What are some horror stories families have shared with you about former nurses they had?

Personally,be careful and weary what parents tell you.

I usually just listen but do not add any input.

Lots of times,I noticed key details are usually missing.

One parent told me that - after she changed her child's trach - the nurse said, "So THAT'S how it's done!"

The nurse had worked there for several weeks. She (the nurse) told me she probably shouldn't have said that ...

One parent told me that - after she changed her child's trach - the nurse said, "So THAT'S how it's done!"

The nurse had worked there for several weeks. She (the nurse) told me she probably shouldn't have said that ...

This doesn't surprise me at all. We had nurses that had never done a trach change on a real patient. Just watched one in school and did it on the doll in the 5-hour vent class at the agency.

One parent told me that - after she changed her child's trach - the nurse said, "So THAT'S how it's done!"

This doesn't surprise me at all. We had nurses that had never done a trach change on a real patient. Just watched one in school and did it on the doll in the 5-hour vent class at the agency.

Exactly! The nurse could have told the parent at the start that she hadn't changed a trach on an actual person. The parent then could have either taught her, or declined her services.

Either the nurse didn't realize that changing the trach on a squirming kiddo is different than doing it on a manikin, or she was unwilling to look less than perfect. Either way, I feel for the parent!

And I fear for the child.

Personally,be careful and weary what parents tell you.

I usually just listen but do not add any input.

Lots of times,I noticed key details are usually missing.

And be aware that after you're gone the parents will probably be talking about you to the next nurse.

Yes, take everything you hear with a grain of salt. Perspective is everything.

One account I was told of, from several years ago:

Patient was trach'ed, recently weaned off vent, and family/ST/somebody was trying to introduce toddler to oral food.

While parents were out of the house, nurse initiated a "food play" session, except apparently she was pretty much force-feeding patient.

When patient started choking, she laid him on the floor, took out his trach, didn't replace it, called 911, and sat back doing absolutely no further interventions while she waited.

He was in cardiac arrest by the time paramedics arrived. Luckily, they did revive him.

And all of this was caught on video.

I took over a shift for a nurse who I was told had to leave.The client was bedbound because of neurologic problems, but was verbal and alert. I started my shift by saying something like "I know X had to go home sick", and he responded "No, he didn't." The nurse had been arrested during his shift for something involving an ex-girlfriend.

A few weeks later, a state investigator came by, during my shift, to interview my client about the other nurse. I stayed out of the room, and I don't know the outcome.