Just a diatribe.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Lake Luzerne
Posts: 1,786
Just a diatribe.
Work has been insanely busy. Our sensus has been an endless line of little babies with respitory issues, this gastro bug that won't of away and behavioral health teenagers. Since about last May we have been jammed. It is very upsetting when I am out in a position to defend my nursing because of one drunk grandmothers stinging letter. Here's what happened. Whenever we have a pediatric patient in ICU, an RN has to go over and do a pediatric specific assessment every shift. When the patient is stable, they get transferred to the pedatric unit.
This 15 year old drank some zimas and took a fist full of her psych meds after learning her father was sentenced to 4 years hard time, her third attempt. Her grandmother has custody of her and her sister. Her sister also has a long psych history.
I was doing the assessment and getting along very nicely with the grandma who was at the bedside. The Doc came in and said, I do not know what we will discover when and IF she wakes up. There could be permanent brain damage.
Grandma said that her grandaughter was very upset, grandma left her at home to go and play in her pool league at the bar. The girl got into her meds and ODed.
I got the call later at around 7pm that this girl had awoken and was being transferred over. Fine. Good.
They arrived and I was explaining that as she was medically stable now the focus of care was to keep her safe until her psychiatrist determined the course of care which was probably going to be placement in a psych facility.
The girl was downright hostile and grandma turned into a loud sarcastic idiot.
Behavioral health kids are not allowed phones, all cords and potential weapons are removed, they may not have visits from friends, only parents or guardians. They have a sitter 24/7.
Grandma said that she wanted this girl in a particular facility. Grandma had just been discharged from a court ordered detox and rehab for adults only.
She either had a few dirnks or wanted one badly. She was yelling at me, called me a bitch, told me I was an idiot. She told me how it was going to be. I just said, well, I will turn your grandaughters care over to another nurse.
Grandma looked like one of those old bar bats with a big mouth, what's the saying rode hard and out away wet? She was crass and had this haggy voice. I told her I understood she was upset but I could hear her all the way out at the desk, She said "good bitch!, you were meant to hear it, I hope everyone hear it!!!"
She went home and wrote a stinging letter stating what a bitch I was, how I had spun her grandaughter up and had a real attitude. It went on and on.
You know, I'm defending myself to a drunk...again.
I know the hospital has a responsibility to follow up on these letters but the complaint goes into my file.
My boss has a "the customer is always right" attitude.
I woke up this morning thinking, this is nothing short of professional slander and frankly, I'm getting sick of it.
Too much of my job lately requires me to explain myself to drunk parents, parents doing hard time, parents who don't work and keep having kids.....
We just had a mother who was 18. Unmarried and has three kids. She left her 4 month old baby and we never saw her the whole time. We bathed this baby and fed this baby and mom called at 3am to see how she was doing.
We had a toddler who had a strange rash. When asked if they had any new pets, they said no we don't have pets.....well they do have a python that we cage in the babies room......
I mean really, is it me?
I guess that's it for now, thanks for the vent.
This 15 year old drank some zimas and took a fist full of her psych meds after learning her father was sentenced to 4 years hard time, her third attempt. Her grandmother has custody of her and her sister. Her sister also has a long psych history.
I was doing the assessment and getting along very nicely with the grandma who was at the bedside. The Doc came in and said, I do not know what we will discover when and IF she wakes up. There could be permanent brain damage.
Grandma said that her grandaughter was very upset, grandma left her at home to go and play in her pool league at the bar. The girl got into her meds and ODed.
I got the call later at around 7pm that this girl had awoken and was being transferred over. Fine. Good.
They arrived and I was explaining that as she was medically stable now the focus of care was to keep her safe until her psychiatrist determined the course of care which was probably going to be placement in a psych facility.
The girl was downright hostile and grandma turned into a loud sarcastic idiot.
Behavioral health kids are not allowed phones, all cords and potential weapons are removed, they may not have visits from friends, only parents or guardians. They have a sitter 24/7.
Grandma said that she wanted this girl in a particular facility. Grandma had just been discharged from a court ordered detox and rehab for adults only.
She either had a few dirnks or wanted one badly. She was yelling at me, called me a bitch, told me I was an idiot. She told me how it was going to be. I just said, well, I will turn your grandaughters care over to another nurse.
Grandma looked like one of those old bar bats with a big mouth, what's the saying rode hard and out away wet? She was crass and had this haggy voice. I told her I understood she was upset but I could hear her all the way out at the desk, She said "good bitch!, you were meant to hear it, I hope everyone hear it!!!"
She went home and wrote a stinging letter stating what a bitch I was, how I had spun her grandaughter up and had a real attitude. It went on and on.
You know, I'm defending myself to a drunk...again.
I know the hospital has a responsibility to follow up on these letters but the complaint goes into my file.
My boss has a "the customer is always right" attitude.
I woke up this morning thinking, this is nothing short of professional slander and frankly, I'm getting sick of it.
Too much of my job lately requires me to explain myself to drunk parents, parents doing hard time, parents who don't work and keep having kids.....
We just had a mother who was 18. Unmarried and has three kids. She left her 4 month old baby and we never saw her the whole time. We bathed this baby and fed this baby and mom called at 3am to see how she was doing.
We had a toddler who had a strange rash. When asked if they had any new pets, they said no we don't have pets.....well they do have a python that we cage in the babies room......
I mean really, is it me?
I guess that's it for now, thanks for the vent.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: southern indiana
Posts: 2,145
hi mallow....geeezzzz, i'm sorry there are so many idiots out there. when one is in the health care profession, they are in an extremely vulnerable position when dealing with people who have all levels of intelligance and social status. unfortunately, seeing how this grandma behaved, is probably what goes on at home all the time. her granddaughter continues the drama that she has learned at home.
your work evaluations, peer interactions, and professionislm will stand on it's own, i am sure, and the follow up on this incident will be resolved favorably for you. some people just make stinks all the time....she is probably one of them.
i kinda understand how it makes you feel....i work in the lodging industry, and i had a guest that was extremely difficult. she was given a full refund and i found lodging for her elswhere, all the time being very courteous to the little monster.....well, she went on the internet and wrote horrible things about my facility....all over the damn place. but out of 25 years of service, this was the only negative feedback....all the other feedbacks were glowing.
but, it's there....right on the internet for all to see without any chance for me to have it removed. i let it go, and let all the good feedback speak for itself.
love to you
your work evaluations, peer interactions, and professionislm will stand on it's own, i am sure, and the follow up on this incident will be resolved favorably for you. some people just make stinks all the time....she is probably one of them.
i kinda understand how it makes you feel....i work in the lodging industry, and i had a guest that was extremely difficult. she was given a full refund and i found lodging for her elswhere, all the time being very courteous to the little monster.....well, she went on the internet and wrote horrible things about my facility....all over the damn place. but out of 25 years of service, this was the only negative feedback....all the other feedbacks were glowing.
but, it's there....right on the internet for all to see without any chance for me to have it removed. i let it go, and let all the good feedback speak for itself.
love to you
I'm no angel!
Join Date: May 2005
Location: tampa, fl
Posts: 6,728
Vent away, people like you who work in the health care field deserve a special medal of honor. I know I could never do your job, I'd been fired after the 1st week.
I know that everything will be ok, one bad apple doesn't spoil the pie.
Hugs,
Dolly
I know that everything will be ok, one bad apple doesn't spoil the pie.
Hugs,
Dolly
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