You ever wonder..what ever happend too?

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Specializes in ICU/ER.

How many times have you had a pt for a few days, and then they get transfered to another facility--and you wonder "gee wonder how so and so is doing"...it is driving me crazy as I am wanting to know what is going on with this guy. We actually had him for close to a month, in an ICU, of course we all became very attached to him. When he was transfered out last week he had an ejection fraction of 10-15% and an efusion and was only speaking in a barely audible whisper. I mention that because I actually thought about well I will just call the hospital and ask for him directly. But odds are,he wont be able to talk on the phone.

I dont really think it is a HIppa thing in the fact that, we were his nurses, and we really medically are wondering, what they did/doing for him--it would be a learning thing.

FYI I did transfere a pt out of state about a month ago and we got a follow up phone call 12 hours after admission from the facility giving us an update and then a 2nd follow up call 48 hours after. It was very proessional and a good way to keep lines of communication open. As really you never know what you may think of after they leave and you would want to pass on.

I know this has kind of turned into a rant, but really I would like to know what is going on with my former pt,. but dont think legally I can just call the facility and ask.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Home Health.

Yes, I have experienced that with a few patients, especially the ones we took care of for a long time. I have called and inquired about a patient before. Im not sure if HIPPA is violated, but sometimes there are those who really touch your heart. Ive never had a facility refuse to let me know how a patient is doing. But if they did, I wouldnt get upset about it. I think your concern says alot about your character.

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Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.

One of the really fun things about being an agency nurse is that I have seen the same patients in different facilities. Once I had taken care of a very grouchy patient in an inpatient setting. About a month after he had been discharged I saw him at another facility. He was still alive and kicking and appeared grumpy as ever!

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Specializes in ICU, telemetry, LTAC.

I ask my director about the interesting ones. If she doesn't already know the answer, she'll find out for me and make it an education thing.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

I had this one little old lady, she had had a ton of complications from a bowel resection, including a resp code after surgery due to strictures, leading to an emergency trache. She ended up with a long hospitalization, complicated by a MRSA infection, near codes due to copious secretions, then transfer to a big hospital for more advanced care.

She was in her late 80's, had been very spry, heavily involved in the skiing community all her life. I figured she was a goner when I transfered her.

'Bout 6 months later I ran into her and her helper at the store. She was doing amazingly well, they were doing some power shopping, she still had that fiesty twinkle in her eye.

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Specializes in ICU.

i often wonder too - some i have visited, on other floors to see their progress.

we have a few frequent flyers on our floor, that we develop a close bond with, and some of them even request our floor when they are admitted again, i think it's only natural to wonder if they're ok after taking care of them for so long.

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Specializes in RN- Med/surg.

The point of this thread is talking about how we actually DO care about our patients..and wonder how they are later.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

There are many that I have wondered about. There is an HIV positive patient who was in the middle of a sex transformation. The last procedure that was needed was the alteration of the male genitalia. She was a pistol and drop dead gorgeous! Very animated, sense of humor to beat the band, would give make up tips that actually worked. She also knew my mother before she died and actually, that is how I met her. One of the nurses from the Immunology Clinic brought me over to meet this patient, because she had a close relationship with my mother. The moment we were introduced, she hugged me and cried because she thought I looked just like my mom.

The last I heard, she was in prison for solicitation. I was saddened to hear it, but was not surprized. She did have a sordid life, but I loved her dearly and wish her well.

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

I often wonder "what ever happened"....

It happened to me once again tonight. I'd been taking care of a wonderful LOL for the past two days and she got transferred to another floor before I arrived for my shift. I had been looking forward to taking care of her, as she was having a really hard time of things, but had been handling it all with such grace and dignity. One of those people that you really want to go all out for.

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Specializes in neuro, ICU/CCU, tropical medicine.
I'm sorry you didnt have a good experience..but comming here to make an issue of it isn't fair either. You're one person...and I dont know your situation- or what your nurse was dealing with at the time.

It's usually those people with a single post who are here with an issue with nurses.

Sorry buddy, I worked my @$$ off yesterday, sat down for maybe 20 minutes of a 12 hours shift, and came home with a killer back ache.

Give me a break!

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