My daughter, who is 18 weeks pregnant, came to visit me a few days ago. She had been sick with nausea and vomiting for several days due to a probable stomach virus that her 3 yr old also had. It became apparent to me that she was becoming dehydrated, so off to the ER we went. After a very long wait, we were finally called back and lytes were done. She was indeed dehydrated and IVs were ordered. The nurse could not get the IV started and my daughter mentioned to the nurse that "mom is an RN" (I wish she hadn't said that!) The nurse then said, "Well, you can start this IV then. We're so busy and I've got so much to do. Just run it in as a bolus and if I'm not back when it's done, just d/c it." WTH????? I didn't know this nurse at all and I was not employed at this hospital. Also, the doc came in to do the exam and never introduced himself (he looked to be in junior high school). I didn't know if he was a PA, NP or what. I asked the nurse who it was and she said "Oh, that's Dr. XXX". The room had not been cleaned previously and there was a towel on the floor to cover an obvious IV antibiotic spill--the smell was overpowering. I don't know whether to say anything or let it go. I don't want to be "one of those" people that gripe, but geez!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Whatever you call it, someone in power at that facility needs to know about your experience. There's nothing right in what happened to you and your daughter.
Specializes in Med-Surg/Peds/O.R./Legal/cardiology.
Thanks for your replys everybody. I guess I'll sit down and write that letter. It did put me in a difficult situation and when she wheeled out of the room my jaw dropped open! I hate to get this nurse in trouble, but nobody should have to be put in this predicament again.
Thanks for your replys everybody. I guess I'll sit down and write that letter. It did put me in a difficult situation and when she wheeled out of the room my jaw dropped open! I hate to get this nurse in trouble, but nobody should have to be put in this predicament again.
I don't think you're getting anyone in trouble... the nurse brought that on herself. Lord only knows what else she's capable of.
okay....juuussssst for giggles and because we all know our ER types tend to be a bit off with the humor(me included) sometimes,
Is there ANY way she may have been kidding with you? Y'know, somehow assumed a false safety with you as fellow 'RN in the trenches?' She did have to leave the room anyway. She wasn't gonna keep poking--she needed to go out to look for the good stick anyway...
I don't know. OF COURSE, regardless, it would have been in poor taste and whatnot and I understand the OP's posts to be pretty even- handed. By all means, let the manager know.
I'm just saying, if you played the scenario and conversation again, was it even,maybe just a little bit, a poor attempt at humor deflecting her disappointment and embarasment of 'failing' in front of MOMRN and having to leave DD to continue waiting on some relief?
Anyway...
My point mainly being this is just SO beyond the pale, and none of us seem to have even heard of such a thing before, just wanted to throw out the one in a million....
None of this really surprises me. When I was in my 3rd (of 5) semester in nursing school, my husband had to have emergent spinal surgery and wound up in the same hospital where I worked as a CNA in the float pool.
When he first came back up to the room from PACU, the RN did only a nominal assessment, hooked him up to a BP monitor, and ... disappeared. His color was awful and he was in a lot of pain. Thank God he had a PCA pump so he had some control over pain management.
Honestly, I was so scared to death, I just went into survival mode. Since I knew the protocol, I checked his vitals q15 minutes for the first *hour* before anyone answered the call bell. When the RN finally came back, she had the gall to thank me for looking after him rather than apologizing :trout:
For five days, I left his side only to go to class or clinicals (in the same hospital). Word must have gotten out in report that I was camped out, and it got to where I was doing his linen changes, getting his meal tray and drinks, and checking I/O's and vitals at times. At the time I just wanted to keep busy and feel that I had some control over a terrifying situation.
Guess I was too naive to raise a fuss. It was a small community, and I still had to work with and (possibly) deal with these people in clinicals. My only focus was that my husband and best friend needed care and he was going to get care no matter what.
Only in retrospect does it make my blood boil :angryfire
Anyway -- to the OP, yes, you should DEFINITELY complain. Now, a few years into nursing, I can't imagine how anyone could put their hard-earned license on the line by allowing (even encouraging) someone unknown and/or unlicensed do anything besides maybe assisting with personal hygeine. Starting an IV or doing post-op vitals? Outrageous.
I am an ER nurse and I don't find anything surprising about nursing or patients. While I agree it is ill advised to treat one's family members, I have also found that it is usually in their best interest if you are around(whether the staff knows you are a nurse or not).
Most recently, Father in law hospitalized for hip frx-it couldn't have been a worse experience. I had to work the day he was brought in....my husband said, if I had been working he'd have hardly seen a nurse. He saw me more than his father's nurse and I had my own assignment! Things went wrong all day, I placed his IV after others attempts, and made sure the right tests were run, after the wrong tests were ordered. They even tried to discharge him with a frx. I couldn't believe the reliance on the fact that I was his daughter in law, and would deal. I had his nurse thanking me all day for his care. WTH! Anyway, the catastrophe continued to the floor. Believe me everyone from my manager to the hospital VP heard of my disappointment with my hospital and it's care. I am truly disgusted and dismayed. No one should be forced/feel forced to give good care to a loved one.
The nursing thing has continued in other venues too....actually had a phlebotomist send tubes and setups home with sister in law (pulling me out of sick bed) to get labs on father in law because they couldn't get a vein. I did, and sister in law drove it back! Told the doctor and refused to pay for the bill, considered billing him for services rendered. UNBELIEVABLE!
I would definately write a letter about her request for an IV start along with bolus instructions, I agree with other posters that she took alot on faith about you being a "real" nurse. However, the wait for the iv, probably was valid. Sometimes it takes that long to find someone to attempt iv access if an ER is overwhelmed. Iv team won't come to ours.
If it were me, and it was my hospital I would've thrown it in. I know from personal experience that we are expected to take care of our own, and not burden the staff. Even off duty, I have done everything for family members while on site. The only exception has been to administer narcotics from the pyxis, insert a foley, or ng tube....that I won't do-too invasive.
Specializes in Med-Surg/Peds/O.R./Legal/cardiology.
Maisy,
If I were employed by that hospital, I may have considered it (though reluctantly). I've been an RN for 34 years and have never run into a situation quite like this one.
I'm so sorry about your FIL ! It's not easy being the nurse in the family, as you are expected to know it all and do it all. I agree entirely that if you have a loved one in the hospital you'd do well to stay on top of things concerning their care! That's just a sad fact!!! :stone
Thanks for the comments....the sad thing is that I always thought everyone's care for their patients was equivalent to mine. It's been a real eye opener for me over the past few years. I had another career prior to nursing, and really like what I do now. My disappointment, comes from the fact that if my family can't get good care without someone (me) watching over others shoulders, how in the world will anyone elses? I am not saying everyone is not doing the job, but sometimes just the bare minimum. Unfortunately, that's just not good enough with the very young, very sick or very old....we need to do more....but it all depends on attitude and staffing! Instead of paying for Press Gainey, we need to provide help to our nurses!
Before anyone writes thinking I am a PIA, I'm not....I'd rather do the work myself than bother anyone, however, if I haven't seen a nurse for 5-8 hours...even I'll start getting a little testy. Especially if it's after a full shift.
.thumb.jpg.755b83f43c9f3860c778e2fcb2022ecb.jpg){kind=small}
leslie :-D
11,191 Posts
if the BON ever got a hold of this, the nurse in question would surely be penalized.
it's that serious, what she did.
yes indeed, report it.
leslie