The pictures I saw

Nurses General Nursing

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I work as a consultant in LTC. A patient in his 50's at a SNF for the past year with multiple health problems and a tracheostomy hoped to return home. He thought he could, with some additional services, because his wife is an RN.

The social worker went to the home to check things out, and got some very eye opening pictures. Then we learned Adult Protective Services was involved.

They were black and white pictures, but the place was unlivable. The kitchen and the entire home was strewn with dirty dishes, garbage, and dirty clothes laying all over the floor with the garbage.

In the bathroom were found multiple remnants of drug use, dozens of used syringes and spoons.

But hanging up in the window was a perfectly pressed, "fresh from the cleaners" set of scrubs.

amoLucia

7,736 Posts

Specializes in retired LTC.

A sad situation for the pt and also for his spouse.

No one is exempt from having a troubled lifestyle so I guess I wouldn't be so surprised; and the fact that wife was a healthcare professional most certainly does not make her immune from troubles.

At least the pt should remain safe, but his wife has a long road ahead.

That's awful. I had to report a case to CPS against a fellow nurse before. Someone in fact that I had worked with before. Turns out my instincts were right. The kids were being abused and neglected. The house was in shambles - dead pets in the back yard, pet excrement throughout the house, food rotting in the fridge, etc.

Daisy Joyce

264 Posts

There are a lot more broken people out there than you realize. A lot of people who are just barely hanging on by their fingertips to get through one day at a time. Some of these people are your co workers.

I worked with the kindest, sweetest lady, always a smile and a kind word for everybody, gentle and nurturing to the patients. And then she got caught diverting Ativan. And the story emerged about her absolutely crappy home life, her abusive husband, her broken children.

She was fired and left and I never heard what happened to her after that.

You really don't know what's going on behind closed doors.

Ruas61, BSN, RN

1,368 Posts

Specializes in MDS/ UR.

Human first, not nurse...

Oldmahubbard

1,487 Posts

The irony of the condition of the apartment, vs the scrubs in the dry cleaning bag.

smartnurse1982

1,775 Posts

How does these things prevent the patient from going home?

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I would take issue with the possible drug use,but other than that,how does dirty dishes,clothes everywhere,and garbage everywhere prevent this patient from going home?

What if his bedroom was clean?

I am only asking because as a homecare nurse I've worked in similar situations and was told "As long as their bedroom and immediate area is clean we should not concern ourselves with the rest of the home."

Orca, ADN, ASN, RN

2,066 Posts

Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.
How does these things prevent the patient from going home?

.

I would take issue with the possible drug use,but other than that,how does dirty dishes,clothes everywhere,and garbage everywhere prevent this patient from going home?

What if his bedroom was clean?

I am only asking because as a homecare nurse I've worked in similar situations and was told "As long as their bedroom and immediate area is clean we should not concern ourselves with the rest of the home."

I would venture a guess that given the condition of the rest of the house, there wasn't a clean room in it.

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Interesting because I have a couple students in my school that I am concerned about possible neglect and both of them have mothers who are nurses.

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