Gerry and - NH stuff

[Guest guest]

Hello Ladies-

Thank you for writing. It can be so maddening when

a few of the people make life at a NH a living hell.

Unfortunately where my dad was there were several.

There was a smaller handful of staff that actually

cared for the residents and not the money. I remember

asking one man (which we realized we had went to

school together years ago) why he was in the

profession. I asked if he had had a family member

that needed long term care and his response was...

" No, No, I am recently divorced and need the money! "

Needless to say he is one of the 2 staff members that

put in for an " involuntary discharge " for my dad as

well. There are many stories to tell but I am thankful

I was available to be by my dad's side and I had

many talks with many higher staff members. My

dad regained his honor and dignity when he was

" involuntarily discharged " and sent to the psychiatric

unit. He was treated like a human being by all the

staff. I was most impressed. After dad passed away

I took in a plant and some Hershey's Hugs for all

the staff to know I was hugging them with my heart.

Oh the memories...

Sandie

Des Moines, IA

dad, Merle, passed from LBD 9-20-02, age 65

-- Re: Jan - NH stuff and Sandie

I agree, the bulk of the staff where my mother lives is wonderful.

And I show them by my random gifts to the staff (they just received

cherries from Harry & yesterday) and extra " Thank Yous " and

praise for what they do here & there. However, there are a couple of

staff members who are not meant to be there -- and I watch them like

a hawk. I watch them with all patients not just my mom -- but they

better not come near my mom. One I witnessed was really rude to a

patient verbally and she might have pinched her (not sure there) but

she's on my list. The other was on the other floor -- the one whose

answer to my request that mom be brought to the bathroom was, " She's

wearing a diaper. " Luckily she can't come near my mom anymore...

(lucky for her that is)

>

> Sandie and Jan-

> I hate to get on nurses, since I am one myself. The vast majority

are great nurses, who want to give safe and wonderful care to their

pts. Most work their butts off.

> My story is simillar. After my Dad's head trauma and before we

ever knew he had LBD, I was called sometime after midnight by Dad's

nurse to come sit with him as he was restless. When I arrived at the

nurses station, I was told Dad was sitting across the way in his

wheelchair. I walked over. It was not my Dad. I couldn't find

him. I told the nurse, that's not my Dad. She said yes it is. I

said no it isn't. She went and got the patient and brought him to

me. I still had to argue it was not my Father. I then proceeded

into Dad's room. He was sound asleep. The roomate's bed was

emptied. I was called from home on my one night off to sit with his

roomate. If I made such an error, I would have died a million

deaths. Not this nurse! She snickered at her blunder.

> Another incident, same hospitalization, I informed the admitting

nurses NO Morphine. Again, I did not know Dad had LBD, but with a

previous hospitalization he was comatose for days after getting

Morphine. I discovered Dad was medicated with Morphine. I was

livid. I spoke with the nurse who gave it. She was it was ordered

for pain. I said where is his pain. She did not know where, as he

did ot have any. She just wanted a quiet shift. Dad was out of it

for exactly one week.

> The evaulation that I filled after Dad's discharge was very

colorful. However, praise was given where deserved. I am extremely

proud of my hosptial, which also ranks tops in the nation, but these

2 nurses could have easily ruin it reputation for high standards and

most important harm patients.

> Whenever Dad was admitted and there were numerous occaions, we

absolutely refused to allow him to be admitted to this floor.

> BTW., the floor is now an adolescent unit where my Grandaughter was

a few months ago after her car accident. The care was great. It is

really sad how a few irresponsible and lazy nurses can pull the floor

down and make it so difficult for the patients and families as well.

> Sorry to on for so long, but this is a sore spot when nurses make

my profession look bad.

> Sincerely,

> Gerry

> Wilmington, De.

> Daughter and caregiver of Dick Deverell, who died on 9/11/05 after

a more than 4 yr. battle with LBD.

>

>

>

>

> More Nursing Home Experiences and being

an Advocate

>

> Hi,

> I decided since my life at home with Jim has now

> switched to the nursing home, I will give my accounts

> of my experiences there if it could help anyone else

> in the same situations.

> I have said that when I have a complaint I also tell

> the coworkers as well as the head nurse and the

> administrative nurse, but I get the best results when

> I tell coworkers and the director.

> Today, it all confirmed what I have been saying about

> tell the coworkers to get results.

> Today, when I entered in to visit Jim again I noticed

> him not in his own clothes. I really put up a stink

> this time and people ran to find who put the clothes

> on Jim. This is now 2 1/2 months of complaining and I

> am no longer the cool and patient Jan.

> I have worked for several years with special needs

> kids and know that the parent's word is honored and

> that no one is above that word, because they know what

> is best for their LO and doctors and nurses and all

> staff working with those kids will work together to

> make sure that the request is met. And the same should

> go for a spouse. If I request that my husband be in

> his clothes, then that request should be honored. But

> that wasn't the end of my day of complaining. When I

> walked in Jim was back to being sedated again for an

> entire day and I really hit the ceiling. I asked the

> head nurse in charge of the floor at that shift why my

> husband was sedated and he said that the doctor

> ordered Jim to have 75mg of Seroquel. Now, I knew at

> night this was ordered, but not in the day. Jim is out

> for an entire day when given that much Seroquel.

> I asked for the doctor's number, since it is a doctor

> that makes the rounds at the nh and I have never met

> the doctor and thought that maybe the doctor did not

> know of the effect that Seroquel has on my husband,

> since he is highly sensitive to neuroleptics; as LBD

> is. Jim can tolerate Seroquel, but that is a lot for

> him. 25 mg knocks him out for about 4 hours, so 75 mg

> is an entire day. The head nurse said he could not

> give me the doctor's number, but would fax the doctor

> to lower the dosage on my request. I demanded to have

> the doctor's number. I have never heard of keeping a

> spouse from speaking to a doctor. I stuck by my guns

> and told him he was wrong and that I had the right to

> speak to my husband's doctor, because the doctor may

> not know about LBD. This nurse argued with me then

> finally said, I have to speak to my superior, who then

> told him to give me the number, so I contacted the

> doctor and left a message for the doctor.

> I also again told the coworkers about my upset with

> seeing my husband sedated all day. Thank goodness I

> did, because one alert nurse took out my husband's

> chart and found that the head nurse in charge that day

> in the morning, misread the doctor's orders for the

> last 3 days giving my husband 75 mg of Seroquel at

> 9AM, when it is only ordered to be given at 9PM. So

> you see how important to let all nurses know. Now, I

> know it was the fault of the nurse in charge that

> morning, the one that gave me a hard time about

> speaking to the doctor. Well, that is not all. The

> doctor faxed the nurses back to give Jim 25mg in the

> morning instead, which meant that the doctor never

> turned to the medical charts to see that she had

> ordered only in the evening for it to be given. So the

> doctor is wrong in saying to give Jim 25 mg Seroquel

> in the day, but because of this one nurse everything

> got confused. The one alert nurse faxed the doctor to

> point out the error and everything should be cleared

> again. But see, not even the doctor knows what the

> right hand is doing from the left hand.

> Well, this one nurse that caused all this confusion

> got me so upset, I also spoke to the administrative

> nurse to complain about the overdose of medication and

> that nurse said she was going to call in the

> psychologist to meet with the doctor in the event the

> doctor was not aware of LBD and asked me to call the

> social worker at the nh on Monday to alert

> her to the psychologist and doctor meeting.

> Now, really none of this has to take place at all,

> since it was a mistake in the time of the medication

> given and the doctor should have been aware of that,

> but wasn't.

> If the nurses are making mistakes in reading the

> correct time that medication should be given, this

> could be disasterous for someone else that is being

> overdosed with medication, that could be fatal. This

> is not good, and I hope that when this nurse that

> confused the medication time comes back to find it was

> his error will learn from this mistake.

> Anyway, be aware of what is happening to your LO and

> why. Never be afraid to ask questions. You know your

> LO better than anyone and you are their advocate to

> speak up for them.

> Take care everyone. Jan

>

> __________________________________________________

>