Reasonable requests made to the med-surg nurses?

[Jo Dirt]

My mom is in the hospital and I live out of state. I don't have phone numbers of my siblings, and when I called my mom she was so groggy and out of it she couldn't tell me their numbers.

My only hope is catching a family member at the hospital. I know the med surg nurses are very busy but would I be asking too much if I could ask them to maybe leave a note on her bedside table to call me when they got there?

I always kept in touch with my siblings through my mom, now she is incapaciated.

[widi96]

Yes, nurses are busy, but that is a simple request that would take no time at all. I would gladly leave a note for other family.

[bluwavyhat]

I might have missed this in your thread, but did you leave your contact information in her chart at the nurse's station or fill out a request to review her chart for family contact information. I believe one of your siblings, possibly the older sister, will find it strange not to hear from her, and it might start the ball rolling too. I do not see it as impossible if your name and number were posted at your mother's bedside, because it will be considered part of her belongings and personal information, then it will be protected until she is more coherent.

[nursemike, ASN, RN]

I'd have no problem with a note that motorcycle (Ms. Mama?) would like family to call, but I'd suggest leaving phone no., address, etc. at the nurses' station, rather than the bedside. I've learned it isn't prudent to leave such info lying around. Recently, a coworker accidently dropped a slip of paper with my phone number in a pts room, and the pt called my home a few times. Wouldn't be a biggie, except she had previously accused her attending surgeon of sexually harassing her. Fortunately, no harm came of it, but I feel lucky to have learned to be cautious before a more serious problem arises.

Obviously, it wouldn't be a big problem if your mother found the note and called, but you never know who else might see it.