So here I am sitting with my grandmother who is in the hospital with UTI, sepsis, ARF, and dehydration. I've only seen the nurse twice and I've been here since 6am. No one has assessed her, looked at her skin, or brought her fresh ice. No hourly rounds? They are obviously not on any computer systems but they don't even bring a paper MAR into the room when giving meds. I always assess my patients and at least try to round every other hour. What is the deal? Glad I'm here to look after her.
Last night my g-ma had a small seizure. Only lasted 10 seconds, no ictal period, but she had some disorientation afterwards. When we told the nurse she just said... "I'm sure she didn't have a seizure." Um... you know a seizure when you see one. Thankfully I was here this morning to tell the doctor about it. He thinks it was related to everything going on with her.
I just don't feel safe leaving her here but I can't stay 24/7. Also I have to back to work Thursday. Please say a prayer.
No my grandmother still lives at home with her husband. She is very independent and is A and O x 4. Her stubborn ways got her into this mess. (Kept refusing to go to the doctor because she was "fine") I live 3 hours away so I just kept taking her word for it. It took her throwing up in church and then falling down the church stairs to realize she was not "fine."
Thank you, I was wondering because you mentioned she had a UTI, and as you might know, they are rampant in Nursing Homes, mostly due to poor staffing.
I hope your grandma gets and stays well. She sounds feisty. :)
I'm sorry, and perplexed, that your grandmother has received what sounds like inadequate care. My floor caps us at 6 pts each, and about half the time we're lucky enough to run with 5 for some or all of a shift. Five is so much better than six, but either way, each of our patients gets a full head to toe and the start of the shift and at midnight, and most get a focal at 0400. We're instituting hourly rounding, which I'm not sure how is different from hourly observation, but has me nervous. I'm usually hustling to get done what I do, and since I work nights, I'm hoping this rounding won't entail waking people up. It's bad enough with meds and assessments. We're a neuro floor, so my focal always includes a neuro check, but my 0400 usually goes, "How are you doing? Are you having any pain? Do you need anything?" If they can answer those questions correctly, they usually know their name, rank, and serial number. Maybe squeeze my fingers, wiggle their toes, peek at their pupils, and any incisions, if applicable.
My Dad was recently admitted as an off-service pt on my floor, and his biggest gripe was not being left alone. He was on a heparin gtt, so frequent PTTS along with all the other fun. It was enough of a problem for him that I've mentioned to my manager and have been thinking about how to approach docs about making more patients Qshift or Q4 while awake, instead of strict q4. I've actually told patients that if sleep is their top priority, the hospital is the wrong place to be. (Didn't tell my Dad that. He already thought the hospital was the wrong place to be!) Still, when I can, I try to bend the rules around to let them get 4-6 hours with minimal interruption, like doing my 0400 with their 0300 med and giving their 0600 nexium at 0650. But I'd really prefer not to have to worry that I might be putting my license at risk to be kind, and of course many patients aren't stable enough to let slide.
From what I see, most of my peers are doing pretty much the same. I have had patients--rarely--complain to their families that they hadn't seen me all night. In some cases, that's been close to true, although I did see them while they weren't seeing me.
Thank you, I was wondering because you mentioned she had a UTI, and as you might know, they are rampant in Nursing Homes, mostly due to poor staffing.
I hope your grandma gets and stays well. She sounds feisty. :)
Please don't think that all utis from NH pts are due to poor staffing.
OP...BTDT. I would have expected at least a peek in the room every so often. Just to even check if she was breathing, etc. Who knows....it could have been a pattern or just a bad night for those nurses.
Specializes in Peds Critical Care, Dialysis, General.
Sorry to her about your grandmother. I'm praying she gets better quickly.
We never left my mother alone when she was in the hospital. I was horrified to see nurses come in and administer meds without a MAR. Sometimes they checked her armband before administration. One RN was obviously just a warm body - he left her to take her pm meds. Didn't watch, just said to take them if she wanted them. We did make sure that everyone knew her three daughters are RNs. Didn't make that much of difference - some assessed her thoroughly and others just barely.
I have been a nurse 32 years. I hate what I see happening at the bedsides of patients. When my mother n law had cancer and was hospitalized, she had horrid care... and honestly, going to the MD isn't the answer. I received any message from the hospital that they thought would placate me. When I tried to contest her early release to a local nursing home saying that she wasn't stable enough, I was told that there was no choice but to discharge her. The nursing home wouldn't listen to me when I told them that they were giving her too much insulin (they discontinued her HAF and sent her to nursing home on same amount insulin same day). HIPPA would not allow them to question the order they had based on my request even though she had signed an advanced directive because it, though witnessed, was not notarized!!!! She died two days later from low blood sugar.
Watch your grandmother like a hawk if you want her to survive her illness!!!!
OP, I really feel your frustration. One of the first things I learned after nursing school is to never let a family stay in the hospital unattended. I have even experienced neglect first hand--I'm highly allergic to cranberries and pineapple. Guess what they bring you for every meal when you're on clear-full liquids. I was on a morphine pump so my eyes were crossed and I couldn't make good sense of anything. Had my husband not been there to scrutinize my trays I very well could have had an anaphylactic reaction. DH ends up in CCU about once a year and I always stay with him, even though we have to put my disabled son in a special home during that time. CCU nurses are pretty sharp, but I've even had a few of them go off their marks.
I'm sorry to hear about your Grandma. How incredibly annoying to have someone say to you so patronizingly, "I'm sure she didn't have a seizure". That definitely qualifies as a "***" moment ...
My best wishes for a speedy recovery for your dear Grandma!
I'm sorry to hear that your grandma is so sick, and you are a good granddaughter to sit with her for so long; I take care of so many geriatrics that have no visitors and it's sad. It sounds like she wasn't getting the care she deserved but you don't know the patient ratio, census, if said RN was in charge and dealing with other floor issues, or what was going on with her other patients. I know it's not an excuse but try to put yourself in her shoes. Maybe the nurse felt she didn't need to check in as often because as you said your grandmother introduced you as a nurse and maybe she felt you would come to her if there was a problem, assuming that grandma isn't a turn and position.
I have walked on the floor numerous times to find trached patients with mucus plugs and not breathing, post-ops with new onset chest pain, one geriatric trying to "get that man out of (his) closet because he has gun) foley, IV, and hemovac on the floor of course, and one detox pt. swallowing a dime!! On those nights I only see some of my other patient's 1-2x a night. Like I said, it's no excuse but if you see the nurse again talk to her about how you felt and try to rectify the situation with her. If you were the nurse that a family was upset with because of perceived problems with would you want them threatening you with going to the manager or threatening legal action like some have suggested?
We all get protective over our family members because we are in the field, trust me I know, my dad had a quad bypass a few years back and I was helicoptering the whole time, but try to understand all points of view in this situation. I hope your grandma gets better soon and back home where I'm sure she wants to be. Good luck with everything!!
Back when I was a phlebotomist I was on the 8th floor and a patient and family were crying and very very upset with the care. I went to find the CN and she was HIGH!!!! Needless to say we called the chief nursing sup. and They came down and assessed the CN immediatly! Have not seen her since............. serves her right she was putting not only herself at risk, but her patients at risk as well from being irresponsible.
Well I had to come back home today. My grandmother is doing better, thank God. She still has a way to come and will probably still be in the hospital for another few days. I still just cannot believe no one ever assessed her. She had 4 different nurses and no one ever did an assessment. Someone was with her the entire time except from about 10pm-6am. Maybe someone assessed her during that time but she says they didn't.
The only good thing I can say is that they came to take her to the bathroom when she called. And they did so in a timely manner. No one, however, offered her a bath. I'm not saying we couldn't do it for her because we could, but she didn't want us to bathe her because she was embarrassed. So far she hasn't been up to a bath, but I do hope someone offers her at least a bird bath tomorrow.
I think I'll write a letter to the NM. I'll tell her how I'm pleased with housekeeping and dietary. I'll tell her I appreciate the prompt call light assistance. But I will tell her what else I think about the situation.
Luckily my grandmother has a WONDERFUL doctor. I was so impressed with her physician. Thankfully someone was on the ball.
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
Well I had to come back home today. My grandmother is doing better, thank God. She still has a way to come and will probably still be in the hospital for another few days. I still just cannot believe no one ever assessed her. She had 4 different nurses and no one ever did an assessment. Someone was with her the entire time except from about 10pm-6am. Maybe someone assessed her during that time but she says they didn't.
The only good thing I can say is that they came to take her to the bathroom when she called. And they did so in a timely manner. No one, however, offered her a bath. I'm not saying we couldn't do it for her because we could, but she didn't want us to bathe her because she was embarrassed. So far she hasn't been up to a bath, but I do hope someone offers her at least a bird bath tomorrow.
I think I'll write a letter to the NM. I'll tell her how I'm pleased with housekeeping and dietary. I'll tell her I appreciate the prompt call light assistance. But I will tell her what else I think about the situation.
Luckily my grandmother has a WONDERFUL doctor. I was so impressed with her physician. Thankfully someone was on the ball.
Tiger, glad she is better. Let us know when she gets to go home. hang in there! I think your approach is appropriate in letting the NM know what was going on.
Well.... things have gotten worse. Grandmama was going to be discharged today. I was talking to her and she was telling me that her shoes didn't fit because her feet were swollen.... I asked her if any nurses have looked at her legs and she said no. My mother went back down there today I told her to make sure the nurses and doctor know about her swollen legs before she goes home. My mother went to the desk and told her nurse that her legs were swollen.. The nurse NEVER came and looked.... The doctor came in soon after and my mother made him aware of the legs. He said he hadn't heard anything about the swelling. They sent her for a BLE u/s and sure enough she has bilateral DVTs!!!!! I am sick about this. Why wasn't she on any prophylaxis???? I should have never come home. I am so angry right now. I'm angry at myself for leaving. I should have been there to advocate for her. I'm angry that today is the first time anyone there has even assessed her legs. I'm angry that I didn't think to make sure she was on lovenox/scds.... I just can't even think straight right now.
Now she isn't going home and now this is a whole new ball game.....
FraidoCat
27 Posts
Thank you, I was wondering because you mentioned she had a UTI, and as you might know, they are rampant in Nursing Homes, mostly due to poor staffing.
I hope your grandma gets and stays well. She sounds feisty. :)