Survey:When you are the patient or family member, do you identify yourself as a nurse

JMP · Sep 2, 2002

Had a family member in a nearby hospital, not the one I work aat. They where getting this family member up out of bed one day post surgery on her hip and leg........this family member mentally challenged and was screaming in pain........I called the head nurse and identified myself not only as a RN, but one that worked in ICU.

I wanted this family member to get premedicated BEFORE getting her up. She had PRN morphine....I told them to use it ... the head nurse was stunned. My god, it was as if the idea had never occured to them.

I then went to the hospital and everyone was on their tip toes......... the message had been conveyed I would be watching.

Worked well in that situation.

However, we often get family members in ICU who state they are nurses, but few are familiar with critical care. It does not bother us when they tell us.... we welcome the fact we can talk turkey with them sometimes. Just my own opinion.

schrandt · Sep 25, 2002

First of all, I am so sorry about what happened to your dad rncountry.

Last year I hurt my back somehow. We treated according to plan, followed all the steps necessary before I was referred to a neurosurgeon. Had surgery a mere week later. It seems everybody knew I was a nurse the minute I hit the door. Everybody was wonderful. I sat up on the cart going into OR--hurt like H___!! The nurse gave me something & when my tongue felt 10 times it's size I said as much to her. She said that as much pain as I was in I deserved a little Fentanyl (sp?). Even got to touch base with a couple of those I had gone to nursing school with. Looking back, I'm not so sure the surgeon didn't say something-super guy! Incidentally, my family has the "bigmouth" disease you all describe. including my parents.

nursedawn67, LPN · Sep 25, 2002

I don't tell them unless I feel I need to, or to save them time explaining things to me I might say I understand I'm a nurse, but even that is rare. Usually my family members tell everyone.

Stargazer · Sep 25, 2002

Helen, that is a horrifying story. How awful for you and your family.

I do understand what you mean about walking that fine line between protecting your family member and respecting their privacy. When docs and nurses give me detailed info about my dad, sometimes I almost wish they wouldn't.

When my dad had his first heart cath 10 years ago, the cardiologist dragged me into the film room and showed me the results. Seeing that huge, boggy, dyskinetic heart and hearing that his EF was in the low 20's due to idiopathic cardiomyopathy was like being run over by a truck. I had a really hard time keeping it together for the next few hours until I went home and cried all night.

When my dad was in the preop area for his surgery last month and told the admit nurse that I was an RN, she asked if I would like to see his labs and handed them over with his EKG. Labs were fine, but once again I kind of wish I hadn't looked at the 12-lead and seen how W-I-D-E his complexes were. It just scares me, and then it's hard to keep a poker face with my dad.

I dunno. Anybody else feel like there's gotta be something between too little info and too much?

globalRN · Sep 26, 2002

I live in a different country and visit my parents 1-3 times a year.

I want to know everything that is going on...I have seen too many omissions and errors. When I went with my 74 y/o Dad to see his doctor for suspected pneumonia(my suspicion and I was right) I wanted to know the date of his pneumovax? It wasn't available so the doctor said she would check his entire file. Turns out he never had it...and he has COPD and asthma.

When my son was being investigated for '?hemoptysis' he was given PPD skin testing. The attending didn't even know what was considered a positive reading....and then had to recant and say '10 mm was positive'. I mean I live in Hong Kong where TB is a real problem! Then in reading the induration....she wasn't sure and asked if I would like to doublecheck...you bet I would rather measure it myself than go by someone who wasn't very confident.

Anyway, they also did other investigations and wanted to 'call me if there were any significant findings ...and if I got no phone call to relax because that meant findings WNL or NAD'. I said no...they had already lost an EKG that they had taken and didn't look for it until I asked what was the EKG result. I said I will come back for a return appointment to SEE the results.

Living here in HK, with very variable quality of medical care is one of the BIGGEST reasons I chose to become a nurse practitioner.

Teshiee · Sep 26, 2002

I will bring it up if I feel that the floor has some incompetence going on. Other than that I don't go there.