Listen to the patient!

Posts: 3 · Joined: 20 Apr 2008 Posts: 3 Location: Michigan

I am an RN on the other side of the fence! My father recently had a 12 hour surgery which left him in ICU for 5 days and then on a step down unit for a week. He is 73, and this was his 4th surgery for the same reason. 4 years ago, he had a AAA repair. All went well till last June when he had excruciating pain in his legs and was rushed in for surgery to remove clots from the graph site. This happened again in July. In December when it happened again the surgeon did a Fem-Fem bypass. We thought the problem was solved until April when he experienced the same symptoms. After each surgery he has become weaker and has less strength in his legs. This last 12 hour surgery has left him unable to bear any weight on his legs. When he was moved to the step-down unit, PT came in to eval and treat. They reported that he is only to ambulate with them and needed to be mechanically lifted to the chair etc. The next day when I was visiting, he wanted to get back into bed. I asked the PCAs to get help but was told, they were informed that he now could be assisted to bed with 2 since PT stated that he was doing "better" (they did not know that BETTER meant he went from sitting at the EOB one day to standing with a walker and two assist for only 10 seconds the next!!!). I debated with them stating that he could not bear any weight, and he would be a direct lift. They continued to argue with me and my father. I left the room to find the RN and upon returning I heard my Dad gasp and moan from behind the curtain, I entered just as they were dropping him! I had to grab his legs and we direct lifted him to the bed. Of course I immediately went to their manager and complained. I was assured this would not happen again. Well, it did. TWICE! I am furious! My father pleaded with them every time. Luckily he was not injured physically. Mentally however, he was devastated. Take a proud 210 lb man who walked into the hospital taking care of himself and knock him down with surgery and the reckoning that he may not walk again and then have nurses and PCA's tell him "your just not trying!" "You don't want to get better!" I have never been so furious in my life! To make matters worse...I work in this hospital and know all of these people...and when they realized the were wrong...not one of them apologized to my father! Aren't we there for the patients? Aren't we suppose to listen to them? Evil or Very Mad

Posts: 6 · Joined: 24 Mar 2008 Posts: 6 Location: WI

I have worked with these kinds of people. It's nurses with good intentions and pct's that don't want to get out the lift. Advcate for your Dad! I have worked with a nurse that tells pt's "your not even trying. you won't be able to go home if you don't try" Recently said this to a person having pain with standing come to find out the pt had bil DVT's. She has the best intentions She wants to motivate but does it in a negative way. It is highly unprofessional and not very encouraging to the pt. With your complaint you hopefully opened managements eyes to this nurse; team, behavior. What else can you do? Can you stay at the hospital 24/7? You shouldn't have to. Hopefully management talks to this nurse and her team. Can you change the world? maybe not but you get the starfish award because you were looking out for your Dad.

Posts: 4 · Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 4 Location: stobhill hospital

Ur right that you can't be there all of the time and you were right to highlight this issue to the management. Perhaps as nurses we should be educated on how to motivate people in positive benificail ways instead of negative moaning.

Posts: 13 · Joined: 21 Jul 2008 Posts: 13 Location: Devon UK

I agree with you guys, this kind of attitude is more likely to be counterproductive with most patients; Although some might respond to it, there's nothing positive about making a patient feel belittled or like they've failed, or, worse, pushing them to the extent that they end up hurting themselves!
It strikes me as a very old fashioned "stiff upper lip" kind of attitude, & I wonder whether to an extent it's a "generational thing". Dunno, has anyone else noticed if this approach is more common amongst those who've been in the profession for many years?