Should family members insist on being present for procedures?

[MG-NotANurse]

I don't post often on this site, but when I do I always receive thoughtful and helpful answers.

My mother had cataract surgery recently; the procedure went very well. Mom is very independent and told me that she would make her own arrangements to get to the hospital; I picked her up and took her home afterwards.

Here's the question. Just about everybody I know was shocked that I didn't bring Mom to the hospital, remain in the waiting room throughout the procedure, and let all of the staff know I was there. The consensus was that, unless a family member is at the hospital constantly, the patient will not receive the best possible care.

This just doesn't sound right. Do your patients feel the same way? Or, to rephrase the question, if you had an A & O family member who asked you not to wait during her procedure, would you insist on doing so?

Thanks for your help.

MG

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

I don't post often on this site, but when I do I always receive thoughtful and helpful answers.

My mother had cataract surgery recently; the procedure went very well. Mom is very independent and told me that she would make her own arrangements to get to the hospital; I picked her up and took her home afterwards.

Here's the question. Just about everybody I know was shocked that I didn't bring Mom to the hospital, remain in the waiting room throughout the procedure, and let all of the staff know I was there. The consensus was that, unless a family member is at the hospital constantly, the patient will not receive the best possible care.

I've heard of doctors requiring escorts to stay in the waiting room for procedures. I was scheduled for a dental procedure with sedation, and the office told me that my escort had to check in with me and stay in the waiting room throughout the procedure. They probably did it so I didn't try to leave by myself.

As a nurse, they would probably want you to hang around during a procedure. If I had a friend or relative who didn't want me to hang around during a procedure, I wouldn't hang around. It's their choice.

[RNKPCE]

my adult son had a daysurgery on a rotar cuff...they required that someone drop them off and that they not have access to car on discharge

sooo, i was going to drop him off but the nurses called me when i had driven away and said that the surgery was not going to be started unless he had family member in waiting room

i really don't know why, he is an independent adult and i would have no right to sign any consent if something bad had happen during the surgery

Some patients in day surgery say they have a ride home and then don't. You can't legally discharge someone unless there is a responsible adult to drive them home post op.

[RNKPCE]

And that's screwed up. Some people have no family. Are they going to refuse care to these people just because no one can be there?

Doesn't need to be family but must have a responsible adult sign discharge instructions and drive the patient home or if the responsible person doesn't drive they still sign instructions but both will go home in a taxi.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

And that's screwed up. Some people have no family. Are they going to refuse care to these people just because no one can be there?

Yes, they do.

I know a man who had to hire a private nurse because he had no family to pick him up.

[belgarion]

if the responsible person doesn't drive they still sign instructions but both will go home in a taxi.

Yeah they will. A local hospital unexpectedly discharged my wife once and insisted that she was going home via taxi since no one could get there in a timely manner to pick her up. This in spite of the fact she didn't have her wheelchair with her and there was no one at home to make sure she was safely inside. She asked them to call a van service that provides the use of a wheelchair and will see the patient safely indoors. The nurse refused to call the van because she said hospital policy dictated that a particular taxi company be called.

A couple of things wrong here. Taxis don't carry wheel chairs, at least those around here don't. Taxi drivers don't assist people into their home and make sure they are safe before they leave. They drop people off at their driveway and getting in the house is the passenger's problem.

When this was pointed out to the nurse she basically informed my wife that she better get somebody to the house pdq because the rules were the rules and she was calling a cab. My wife was finally able to get the social worker to come to the room and she did get to use the van service as long as she could provide a credit card to pay for it.

I always thought that insuring a patient can get home SAFELY was part of the discharge process. At least where I work it is. I guess that isn't true some places.

[RNKPCE]

We can discharge a patient from a hospital without a ride home if the patient has not had sedation. For instance a patient drives himself to the hospital when having chest pain(stupid but they do it). He's worked up, discharged and is alert and oriented and able to drive he can drive home. If a patient has a bunionectomy(same day surgery) with propofol sedation that patient can not drive themselves home.