What do you do if you are assigned a patient you know outside of work?

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I recently saw a name very similar to a resident I used to work at my nursing home job on the tele monitor. Made me wonder what is the policy on this, whether it be a patient from another facility, your neighbor, your second grade teacher, etc etc. Are you supposed to refuse to accept this patient and trade with another nurse?

Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.
You have to know your audience. There are people I know who would be comfortable with me taking care of them, and then there are those who would not. Its entirely dependent on the individual

I think, in the end, that is about what it all boils down to. Case by case basis, with the patient being the decision maker.

My friend of a friend, he was relieved to know someone was taking care of him who would not judge him for his habitual "recreational drug use". On the other hand, I'm willing to be there are more than a few people who would no feel as he did. Let the patient decide and all is well in the end I guess.

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Hospice.
unless i had a serious conflict i wouldn't trade patients. why would you? recently a friend of mine and my ex hubby (well soon to be ex), she was the nurse that took care of his new girlfriend when she was having his baby. now that was a conflct for her but she did it wothout issue.

now if his girlfriend came int the er, i would switch because i hate her and would not be a good advocate for her care. i would be busy about the time she'd need pain meds and out of the room if she needed cpr....just teasing but you get the meaning.

this really made me laugh!

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Specializes in Pain Management, FNP, Med/Surg, Tele.

I think it depends on how you feel about that person, if you feel like it will jeopardize the relationship that you have with that person then ask to trade that patient for another patient. I work on a Tele unit as well and one evening it was my turn for the next admission. When the patient came up from the ER, low and behold it was my half brother's grandfather. I didn't know him very well, only visited him a few times. However, in my heart, I felt like he was my grandfater and felt the need to want to take care of him and protect him in a sense. I felt as if I was the only nurse (no disrespect to the other nurses) that would take care of him the right way for lack of better words. So I kept him, my nurse mgr knew he was "related" to me and she was ok with me taking care of him.

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Specializes in Critical Care & Medical-Surgical floor.

I have always avoided caring for people I know. If the person has a negative outcome, it can haunt you. I cared for a fellow church member who I barely knew once, she passed away. Her husband came up to me in church months later discussing her case, furious at the physician involved with her care. It put me in a very difficult spot. On the other hand, sometimes caring for someone you know can be very reassuring to the family because they believe you will take good care of their loved one. I guess you have to look at each individual situation and judge what you feel is best.

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Specializes in Telemetry.
I live in a smaller town (about 90,000. I simply ask the person if they would be comfortable with me providing their care, or would they prefer someone they don't know. 100% of the time, the person has enthusiastically requested that I take care of them.

What an awkward situation to place the patient in. Of course they wouldn't want to hurt your feelings. I personally, wouldn't want someone I know taking care of me and knowing my "personal business."

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I also think it depends on the situation as well and what you feel comfortable with. Many years ago, I was a CNA and I worked in a hospital setting. I quit, got married and became a stay at home mom. We have 4 children so I cannot remember if it was baby #1 or #2, but when I went in to have him or her, one of the nurses that I had worked with was my nurse. I was completely comfortable with her checking me and all! She was one of my favorite nurses when I had worked with her.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

On the few occasions when I ran across someone I knew outside of work, I simply asked them how they felt about me taking care of them. I assured them I would not be upset if they chose not to have me care for them. I've only had 1 ask me not to care for them, no problem on my account, still friends and can't see that ending anytime soon. It's not about my comfort level, it's about thiers.

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