What should one do in this case?

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Hello Everyone,

I am in my clinicals and I had this very interesting patient for a few days and he told me some stuff that i'm not sure if I should tell anyone but he claimed he does not take his medicine or insulin purposely which makes his diabetes go into DKA so he can have a stay in the hospital because he enjoys being here and loves the treatment and food. He is not a frequent flyer as this is his first time here

I know patients have a right to refuse medicine but is this something i should bring to anyone's attention.

Honestly, who wants to be in a hospital bed for days on end watching peoples court and hearing beeping sounds and have cords all over

He said he wants to make his glucose go over 1000 to see what happens. He says he is just curious

Diabetes is a not a slot machine!

That is dangerous!! I am speechless.

What should a nurse do in this situation?

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Honestly, who wants to be in a hospital bed for days on end watching peoples court and hearing beeping sounds and have cords all over
Believe it or not, but some patients have absolutely nothing interesting going on in their lives. A hospital stay facilitates attention from kindly healthcare staff, three warm meals, multiple snacks, cable TV on a flat screen, daily housekeeping, laundered sheets, and the chance to rest. Some people do not get these things at home.

What should a nurse do in this situation?
You educate the patient about the consequences of his actions, then you document everything. However, we cannot really help people who have no desire to help themselves. Trying to help a noncompliant patient who has a death wish is like pouring one's efforts into a bottomless well.
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Specializes in Palliative, Onc, Med-Surg, Home Hospice.

Honestly, if he does do this, it will become well known fairly quickly. You can alert the MD, educate the patient on the risks of playing russian roulette with his diabetes and hope some of it sticks. If you have a diabetes educator, have her talk to him. That's about all you can do.

I have experience with a drug seeker who would deliberately go into DKA so he could get more dilaudid for his chest pain. We'd get him under control, send him home with his shiny new script for PO Dilaudid, and he'd be back after a couple of months (He would go to two other hospitals with the same routine).

The last time I cared for him, he was in CKD, in need of a kidney transplant and not qualifying because of previous drug use. We did all we could to educate him about the consequences of his action and he didn't care. Some people you just can't reach. You do what you can and keep your fingers crossed. And stop worrying about it.

As far as someone enjoying hospitalization: it takes all kinds. I know a woman who pulled her trach out so she would get admitted. It takes all kinds.

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Specializes in Public Health, Maternal Child Health.

Yes in general you should never hide information about a patients medication compliance. If I was the rn I would inform the MD next time I saw that doctor or put a note in the chart. As a student you should mention this to your rn.

that being said, I'm sure this is not new information to his doctors as he probably has a history of doing this. All you can do is show concern and educate what is happening to his body and the risk of early death.

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It's the reason why insurance premiums are increasing.

I've seen insurance companies billed over 20k a day. It's so unreal!.

And all those extra services.

If i'm not mistaken, hospitals bill $1000 for a tooth brush?

Because they simply could!

The Ritz Carlton is much cheaper.

By the way, im impressed by how every post is answered so quickly,

Do you get alerted on new threads because I don't see where i can get alerted?

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Specializes in tele, ICU, CVICU.

I know insurance premiums are somewhat ridiculous but 1K for a damn toothbrush? I'm curious where you read/saw that?

Also, if he has only been admitted to that facility once, is there another local facility he could be a well-known patient to, or new to the area? Otherwise, I would think he's just making outlandish claims, for attention or sympathy. Usually there will be a thorough & thick paper trail for such a FF.

And, when you create a post or respond to one, I believe you get an email, saying there is a new reply to topic "ABC" but will not receive another email alert until you sign in & visit that post again. At least that is what my account is set to. I'm pretty sure you can change your settings. I think people just happened to be on the site, read your post & wanted to offer their input. :-)

Welcome to AN!

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Hello Everyone,

I am in my clinicals and I had this very interesting patient for a few days and he told me some stuff that i'm not sure if I should tell anyone but he claimed he does not take his medicine or insulin purposely which makes his diabetes go into DKA so he can have a stay in the hospital because he enjoys being here and loves the treatment and food. He is not a frequent flyer as this is his first time here

I know patients have a right to refuse medicine but is this something i should bring to anyone's attention.

Honestly, who wants to be in a hospital bed for days on end watching peoples court and hearing beeping sounds and have cords all over

He said he wants to make his glucose go over 1000 to see what happens. He says he is just curious

Diabetes is a not a slot machine!

That is dangerous!! I am speechless.

What should a nurse do in this situation?

He might be serious, but I doubt it. It sounds like he's entertaining himself by being dramatic and "shocking". I would give him a matter of fact response and change the subject. The more attention he gets for his "stories", the more encouraged he will be to tell them.

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

psych consult. If he manages to get BG to 1000, that's pretty close to lethal. He "might" be serious? I wouldn't take that chance with a diabetic. have 2 teenage type 1 boys. Not something to mess around with.

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Specializes in NICU.

He might have been looking for shock value to see how you would react

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Document, Document, Document and let either social work or the case manager know. They need to figure out if he is safe to go back home.

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Hello Everyone,

I am in my clinicals and I had this very interesting patient for a few days and he told me some stuff that i'm not sure if I should tell anyone but he claimed he does not take his medicine or insulin purposely which makes his diabetes go into DKA so he can have a stay in the hospital because he enjoys being here and loves the treatment and food. He is not a frequent flyer as this is his first time here

I know patients have a right to refuse medicine but is this something i should bring to anyone's attention.

Honestly, who wants to be in a hospital bed for days on end watching peoples court and hearing beeping sounds and have cords all over

He said he wants to make his glucose go over 1000 to see what happens. He says he is just curious

Diabetes is a not a slot machine!

That is dangerous!! I am speechless.

What should a nurse do in this situation?

You are not a nurse, you are student. You report your observations to your instructor and the patient's nurse.

Then ..you follow up and learn.

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Specializes in Hospice.

And give up on the idea that you will save him in spite of himself.

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