Visitor Etiquette

Pappilli0n · Feb 15, 2012

I don't want to give away a whole lot of info... but, recently, I was on my unit as a visitor with my grandfather. In a near code situation with another patient, I helped a colleague by bringing her a supply she couldn't find in the room. Now, as I think about it more, I am totally. freaking. out. Did I do something totally inappropriate/unprofessional/maybe illegal? I would never provide direct patient care when off the clock or out of uniform, but what about bringing a colleague something she needed. I knew where it was and it was easier/faster/more efficient during this dangerous situation for me to just go get it for her. Thoughts?

I don't think being out of one's uniform suddently depletes your ability of helping someone. Probably the next time, telling someone else "in uniform" where the article is may be the more prudent thing to do and avoid any future doubts on your part.

FranEMTnurse, CNA, LPN, EMT-I · Feb 15, 2012

Before I received my basic first aid card when I first joined my local ambulance corps, I was put in charge of providing the supplies for the people who were performing first aid when on a call. I rode in the back where all the supplies were located, and was called a 'go fer' (ambulance corps name for a supplies assistant.) So what you did was perfectly fine and legal. Kudos to you.

brick195969 · Feb 15, 2012

cut thru all the malarky, Good Samaritan rule should cover you everytime, as long as you are doing the best you can

Chaya, ASN, RN · Feb 15, 2012

I would have been reluctant to, say, sign out a narcotic or something on that level but I don't see how fetching a supplycould be misconstrued.

james_lankford · Feb 15, 2012

to answer this question you need to stop thinking like a nurse and start thinking like a lawyer who is in the middle of suing the hospital because the patient you were "involved" with died

why are you (someone off duty) allowed into a non-visitor area ?

had you drunk any alcohol while you were off duty and before you got involved with this call?

what supply did you bring ? how much did you bring ?

how did you know what to bring ? (was it told to you vocally or was it written down?)

what did you know about the patient : age, weight, other medications the patient might be taking?

why couldn't your colleague find an item ?

is your colleague incompetent ? are the people who stock the room incompetent ?

was the delay in finding the item a contributing cause to the patient's death ?

if it was, are you partially responsible because you found and delivered the item? Maybe you should have found it faster.

Did your colleague assume that you would stay and help ? And was you not being there was a contributing cause to the patient's death? Why did you abandon your colleagues ?

was the room locked ? why or why not ?

if it wasn't, should it have been ?

maybe that's why it took so long to find the item, the unlocked room allows anyone to go in there and move an rearrange things

are you ready to be questioned by attorneys, called as a witness against the hospital and the poeple who treated the patient ?

you're a trained healthcare professional, what did you witness or hear before, during or after the treatment of the patient ?

Don't think about what happened. Think about what could have happened and what the consequenses would be.

The consequenses for getting invloved could be getting sued and testifying against your friends. Maybe even losing your license.

The consequences for not getting involved may have been that the patient died.

Weigh the consequences and risks. Then do whatever you feel like.

Pistachio · Feb 15, 2012

As long as it wasn't a medication I can't see why you'd worry about it at all. I think the idea of being called up in a trial because you grabbed something for someone it way out there. It's not like someone is going to document "tissues grabbed by xyz off duty nurse."

cayenne06, MSN, CNM · Feb 15, 2012

to answer this question you need to stop thinking like a nurse and start thinking like a lawyer who is in the middle of suing the hospital because the patient you were "involved" with died
why are you (someone off duty) allowed into a non-visitor area ?
had you drunk any alcohol while you were off duty and before you got involved with this call?
what supply did you bring ? how much did you bring ?
how did you know what to bring ? (was it told to you vocally or was it written down?)
what did you know about the patient : age, weight, other medications the patient might be taking?
why couldn't your colleague find an item ?
is your colleague incompetent ? are the people who stock the room incompetent ?
was the delay in finding the item a contributing cause to the patient's death ?
if it was, are you partially responsible because you found and delivered the item? Maybe you should have found it faster.
Did your colleague assume that you would stay and help ? And was you not being there was a contributing cause to the patient's death? Why did you abandon your colleagues ?
was the room locked ? why or why not ?
if it wasn't, should it have been ?
maybe that's why it took so long to find the item, the unlocked room allows anyone to go in there and move an rearrange things
are you ready to be questioned by attorneys, called as a witness against the hospital and the poeple who treated the patient ?
you're a trained healthcare professional, what did you witness or hear before, during or after the treatment of the patient ?
Don't think about what happened. Think about what could have happened and what the consequenses would be.
The consequenses for getting invloved could be getting sued and testifying against your friends. Maybe even losing your license.
The consequences for not getting involved may have been that the patient died.
Weigh the consequences and risks. Then do whatever you feel like.

Well, geez. I think putting it this way makes it so no nurse would ever want to be involved in a code! All of these (except the first) apply whether or not the nurse was clocked in. They don't address the issue of her helping when in a "visitor" role.

wooh, BSN, RN · Feb 15, 2012

I'm thinking getting a supply isn't going to get you called to the stand. After all, there's not a spot on code records for checking, "Roommate's visitor brings gauze to bedside."

daverika · Feb 16, 2012

How sad the question even had to be asked. We really are losing our minds, to say nothing of our hearts.

Wishinonastar, BSN · Feb 16, 2012

I had a visitor go to the desk to tell them I had an emergency during a code once- no one was responding to my emergency light! If you had not done it everyone would have thought you were awful. I think it was nice of you and the right thing to do.