My boyfriend was a patient in the hospital where he works recently and we both had a terrible experience. Besides giving him coffee with curdled milk in it and refusing to make more because "that's just the way cream settles" and "we're out of coffee" and "we only have one CA". And no, they would not let me make a pot either. We were mistreated in a dozen ways, including holding back meds assuming he was a drug seeker, employees telling us we were "a big issue on the floor," refusing to page the doctor and requesting that I do it from my cell phone, not returning when they said they would, asking him if he was "refusing treatment" when he said he didn't want IV Depakote for what they thought was a migraine because he had taken it PO before and it didn't agree with him, etc... ARGH! He ended up trying the IV Depacon at their request and he broke out in a whole body rash and they kept him another day. He returned to the ER 2 days later with complications from the rash and the doctor said "I'm not giving you prednisone." I told her, "the doctor who was just here just gave him a dose." She said, "OK I'll give you prednisone but only if you promise to follow up." I don't understand the "care" at all!! IT was awful! When we asked for the charge nurse, she was awful to us too, saying people had more important things to do because there was a code.
After he was discharged and went back to work, his manager said she received an email from that unit saying he had questionable behavior during his hospital stay. It was totally exaggerated. For example, I had brought his badge to the hospital so I could park in the garage, and he put it on as a joke while laying in bed. It stayed on maybe 10 minutes. They complained about this saying he was misrepresenting himself. They said he tried to get into the medicine room, which isn't true (he was admitted with altered mental status so how could they judge his behavior anyway!)
Is this ILLEGAL that they told his manager he was in the hospital? And talked about his behavior? I would think that is a breach of HIPPA and that they are also damaging his reputation without cause!
Why would you not believe what a stranger said? That is called judgment, assuming they must be lying for whatever reasons you've created in your head.
Ok, so we are going to personal attacks now?
All because I stated something you did not agree with.
I never ASSumed you were lying or otherwise, I simply gave you a different view from the outside looking in that you simply did not agree with. I told you early on in this thread, I was not there, I'm only giving a different view based on what you wrote. I was simply giving you reasons as to why the floor nurses may have responded the way they did. You are the one who took this dialogue personal and ran with it.
I ended my conversation with you by simply saying "if you say so" because it's not worth going back and forth with you. I advised you I was done and to take care. I did not call you a liar, or assume anything. And this is the reason why I simply ended the communication RESPECTFULLY without resulting to personal attacks.
You can think I'm judgmental all you want, it does not change the circumstances of your boyfriend's hospital visit.
I can believe you. When I had my son, I remember the doctor telling me the nurses told him I was "a little different" than most, and one said "difficult." Huh?? When I say I went out of my way to be polite, I mean really. I couldn't thank them enough for all they were doing, and always complied. He later explained it was because I asked "alot of questions" and though he knows me well and knows that's just me, a lot of the nurses were offended. Again, huh??! I DID ask a lot of questions, but nothing out of the way. I asked a few times what meds I was receiving, and general questions about breast feeding, etc (was a long way from NS then.) Never could figure that out...
Anyway, I would talk to someone. I'm sorry your experience was so bad. I agree with other posters, perhaps there is something else in the picture you don't know about.
Definitely seems like there is more to this story. But on the information given me it seems that you were more of the problem than your boyfriend. Food concerns are never a priority, even for a migraine. You can always leave the hospital and get coffee and bring it back if it was that important to your boyfriend. But using his badge to park in the employee lot That's for employees and I can understand if they knew about its misuse that they would be a bit PO'd. Additionally as you keep pointing out although there was not a code at that time, codes take a lot of time away from the whole shift. Maybe there was no additional coffee to be had, maybe they just didn't have time, IDK. Additionally unless you are his POA and have it in writing you have no right to his medical information or to ask that the doctor be contacted. Being nice and polite and smiling and asking for the moon won't make it come to you any faster. Sometimes things are just not going to happen for one reason or another.
It was your boyfriend's decision, assuming he was A&O at that time to take the Depakote. If he had a previous reaction it should have been listed as an allergy and he should have refused it.
I do think that e-mailing his manager was out of line although if they thought it could be a potential patient safety concern I'm sure they have a right to report it although I would think it would be to the board of nursing not his supervisor.
Actually my boyfriend's manager was NOT directly involved in his care. She was several floors away, so there was no reason for her to know about his care or even his stay. We never made unrealistic requests or demands. When his pain wasn't treated and they diagnosed him with a migraine, he requested coffee for the therapeutic effect of the caffeine. We did not know there was a code going on when we asked to speak to the charge nurse about the curdled milk. No we did not make a "stink." I am a nurse. I know how hard healthcare workers work. We were polite and did not ask for much.
And the charge nurse was not the charge nurse in the ER. None of this happened in the ER. I am completely aware that emergencies are priority. I think you are misreading this situation. It sounds like you have been treated very poorly by some patients which is a bummer cause it gives all patients with needs a bad rap. My boyfriend had altered mental status so I was the one requesting to speak to the doctor about his pain, being his advocate since he could not remember anything but was clearly in pain. We were extremely polite and had some great experiences. Unfortunately, when report was given from nurse to nurse, a judgment was passed along and employees did not decide on their own if we were worth caring for.
He was not at work. Someone he works with could have seen his name in the EMR lists when they were doing something else. Was the mental status change cause for concern about returning to work- NOT the superficial behaviors?
As for everything else, is there a patient relations department he can contact?
They can sort it out much better than we ever could online
Yeah- for a pre-fab letter of how they regret the experience and always strive for excellence?????? :hhmth:
Patient relations are just mouthpieces for the hospital scripts......jme
Definitely agree that people here who are not directly involved in the situation won't be able to give an educated comment- just ideas (not always a bad thing )...
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
This is so different from my experiences and those of my family in the hospital where I worked for several years. To this day, the staff falls all over each other taking care of us, and it's not just because I'm a nurse who used to work there. It's amazing what a little decency and humanity can do, and that goes both ways. :)
My boyfriend was a patient in the hospital where he works recently and we both had a terrible experience. Besides giving him coffee with curdled milk in it and refusing to make more because "that's just the way cream settles" and "we're out of coffee" and "we only have one CA". And no, they would not let me make a pot either. We were mistreated in a dozen ways, including holding back meds assuming he was a drug seeker, employees telling us we were "a big issue on the floor," refusing to page the doctor and requesting that I do it from my cell phone, not returning when they said they would, asking him if he was "refusing treatment" when he said he didn't want IV Depakote for what they thought was a migraine because he had taken it PO before and it didn't agree with him, etc... ARGH! He ended up trying the IV Depacon at their request and he broke out in a whole body rash and they kept him another day. He returned to the ER 2 days later with complications from the rash and the doctor said "I'm not giving you prednisone." I told her, "the doctor who was just here just gave him a dose." She said, "OK I'll give you prednisone but only if you promise to follow up." I don't understand the "care" at all!! IT was awful! When we asked for the charge nurse, she was awful to us too, saying people had more important things to do because there was a code.
After he was discharged and went back to work, his manager said she received an email from that unit saying he had questionable behavior during his hospital stay. It was totally exaggerated. For example, I had brought his badge to the hospital so I could park in the garage, and he put it on as a joke while laying in bed. It stayed on maybe 10 minutes. They complained about this saying he was misrepresenting himself. They said he tried to get into the medicine room, which isn't true (he was admitted with altered mental status so how could they judge his behavior anyway!)
Is this ILLEGAL that they told his manager he was in the hospital? And talked about his behavior? I would think that is a breach of HIPPA and that they are also damaging his reputation without cause!
Please help! Thank you!
That is so rude and unbelievable! They had no right to treat you both that way. And yes, I would say that was an outright HIPPA violation! How dare they tell his manager anything about his stay. They should be written up for the hippa violation and for their rude, insensitive behavior.
I have always chosen to go elsewhere when I had to be hospitalized purely for confidentiality reasons. I've seen unprofessional behavior where I work on occasion, though I think this was not the norm, but I wouldn't take any chances of it happening to me. Of course now if you don't go thru your hospital system, you are majorly screwed, the out of pocket is 3X what it would be and that is quite sizeable! Still I don't know I think I would stay take the hit financially just for the peace of mind of not worrying about confidentiality and hijinks of coworkers. Luckily my prior hospitalizatons were back when the out of pocket was minimal, not the case anymore!
This is so different from my experiences and those of my family in the hospital where I worked for several years. To this day, the staff falls all over each other taking care of us, and it's not just because I'm a nurse who used to work there. It's amazing what a little decency and humanity can do, and that goes both ways. :)
This is what you would expect and how it should be! I do try to be extra special to coworkers and to put them at ease, knowing it can be even more stressful being in the hospital where you work. Though some don't mind and prefer to be there and I've had some prefer me to be their nurse because they know I'm very smart and a patient advocate and make sure the patients get the right care. This is as a compliment and I don't want to let them down.
Specializes in Leadership, Psych, HomeCare, Amb. Care.
Yeah- for a pre-fab letter of how they regret the experience and always strive for excellence??????
Patient relations are just mouthpieces for the hospital scripts......
.
Not where I worked.
Any complaint, whether it came through patient relations, or through the president's off was taken seriously and was investigated to whatever extent was indicated.
Yes, they would get a letter, but they also received phone followups if requested.
You know that's such a shame. We got so excited when a fellow employee came in to have her baby. They treated her extra well. I was a little weirded out being a day surg pt where I worked, but a nurse I worked with bounced into the room and it was so nice to see a friendly face. She gave me the pre-op shot and distracted me while doing so...wow did that smart! Another nurse who didn't know me promised I could have my glasses when I got into recovery and did! Overall a positive experience..I'm so sorry yours was horrible.
He was wearing his hospital ID badge....so why is it a violation of HIPAA if his NM found out he was a patient?
FYI This was must definitely a HIPPA violation! You are never to talk about anyone, especially a coworker, then call or email there manager about their stay! That is such a definite HIPPA violation that person should fear for their job! We've had people fired for looking up their family members medical status when hospitalized. HIPPA violations are taken very seriously!
It doesn't matter if he's an employee, he still has a right to confidentiality! You don't lose those rights by being forced to go to the hospital you work for. That you would not know that and think that is optional is pretty scary!
I agree with other posters, perhaps there is something else in the picture you don't know about.
That's for employees and I can understand if they knew about its misuse that they would be a bit PO'd. Additionally as you keep pointing out although there was not a code at that time, codes take a lot of time away from the whole shift. Maybe there was no additional coffee to be had, maybe they just didn't have time, IDK. Additionally unless you are his POA and have it in writing you have no right to his medical information or to ask that the doctor be contacted. Being nice and polite and smiling and asking for the moon won't make it come to you any faster. Sometimes things are just not going to happen for one reason or another. 
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shoegalRN, RN
1,338 Posts
Ok, so we are going to personal attacks now?
All because I stated something you did not agree with.
I never ASSumed you were lying or otherwise, I simply gave you a different view from the outside looking in that you simply did not agree with. I told you early on in this thread, I was not there, I'm only giving a different view based on what you wrote. I was simply giving you reasons as to why the floor nurses may have responded the way they did. You are the one who took this dialogue personal and ran with it.
I ended my conversation with you by simply saying "if you say so" because it's not worth going back and forth with you. I advised you I was done and to take care. I did not call you a liar, or assume anything. And this is the reason why I simply ended the communication RESPECTFULLY without resulting to personal attacks.
You can think I'm judgmental all you want, it does not change the circumstances of your boyfriend's hospital visit.
Now, again, take care!