special treatment for patients/residents with demanding families

[marsy82]

I work in residential aged care, we have an elderly Vietnamese lady with special privileges because her family are very wealthy and are constantly emailing and voicing their concerns about their mother's care. She is physically ok despite random episodes of hypotension, she requires minimal assistance and can mobilize independently. We have been instructed by management that this woman's call bell is answered promptly (within minutes), she is to be informed of our name and position each time we enter her room, her family are allowed access to the kitchen to prepare food that they bring in and we are to stay with her while she uses the bathroom (which is often and can take up to 15mins each time). There are other chronically ill residents with debilitating health conditions that need our attention yet this woman is put before them because her family is difficult ?? Is this a normal practice?

[zzbxdo]

Should be a question directed toward your managers haha. The only vip patients at my facility are those who work there or families of those within the facility. Rich needy pts usually go to our other site.

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

I would be morally and ethically opposed to treating this patient differently just because her family is a pain in your ***.

[Kitsey]

We do have one of those residents in my nursing home. They are a family full of nurses who feel the need to police us daily. Nothing is good enough for them and we hear about it all the time. We are to do what they want, when they want it no matter if it means making others wait.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

I don't see ANY of the things you listed as 'special treatment'. Call light answered 'within minutes'? Staying with a patient who has episodes of hypotension when toileting? Telling a patient your name and title? Allowing a family to prepare special food for a client from another culture?

None of these things strike me as unusual.

[Bringonthenight]

I don't see ANY of the things you listed as 'special treatment'. Call light answered 'within minutes'? Staying with a patient who has episodes of hypotension when toileting? Telling a patient your name and title? Allowing a family to prepare special food for a client from another culture? None of these things strike me as unusual.

When you say it like that yes, but I understand where the OP is coming from. Her management is essentially saying that this residents' needs are to come before the others because her family is demanding.

In my experience I have found that some cultures find it hard to let others outside of the family look after their loved one. Their demands to management may stem from this.

I do agree with your post though when it comes to answering call lights promptly and waiting with a resident while they use the bathroom especially when they have a history of hypotension.

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

I currently work in a small hospital. I soon found out that there are indeed very special people in this world, who are to be treated very special. We have patients who are kin to someone, or are kin to someone on the board, etc., etc., to ad nauseum. We are their servants, and they are royalty, and that is just the way it is.

[amoLucia]

I'm reminded of George Orwells' book, 1984, and the line I love, "All animals are created equal, but some animals are more equal than others".

Feel free to substitute "pts' into the quote.

There's also the line, "rank has its privileges".

Boy, ain't I a font of clichés!!! All sadly true, but not fair.

But then, 'who said life was fair?'.

[ak2190]

Yes, this happens often. No, it is not right. It probably won't change because money and complaints rule healthcare.

[amoLucia]

Yes, this happens often. No, it is not right. It probably won't change because money and complaints rule healthcare.

Yup - money talks. And it talks LOUDLY!

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

Worst part about it is, that families who require "special treatment" are the ones who--upon discharge, complain that the "service" STILL wasn't good enough.

If they were "THAT" concerned about Mother's care, then perhaps they should employ a private duty nurse....

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

When I worked LTC one of our residents was the Mother of one of the two Docs who cared for the residents. She had mild dementia and was feisty. She was a handful to say the least and he knew it. The funny thing is he never expected us to do more for her than we did the rest of the patients. He came to visit every night (which was very helpful when you had questions or needed orders on someone).