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I recently came across this article.

http://www.sbsun.com/search/ci_9373327?IADID=Search-www.sbsun.com-www.sbsun.com

I can see how someone without medical background can read this article and then I can see what the likely case was. No doubt there is substandard care in facilities, but this just makes me sad that accusations can be tossed out via the media.

Thoughts?

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

"On one occasion, he was cleaned after a bowel movement with the same gloves that were used to administer drugs. "

Ok, so we're suppose to change our gloves after every little thing. To me this complaint is no big deal as long as the drugs were given first not the bowel movement. Now if the nurse was administering drugs using the same gloves that were worn while cleaning a bowel movement, then I'd have a problem. They are complaining about the nursing staff using the same syringes to administer medications, these same syringes are meant for multiple use. I don't understand how changing a feeding tube caused the patient "flatline" several times. This is just like that story about the lady that via miracle awoke after being on the vent and waiting to have her organs donated. Family is very upset which I would be of course but if you read the comments section, family and nursing staff posted their view points. Family is complaining the man had sores but the nursing staff is pointing out that there were many times when family and the patient were refusing to have the patient turned. The guy came from another ICU to that ICU and was very sick. Just seems like a lot of misinformation from the family.

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On one occasion, he was cleaned after a bowel movement with the same gloves that were used to administer drugs.

I have seen it the other way around, unfortunatley. The person used the same gloves to check a wound on a patient right after she had cleaned up a patient with explosive diarrhea in the next bed.

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Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

It does sound as if the reporter took the family's word for everything, and has no understanding of medical care at all.

This guy was obviously very sick. The things the family is complaining about, I admit I am having trouble understanding their complaints. I'm sorry he didn't survive, but I'm not ready to say there was any negligence there.

And besides, when they say "it's not about the $$$" then I think that's probably exactly what it is about."

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

I have to say that I am sorry that her grandpa didn't make it. But they should face the fact he was SICK SICK SICK. He was transferred from one ICU to another. The reporter took everything the family said for granted and had no medical knowledge. I am still not sure what the family was complaining about.

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Specializes in Pedatrics, Child Protection.

Hmmm..

Definitely a one-sided story here.

I'd love to be on that external review panel!!

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

Reporters want a good story, they usually don't get all the facts correctly. If you've ever had a family member covered by the newspapers, you'll find that reporters don't get correct information in their stories. They are under time constraints and they also want some sensationalist angle to give their story some juice for public consumption.

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Reporters want a good story, they usually don't get all the facts correctly. If you've ever had a family member covered by the newspapers, you'll find that reporters don't get correct information in their stories. They are under time constraints and they also want some sensationalist angle to give their story some juice for public consumption.

I left newspaper journalism for these reasons. One of my reporters always said, "Never let the facts get in the way of a good story." Sadly, he was serious!

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