing their care. They don't like that but they may choose another provider, most don't.

Those conversations put my employment, as a manager, at risk with employers who are more than willing to sacrifice professional staff for a dollar. I am willing to take that risk when I am charged with supporting a staff. It is easier and more cost effective for me to place another nurse on a case than to hire and train another nurse.