The Nurses Side of the Bed
So many times I've heard how someone's hospital care was horrible. How they had to wait forever for help to the bathroom, for a pain pill, for a simple glass of water when they were parched. There are of course plenty of nurses out there who could care less about their patients but plenty for getting all their breaks in and then some.
I know. I've worked with them.
I have to say though, that the majority really and truly care about their patients. No really! So if the majority of nurses are great, caring people, why are the complaints so prevelant? Put yourself in a pair of fairly expensive white shoes. Keds. Softspot. Hush Puppies maybe. Stand in a long hallway with say 20 rooms. Fill 8 of them with patients, people who are relying on you to take care of all their needs because they feel so sick they are beginning to think hospital jello sounds like something they might want to eat. Before you can see them all to put a name with a face, you will be receiving a new patient just out of surgery.
An interjection here. People do not die in surgery. They may be wheeled out of the surgical room surrounded by doctors and nurses performing CPR, but they do not die in surgery.
So you never know what situation your surgical patient will be in. It'd be a pretty good idea to check 'em out and make sure they're going to continue to breath for you. Unfortunately, Room 1A has got to pee and pee bad. She's been holding it all through the shift change and she's gotta go. Ok. Full bladder looses out to need to breath. It's bad you know but you've no choice. You can't be in two places at once. 20 minutes max, then you'll get to her. 2B had asked for an extra blanket but he was really nice and seemed fairly content. He'll understand.
But then, wouldn't you know. 15 minutes into settling your surgical patient and 3B, who's been fighting pain all night, pages you for pain medicine. Pain is a 10 on a 0 to 10 scale. Family members are waiting outside your surgical patient's door, distressed at the unbearable pain their mom is suffering. Another 15 minutes. Hold in there 1A. As soon as I can....I promise. 3B gets her pain medicine. You really want to hold her hand, walk her through some relaxation exercises, let her know she's not alone and that you care. But..... Gotta rush to 1A. Poor lady, she's been holding it for an hour. She's not a happy camper. She's sick and moves slow. It takes 20 minutes to help her to the bathroom and get her settled back in bed. Then back to 3B to make sure the pain medicine helped.
By now it's been almost an hour and your surgery patient needs to be seen. Post surgery is a critical time. Hope your white shoes are holding up cause you haven't stopped moving. You HAVE to chart everything that's happened. Documentation is the only thing to protect you in court and you need to let others know what's been going on. But wait a second, you haven't even seen all your patients yet! You were interrupted by the surgery patient.
Synopsis of the day: One patient fills out a patient survey complaining that no one came to help her to the bathroom for AN HOUR. One patient struggles continuously with pain. Half the patients didn't even lay eyes on their nurse for over half the morning. 2B never did get his blanket cause you forgot. And the one patient who did get the best care was just out of surgery and slept through all of it.
This is of course fairly simplified but does dipict the struggles of nurses. Even the ones who really care. And the patients with complaints have reason to complain. But without more nurses to meet the patients needs and without more aids to take on needs that don't require the nurse's specialized education, patients will continue to be put on the nurses list of priority needs. Meanwhile the nurse goes home, burnt out, feet sore, having done her best but knowing her patients suffered under her care that day.
I know. I've worked with them.
I have to say though, that the majority really and truly care about their patients. No really! So if the majority of nurses are great, caring people, why are the complaints so prevelant? Put yourself in a pair of fairly expensive white shoes. Keds. Softspot. Hush Puppies maybe. Stand in a long hallway with say 20 rooms. Fill 8 of them with patients, people who are relying on you to take care of all their needs because they feel so sick they are beginning to think hospital jello sounds like something they might want to eat. Before you can see them all to put a name with a face, you will be receiving a new patient just out of surgery.
An interjection here. People do not die in surgery. They may be wheeled out of the surgical room surrounded by doctors and nurses performing CPR, but they do not die in surgery.
So you never know what situation your surgical patient will be in. It'd be a pretty good idea to check 'em out and make sure they're going to continue to breath for you. Unfortunately, Room 1A has got to pee and pee bad. She's been holding it all through the shift change and she's gotta go. Ok. Full bladder looses out to need to breath. It's bad you know but you've no choice. You can't be in two places at once. 20 minutes max, then you'll get to her. 2B had asked for an extra blanket but he was really nice and seemed fairly content. He'll understand.
But then, wouldn't you know. 15 minutes into settling your surgical patient and 3B, who's been fighting pain all night, pages you for pain medicine. Pain is a 10 on a 0 to 10 scale. Family members are waiting outside your surgical patient's door, distressed at the unbearable pain their mom is suffering. Another 15 minutes. Hold in there 1A. As soon as I can....I promise. 3B gets her pain medicine. You really want to hold her hand, walk her through some relaxation exercises, let her know she's not alone and that you care. But..... Gotta rush to 1A. Poor lady, she's been holding it for an hour. She's not a happy camper. She's sick and moves slow. It takes 20 minutes to help her to the bathroom and get her settled back in bed. Then back to 3B to make sure the pain medicine helped.
By now it's been almost an hour and your surgery patient needs to be seen. Post surgery is a critical time. Hope your white shoes are holding up cause you haven't stopped moving. You HAVE to chart everything that's happened. Documentation is the only thing to protect you in court and you need to let others know what's been going on. But wait a second, you haven't even seen all your patients yet! You were interrupted by the surgery patient.
Synopsis of the day: One patient fills out a patient survey complaining that no one came to help her to the bathroom for AN HOUR. One patient struggles continuously with pain. Half the patients didn't even lay eyes on their nurse for over half the morning. 2B never did get his blanket cause you forgot. And the one patient who did get the best care was just out of surgery and slept through all of it.
This is of course fairly simplified but does dipict the struggles of nurses. Even the ones who really care. And the patients with complaints have reason to complain. But without more nurses to meet the patients needs and without more aids to take on needs that don't require the nurse's specialized education, patients will continue to be put on the nurses list of priority needs. Meanwhile the nurse goes home, burnt out, feet sore, having done her best but knowing her patients suffered under her care that day.
posted by SonSon at 9:46 PM
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