Would you call a patient's family at 3 am?

[Froggy]

YES!! without a doubt I'd call her family. She was scared and family was what she needed.

[andrewsgranny, ASN, RN]

Yes I would had called. But I can see your dilemma.

I'm like the others, and cant believe his family left. I would had camped in the waiting room if I couldnt stay in the room.

Not your fault. You done what you thought was right.

[ceecel.dee, MSN, RN]

I think I would have called, but that does not make your decision wrong. You were trying to take the whole family into consideration. You are very compassionate, with your heart in the right place to even consider their needs, knowing you would do your best to make the patient comfortable in the mean time.:kiss

[Sleepyeyes]

Originally posted by Rustyhammer

If it was my kid who nose dived c a garbage truck and wanted me there I'd want to be called.

-Russell

Yes. Staying awake at all hours isn't hard for parents during an emergency, even though the child might be in their 20's.

The worry is just always there, and you dread hearing the phone but at the same time, you want to help make your child more comfortable....

[dharma143]

Originally posted by Froggy

YES!! without a doubt I'd call her family. She was scared and family was what she needed.

hi. are you the froggy from nurseweek fame. i'm really very glad to see you here!!!! i'm just beginning to learn this cool new world:confused: it's not as confusing as i 1st felt! RNanne, susan, RaginCajun, mark, .........are here,too! love, dharma:cool:

[VAC]

Thanks to everyone who wrote in. You guys are great. I love the support I get from this site.

All of my co-workers were telling me I was right not to call. I'll follow my gut next time. We now have open visitation in our ICU, if the patient is relatively stable and the family asks, we let them stay. Or they can camp out it the waiting room and pop back whenever they want. I think we get more wrapped up in how it affects us, rather than what the patient needs sometimes. The patient, a lady in her 60's, needed someone familiar to hold her hand, sometimes we forget how important that can be.

[JAYNE DANCE]

I cannot even imagine why the family left the bedside in the 1st place.....I would have called........just your gut next time. :)

[nursecheryl]

I think I would have attempted to sit with this 60 yo female patient and evaluate what her real problem was. Sounds like she needed an antianxiety or antidepressant medication. If it was a child I'd be more prone to call the family even if it was just to have them talk to her on the phone. If after evaluation the patient and I felt this was the only way to solve the problem I'd call them. But, waiting until morning for a 60 year old dosen't sound like you made a bad decision either.

[nrw350]

Personally (I am soon to be 22) If I was in ICU and my parents were there I would hope to be on a diprivan drip and napping comfortably. So as I would not remember/be aware of their presence. Them worrying about me in front of me is more painful than any injury I can imagine. So long as the peoping careing for me are kind to me I am fine. But may ask one of them talk with me from time to time or hold my hand if going into surgery. I am not He-man or Superman.

Nick

[nrw350]

I hope that is not a wrong way to be (not wanting loved ones to see me hurt). But that is just how I have always been.

Nick

[nursedawn67, LPN]

Originally posted by VAC

Thanks to everyone who wrote in. You guys are great. I love the support I get from this site.

All of my co-workers were telling me I was right not to call. I'll follow my gut next time. We now have open visitation in our ICU, if the patient is relatively stable and the family asks, we let them stay. Or they can camp out it the waiting room and pop back whenever they want. I think we get more wrapped up in how it affects us, rather than what the patient needs sometimes. The patient, a lady in her 60's, needed someone familiar to hold her hand, sometimes we forget how important that can be.

Most defianately I would have called. I agree that most staff won't want the family called because they don't want to have to deal with them underfoot. But the patient needed that family there for piece of mind which in the long run helps in their healing process.

[fedupnurse]

We went back to restricted visiting (ICU) a few years ago. We do have some families that camp out in the waiting room and we also do have circumstances where we request the family stay. If I have a family that is going home, I assure them that if they need to be called, I will call them. I had a case where a patient arrived on my unit, was my patient, and I took a couple of the family members aside and said I really don't believe in my gut that she will still be alive by morning. I am encouraging all those who want to be with her when she passes to stay here with her. We did everything we could to make this poor woman comfortable, she was a DNR, and her family was with her when she died. One family member didn't believe me when I initially shared my gut feelings with them and when her sister did pass on a few hours later, she said "wow, you really did know!" So my point is go with your gut. Follow your heart. You know, that litte voice inside you. Please don't beat yourself up over this one incident. We've all been there an done that to some extent. I applaud you for trying your best to make that patient more comfortable!:kiss