Sometimes I wish the patients family would stop by unannounced...

ChristineN, BSN, RN · Mar 10, 2011

You should preform every day as if family or JACHO is watching. The idea that people may be neglecting pt's because family isn't around is scary. And you wonder why families are scared to put their relatives in LTC.

CoffeemateCNA · Mar 10, 2011

I hate that phrase too. I hear it paired most often with "Be sure you shave Mr. XXXXXXX since his wife/daughter will be by later and they get all bent out of shape when he isn't clean-shaven." Bugs me to no end!! It doesn't take that long to shave someone and it's WAYYY easier to do it daily rather than trying to do it when they haven't been shaved for days and then it's almost impossible to get them clean with those super crappy disposable razors that are more dull than plastic butter knives!

fuzzywuzzy, CNA · Mar 10, 2011

Ugggh, I hate coming in after a few days off and seeing that no one was shaved! It's aggravating! Or that people who actually *let* you brush their teeth didn't get any mouth care, because no one else does it! We all miss things on crazy days but so many people just consistently don't bother because they're lazy!

I always dress people in nice outfits and do their hair up all nice too, whether the family is coming in or not. Then again I wouldn't be caught dead going to the grocery store or even laundromat in a pair of sweatpants and sneakers. Most of my coworkers aren't like that, which is fine, but it also means that they dress their residents the way they dress themselves- in the first ugly thing at the front of the closet that is *easy* to put on.

When I know the family is coming I will make more of an effort to leave the room neat.

interceptinglight, CNA · Mar 10, 2011

Ugggh, I hate coming in after a few days off and seeing that no one was shaved! It's aggravating! Or that people who actually *let* you brush their teeth didn't get any mouth care, because no one else does it! We all miss things on crazy days but so many people just consistently don't bother because they're lazy!
I always dress people in nice outfits and do their hair up all nice too, whether the family is coming in or not. Then again I wouldn't be caught dead going to the grocery store or even laundromat in a pair of sweatpants and sneakers. Most of my coworkers aren't like that, which is fine, but it also means that they dress their residents the way they dress themselves- in the first ugly thing at the front of the closet that is *easy* to put on.
When I know the family is coming I will make more of an effort to leave the room neat.

That's the one thing I really do enjoy doing....dressing my people up to look presentable and well-taken care of, whether their family is going to visit or not. I've noticed some of my co-workers (especially the guys!!) don't even know how to match colors. Geez ! And shaving is an absolute MUST, even for some of our ladies! Mouth care takes very little time to complete so it's ridiculous to neglect it. Even on my people who resist oral care, I just do it a little bit sing-songy and gentle and I've yet to have anyone not let me do it at all.

yousoldtheworld · Mar 11, 2011

Most of the time, this really bothers me, too. My residents are always washed, with their teeth brushed and hair combed, regardless of how short we are or what else is going on.

HOWEVER, we do have one resident whose mom comes in weekly and is super picky...she's been known to complain about the clothes he's wearing not looking "nice" enough (despite the fact that she buys his clothes), that he has some slobber on his chin (he has a condition that causes him to drool nearly constantly, you can wipe his face and have it slobbery five minutes later), and that there are trach secretions on the washcloth we drape under the trach (...it's a trach. They secrete mucus...you could stand and change the cloths all day, and there's still going to be a little bit there.)

So on the day we know this lady is coming, we DO make sure the aide who has him knows so they can put him in her favorite outfits and wipe his face/clean his trach every five minutes to avoid her rage. And in cases like that, I think it's understandable.

LaterAlligator · Mar 11, 2011

We hear that too, although a lot of our residents' family members do drop by at random times, which is usually just fine. Occasionally they will be mad about something (why is my Mother in a recliner with only one blanket instead of the five I always load her down with every time I come in??) but for the most part they have reasonable expectations and we meet them.

I have yet to have anyone complain about a female resident being unshaved but I could understand if they did; a lot of our ladies have tons of whiskers! We usually shave them with the electric razor or one of those little eyebrow trimmer wands. I think it's weirdly satsfying to de-whisker the women, lol!

allnurses Guide · Mar 14, 2011

I never know when family is coming and I don't care.

I keep myself in check and take a huge amount of pride in my work.

I take care of my patients whether family is coming or not.

I find such comments, such as, "Mary's family is coming, make sure blah blah blah" to be insulting.

All I can do is carry on and let it go.

No doubt, we pay for the errors of those less disciplined.