When patients keep calling 911

[JJ the crit RN]

Acute care hospital. Patient doesn't get what she wants from the kitchen: calls 911. Doesn't get a snack because we have to save them for diabetic urgencies: calls 911. Pain med is late or the doctor DCs it: calls 911. OK so what do you do? Confiscate the phone, she comes out to the hall screaming and cursing, follows staff around. Security can't do anything and police can't touch them unless it's a threat. This isn't unusual unfortunately with some of our patients. My guess is we have to put up with it forever. Thoughts?

[LovingLife123]

I would call the physician and have them put in for a sitter. Wandering the halls is a safety issue.

I would also remove the phone. Our rooms don't have patient phones but sometimes we have these ones that we can put in if a pt requests it.

They don't need a phone. I would also state firmly by calling 911 and abusing the service they may end up in trouble with the police as that is illegal.

Im usually sugary sweet with my patients but there are times I gotta get stern with them. It's rare, but I have. Sometimes people need a little tough love.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

When I used to work at a specialty hospital, we would arrange for our wonderful security guard to firmly tell these types of patients to stop telephoning 911.

It usually worked like a charm...

[Libby1987]

Acute care hospitals with this not uncommon behavior need to work out, if they haven't already, a legally sound protocol. You cannot decide and act as an individual staff member or even as a unit.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

I would also remove the phone. Our rooms don't have patient phones but sometimes we have these ones that we can put in if a pt requests it.

They don't need a phone.

She could be calling with her own cell phone, though. We see those on tray tables all the time.

[Ele_123]

I've taken care of a couple patients who were A&Ox4 did this on their personal cell phone about petty things- coffee/food wasn't what she wanted, staff didn't get to her room fast enough, nurse wouldn't administer medication the way she wanted, but they told the 911 operator that they were at XYZ hospital on # floor and their current complaint they had about the staff. After a couple of calls the 911 operator called the hospital operator and the hospital operator talked to our unit clerk. One patient quit after the house supervisor had a stern talk with her. The other patient quit calling 911 after a talk from security about false 911 calls being illegal & was also informed that if they are unhappy with the hospital they can leave AMA or file a formal grievance in a couple days (on Monday).

[smf0903]

Healthy enough to talk, healthy enough to walk, healthy enough to gripe about both sounds like a patient ready for discharge. Problem solved.

[cocoa_puff]

Healthy enough to talk, healthy enough to walk, healthy enough to gripe about both sounds like a patient ready for discharge. Problem solved.

Exactly my thoughts. Sounds like this PITA patient is taking up a bed that someone else might need. Call the MD and tell 'em it's time for discharge!!! Also, for patients like this, I always print an AMA form just to be prepared, and tell the patient they have the right to leave if they don't like the care they are receiving, just have to fill out a form!

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

On the psych unit, anything other than a local phone number has to go through the house operator first. This includes 911 calls--if a patient places one, the operator will call us at the nurses' station to check if the call is legitimate. Perhaps a similar setup could also be put in place for a specific troublemaker's room phone line.

[oldpsychnurse]

I work psych, so we get this fairly often. We give them one more chance to use the phone appropriately, and if they call 911 again, they go on phone restrictions. Staff dials all calls for them, and if they hang up and call 911 anyway, then there are no more phone calls for them.

[brillohead, ADN, RN]

Oh goodie, it's not just my unit that has these entitled, crazy patients!!!!

Although our worst offender finally got her Celestial Discharge a couple weeks ago, so hopefully things will be calmer going forward.

[Apple-Core, ASN, BSN, RN]

Acute care hospital. Patient doesn't get what she wants from the kitchen: calls 911. Doesn't get a snack because we have to save them for diabetic urgencies: calls 911. Pain med is late or the doctor DCs it: calls 911. OK so what do you do? Confiscate the phone, she comes out to the hall screaming and cursing, follows staff around. Security can't do anything and police can't touch them unless it's a threat. This isn't unusual unfortunately with some of our patients. My guess is we have to put up with it forever. Thoughts?

I have little input other than: how bloody annoying! The sense of entitlement and level of self-absorption is staggering.

[DeeAngel]

How about a 1:1 sitter order? Order for haldol if necessary etc.[/quote']

I don't know any facilities that provide sitters anymore, order or not.