Not every family who visits is there to be supportive of the patient. Some of them are even downright unsupportive. Here are some of the worst visitors I've ever seen -- how about you?
There was the woman who'd had an aortic dissection repair, and things didn't go well. She had a perioperitive MI, a CVA and sepsis. All told, she was a patient in our ICU for six months. I didn't hear much about the patient's life from HER; she was confused and mostly nonverbal.
Her sister, however, sat at her bedside for hours and wanted to chat with the nurse. The sister, Katie, was a nice person and since I had just moved to the area, gave me a lot of tips about restaurants to try, where NOT to get your car repaired, and the like.
The HUSBAND, Milton, rarely showed up and when he did, he was the type of man who bellowed about "his rights" rather than understanding that when the patient is in CT (or having a line placed), the patient is unavailable for visitors, even of the spousal nature.
Katie put up pictures in the patient's room -- a smiling picture of her and her sister together, and multiple pictures of the patient's beloved dogs. "They're just like her children," Katie explained. "Milton never wanted children." Tellingly, there were no picture of Milton in the room.
He and Katie barely spoke and Katie told us that when Milton married her sister, he quit working and expected that she would support him, do all the cooking and cleaning and take care of his mother as well. As for the patient, she lit up whenever Katie arrived, but shut down whenever Milton did.
One weekend afternoon, Milton showed up just as I was helping the patient's nurse finish a bath and linen change. Without waiting for the two of us to finish up or get the dirty linen out of the way, Milton leaned over the bed and whispered (loudly enough for the patient and both of the nurses in the room to hear) "I killed your dogs. I said I would do it, and I did." That man has to take the prize for being ONE of the worst hospital visitors I've ever seen.
Years ago, when I worked in CCU, a 58 year old woman was admitted in cardiogenic shock. We placed a balloon pump, lined her, gave her multiple doses of morphine and finally, scheduled surgery for the following day. (The surgeon wanted to do it immediately, but there was already an emergency surgery in progress and the on call OR team were already in that OR.)
At six the next morning, I'm filling out the pre-op check list and a woman breezes in with two toddlers in tow. As I tried to explain to her that visitors under sixteen weren't allowed in the CCU, she told me that she had "just come to drop off her kids for their granny to watch."
Then there was the visitor who injected the patient with some street drug, right through the conveniently placed central line, because "Y'all don't give him none of the good stuff in here."
Just this last weekend we transferred a woman to CCU while the family was downstairs. When he came back up he was soooo high. He found a wheel chair and tried wheeling himself to the unit. I just walked by and thought it was weird some young man wheeling down the hall. Later that night the supervisor told us that there was a man in a wheel chair stuck outside the unit passed out. He was so high he couldn't open the doors and just slept in the hall. He eventually made it to his family members room and passed out there.
One of our frequent fliers with sickle cell anemia was in and he gets tons of pain meds. I come in to my shift and there's 2 toddlers in his room with him. Apparently the mother dropped them off with him earlier that day to pay bills. So this young guy doped up on dilaudid was watching them all day and when I walked in that night he was in the shower and the kids were playing on the floor. She eventually came back about 10 pm. The same family also brings in suitcases and steals lots of linens and snacks and whatever they can get their hands on.
Then you have the confused old lady that's climbing out of the bed and the daughter is in there yelling and cussing at her and holding her down and tied her to the bed with the sheets cause she's tired of momma getting out of bed. Had to call security to make her leave.
A fresh post-op TURP, the wife is there and got caught trying to have sex, even pulled out his cath. There was blood everywhere. The patient ending up in the unit. Wife also ends up in unit after someone found her in the floor in waiting room in puddle of blood and empty bottle of vodka. Apparently she rolled off the couch and busted her head wide open.
Sounds like things fell apart quickly and the son didn't have the wherewithal to tap into other resources. Not uncommon, and a good case for social work involvement.
Sounds to me like some patients need to return surveys with bad marks for the hospital not keeping them safe by failing to keep nutcases and abusers away.
Just this last weekend we transferred a woman to CCU while the family was downstairs. When he came back up he was soooo high. He found a wheel chair and tried wheeling himself to the unit. I just walked by and thought it was weird some young man wheeling down the hall. Later that night the supervisor told us that there was a man in a wheel chair stuck outside the unit passed out. He was so high he couldn't open the doors and just slept in the hall. He eventually made it to his family members room and passed out there.
One of our frequent fliers with sickle cell anemia was in and he gets tons of pain meds. I come in to my shift and there's 2 toddlers in his room with him. Apparently the mother dropped them off with him earlier that day to pay bills. So this young guy doped up on dilaudid was watching them all day and when I walked in that night he was in the shower and the kids were playing on the floor. She eventually came back about 10 pm. The same family also brings in suitcases and steals lots of linens and snacks and whatever they can get their hands on.
Then you have the confused old lady that's climbing out of the bed and the daughter is in there yelling and cussing at her and holding her down and tied her to the bed with the sheets cause she's tired of momma getting out of bed. Had to call security to make her leave.
A fresh post-op TURP, the wife is there and got caught trying to have sex, even pulled out his cath. There was blood everywhere. The patient ending up in the unit. Wife also ends up in unit after someone found her in the floor in waiting room in puddle of blood and empty bottle of vodka. Apparently she rolled off the couch and busted her head wide open.
I've been a psych nurse for the past 13 years, so I've seen some interesting things. The worst visitor I've seen has to be the one that we had to have banned from the hospital. Not only did she tell the client not to take his meds because they are killing him, but she also brought him DVD's that describe the way in which they are doing so. She also smuggled in food for him even though he's NPO and a tube feed. Lovely woman!
That is typical behavior for Eastern Europeans. We use a lot of herbals, which are not thought to be medicines here but are there and some of them even prescribed by doctors. People
like them and want them to be used for their loved ones, so they get upset if their old favorites cannot be given in hospitals. It is just a very cultural thing.
Next time, just ask the name of the stuff and ask someone who knows what it might be. Then let the folks know that they cannot have Valerian but Xanax is even better.
Thanks for your input, it did occur to me it may be a cultural thing, however, policy is that NO meds be given to a pt while in house. That was explained very courteously. The visitor was non cooperative and the warnings were intensified. She was just plain nasty about it and therefore the end result. I still wonder about the coincidence with the pt symptoms resolving post the removal of her "medicine".
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Wow. I worked ER as a tech on nights and was (literally) running to pick up drugs for a pedi code in progress. There was also a second adult code and a third critical patient. All 3 physicians were occupied. The place was packed on a hot summer night.
Normal people when you explain that a child (or anyone else) is critically ill or injured say a silent prayer and go back to waiting.
I was physically blocked by a large, loud woman. I nearly crashed into her. I politely explained that the physicians are busy with critical patients and I had to run an emergent drug from the pharmacy to the team. People are seen in order of severity. She started yelling (wasn't really listening) when she started flailing her arms I said "excuse me, I need to go" and ducked under and delivered the drugs. She tried to grab me and yank me back. Security grabbed her arm. I made it back to the kiddo who although we flew him up to the specialty hospital did not fare well post drowning. (The 30 second delay had no effect. The 5 minutes unsupervised by a pool was more of a detriment to the beautiful 3 year old)
I found out later what the lady was yelling about as the security guard wrote me up commending me for maintaining professionalism under duress...it wasn't a family member with an acute injury or illness. It was her "man friend" with chronic back pain for 3 years or so that she felt should be seen emergently. At 3AM. On a busy July weekend. The patient was sleeping, waiting his turn, and oblivious to his "friend" attempting to assault ED staff on his behalf. Apparently the security guard was amazed that I was so polite and managed to walk away without her snatching me...
How about a family who had their special needs child chained to the bed at home (so they could collect his disabilty check). Child was taken away from said family and placed into protective custody/ inpatient for a displaced fx of the arm, aspiration pneumonia, and loss of weight. He was a full size 17 yr old who weighed 68#. Child ended up with sepsis and dying. Family demanded CPR be continued past the point of reason as he had to live (so they could continue to collect that check). Family then had the gall to try to sue the hospital for allowing their child to die. The family smelled like a barn and even with the door closed the smell creeped down the hall and wouldn't clear. We all loved that child. It was so heartbreaking as he put up such a good fight and deserved so much more. There is a special place in hell for those parents.. Worst part of all Dad is a Nurse!
How about a family who had their special needs child chained to the bed at home (so they could collect his disabilty check). Child was taken away from said family and placed into protective custody/ inpatient for a displaced fx of the arm, aspiration pneumonia, and loss of weight. He was a full size 17 yr old who weighed 68#. Child ended up with sepsis and dying. Family demanded CPR be continued past the point of reason as he had to live (so they could continue to collect that check). Family then had the gall to try to sue the hospital for allowing their child to die. The family smelled like a barn and even with the door closed the smell creeped down the hall and wouldn't clear. We all loved that child. It was so heartbreaking as he put up such a good fight and deserved so much more. There is a special place in hell for those parents.. Worst part of all Dad is a Nurse!
Daughter was staying in the room for her dying mother for around a week. Mother passes. Wake daughter up to inform her, and allow her a few minutes alone with mother before we prepare her for the transfer to funeral home. Go back in the room and daughter has gone back to bed AND placed the oxygen back on mom's face!
Remove oxygen, wake daughter up again, ask for funeral home info. She gets up with a heavy sigh, opens her address book and plops it down on deceased mother's chest, flips through it and gives me the info.
Make the phone call, go back to help daughter pack up the room. (This is a small, rural hospital and the room in question is the only available room in the facility- ER has a patient waiting for bed placement.) She's back in bed and (of course) oxygen is back on mother.
Funeral home guy arrives. Wake up daughter again (after removing oxygen yet again so funeral home guy won't think I'm completely nuts.). Daughter produces a picture of deceased and tells funeral home guy that this is how she wants mom to look in casket. He, very kindly, says "I'm just the person who transports. When you have your appointment to make arrangements, the funeral director will get all of this information from you." After transferring the remains to the cart, daughter comes out of the bathroom with two outfits on hangers. Asks funeral guy, "Which should I wear to the viewing and which for the funeral?"
Funeral guy beats a hasty retreat. I get a cart to assist daughter with moving stuff out. She hands me her car keys and says "When you finish packing up, put it all in my trunk." Um, no. She finally vacates room, I have a CNA assist her with getting everything to the parking lot. But, of course, she returns and asks to see the menu so she can 'order breakfast'.
The CNA that participated in this craziness with me lives near me. It's been 10 years, and we still just break out in hysterics every time we make eye contact.
How about a family who had their special needs child chained to the bed at home (so they could collect his disabilty check). Child was taken away from said family and placed into protective custody/ inpatient for a displaced fx of the arm, aspiration pneumonia, and loss of weight. He was a full size 17 yr old who weighed 68#. Child ended up with sepsis and dying. Family demanded CPR be continued past the point of reason as he had to live (so they could continue to collect that check). Family then had the gall to try to sue the hospital for allowing their child to die. The family smelled like a barn and even with the door closed the smell creeped down the hall and wouldn't clear. We all loved that child. It was so heartbreaking as he put up such a good fight and deserved so much more. There is a special place in hell for those parents.. Worst part of all Dad is a Nurse!
We all loved that child. It was so heartbreaking as he put up such a good fight and deserved so much more. There is a special place in hell for those parents.. Worst part of all Dad is a Nurse!
CathyNorris
1 Post
Just this last weekend we transferred a woman to CCU while the family was downstairs. When he came back up he was soooo high. He found a wheel chair and tried wheeling himself to the unit. I just walked by and thought it was weird some young man wheeling down the hall. Later that night the supervisor told us that there was a man in a wheel chair stuck outside the unit passed out. He was so high he couldn't open the doors and just slept in the hall. He eventually made it to his family members room and passed out there.
One of our frequent fliers with sickle cell anemia was in and he gets tons of pain meds. I come in to my shift and there's 2 toddlers in his room with him. Apparently the mother dropped them off with him earlier that day to pay bills. So this young guy doped up on dilaudid was watching them all day and when I walked in that night he was in the shower and the kids were playing on the floor. She eventually came back about 10 pm. The same family also brings in suitcases and steals lots of linens and snacks and whatever they can get their hands on.
Then you have the confused old lady that's climbing out of the bed and the daughter is in there yelling and cussing at her and holding her down and tied her to the bed with the sheets cause she's tired of momma getting out of bed. Had to call security to make her leave.
A fresh post-op TURP, the wife is there and got caught trying to have sex, even pulled out his cath. There was blood everywhere. The patient ending up in the unit. Wife also ends up in unit after someone found her in the floor in waiting room in puddle of blood and empty bottle of vodka. Apparently she rolled off the couch and busted her head wide open.