WWYD: Caregiver not home at end of shift?

Specialties Private Duty

Published

You are on a 12 hour shift. Primary caregiver has an emergency at 2 PM. Your shift is over at 7 PM and PCG is not back, no nursing coverage is expected until 11 PM. Another competent adult is in the home but is not the primary caregiver, and you have never seen this adult provide care for your patient. What would you do? What have you done in the past, if this has happened to you before?

Specializes in Pediatrics.
Why would she call the desk staff when she read this on a discussion board? If this mother is nakig statements and changing her story I would be vary cautious if I were you.

I could be wrong but I *think* she relayed everything as if she did it but it was another parent who did it all, including calling the agency. I'm not sure, to be honest. I haven't followed up. She lied to me and kind of used me. I'm done at that point.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Good....that is the best decision

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The OP stated that the parent had an "emergency" which would be an unforeseeable event. Perhaps she had no time to arrange back-up care. I would have absolutely flipped out if I had an emergency and a nurse left my son in the care of a random, sober adult. Both my parents and my husband's parents would stay with us for weeks at a time and while they were always sober, exactly zero of them were trained to provide any care to my vent-dependent child (or other SN children for that matter).

To the nurse whose agency said it's okay to leave a child with a teen for 30 minutes, I think that is incredibly irresponsible of the agency. What if the 30 minutes turned into 12 hours because of a car accident?

Also, I think it's pretty awful to present a "what if" situation as your own personal dilemma.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

We have specific documentation in every home detailing the list of qualified caregivers. It is signed by the parents when the child becomes our client. We cannot hand over care to anyone but another nurse, qualified caregiver or EMS.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Skilled Nursing/Rehab.

Wow... the parent to talked to the OP and acted like she was relating a first-hand experience story...SO WEIRD. I would avoid that drama like the plague.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Skilled Nursing/Rehab.

Also - I am interviewing with a pediatric home care agency this coming Thursday. You all have given me some good ideas of questions to ask in this interview! Specifically, "What is your agency's policy regarding turning over care of the child at the end of my shift? What do we do if the primary caregiver is not home?" I don't know if I would have thought of that one on my own, as I plan to work evenings and nights...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Also - I am interviewing with a pediatric home care agency this coming Thursday. You all have given me some good ideas of questions to ask in this interview! Specifically, "What is your agency's policy regarding turning over care of the child at the end of my shift? What do we do if the primary caregiver is not home?" I don't know if I would have thought of that one on my own, as I plan to work evenings and nights...

You should be aware of parents who "just do not feel like getting up" esp if it is an overnight shift.

Be prepared to wait 10 to 20 minutes for some to get up.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Skilled Nursing/Rehab.

Oh, lord, that would be annoying. Would it be legit to just take the papers into their room and have them sign while they are still in bed? Or I guess I could just start making a bunch of noise about 15 minutes before the end of my shift so they will be nice and awake... I am kidding, of course. It's late and my smartass is showing!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatric Private Duty; Camp Nursing.

This may be nitpicky, but I hate when they set their alarm for exactly 7am and take a few minutes to rouse. By the time I give report and wrap up the note on who I have reported to, it's 7:10. It's not earth-shattering, but it's not very respectful, either. I have another caregiver who sets his alarm for 6:55. Just that 5 extra minutes means all the difference.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

CloudySue, rest assured you are not the only one with this peeve. Warmly suggest to the client that you are willing to knock on their door ten minutes before the hour, or get them to sign off at the start of the shift. If this does not change things, do what I used to do with one: to the nearest five minutes, I recorded the overtime. When my employer got tired of paying it, they spoke to the client. Problem solved.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Skilled Nursing/Rehab.

Esme! You filled in my bad language!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
CloudySue, rest assured you are not the only one with this peeve. Warmly suggest to the client that you are willing to knock on their door ten minutes before the hour, or get them to sign off at the start of the shift. If this does not change things, do what I used to do with one: to the nearest five minutes, I recorded the overtime. When my employer got tired of paying it, they spoke to the client. Problem solved.

Is it illegal to have the parents sign before the shift is up?

I have a vent/trach client who was in the room downstairs and her mom's room was upstairs.

She would sign our timesheets at the beginning of the shift,and the nurses would just leave when the shift ended(mom told us she would get up 15 min later,but we would not know as we never waited around)

I always wondered if something happened in those 15 minutes who would be on the hook?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment