HelloI am going to remain anonymous for many reasons but hopefully we can all share some common stories on the following topic. Having CF for many years being in and out of hospitals I have met some great hospital people. There are those rare occasions that we get stuck with a "Respiratory Terrorist" or a "Nurse from hell" and we do not know what to do. Have you had an experience where you were afraid to report an incident like a RT did not follow proper protocol or said something to hurt you on purpose? What do you do what is your story and what was the outcome. There is no need to mention a hospital or a persons name just telling the story will help us vent and allow feedback into our situation. I will tell my story later on as my honey just walked in the door.
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Medical Personal who fail to Follow Protocols
- Thread starter anonymous
- Start date
Sorry to have ended my note. Here I am againI do believe all of my friends with CF have had some difficult situations that have happened to them at one time or another. I had a nurse come into my home and she had a difficult time sticking me for an IV and finally she decided that if the one vein blew that she would use the same needle and stick the same needle on my other arm. Thankfully I knew better and told her off and told her she better leave. I reported her but I doubt that I spoke to the right person.I do believe that some medical personal get burned out and forget they are taking care of humans and they just do what they want.I have some other crazy stories but frankly I am too embarassed to even say them anonymously. Just be careful and do not be afraid to talk to your doctors if someone who is caring for you steps out of line. I do not mean being nasty (which is bad ) I mean threatening your health by using unsafe protocol technique. To all of you who have never had a problem you are truly blessedl.Do not be afraid to ask the nurses and therapist to wash up. That is easy to do and if they are bothered oh well. Too bad. One thing that I do when I see someone who looks stressed out I say You seem to really like your job. Well that will turn them around pretty fast. Reverse psychology. Works like a charm.
on my last admission i had a nurse spill iv meds on the floor and wipe it up w/ a paper towel. Then went to hook up my picc line w/out washing her hands or changing gloves! I told her if she didnt wash her hands and change her gloves she couldnt touch me. years ago, i had a nurse who would hook up my meds to my picc w/ out gloves and she had acrylic nails and never washed her hands. i spoke to the charge nurse and they put a sign on my chart and my door to wash hands. its scary though, because if you have a small child who cant speak up or doesnt know any better...you never know what could happen. For the most part, the hospital staff is superb, but you do really have to watch out for yourself!!
NoDayButToday
New member
My first negative hospital memory is from when I was 5 years old. My mom, roommate and I were watching a movie as I was infusing. I must have been very engrossed in the movie because when the IV pump beeped and the dose was done, my arm was as huge as a grapefruit. The IV had infiltrated and the entire dose had pumped instead into my muscle. My mom and I were terrifired, but my older, wiser roommate knew what was happening. However, when we beeped the nurse, she said she'd be there in a minute. 40 minutes later, and after a heated argument between my mom and the nurse in the hall (also my roommate trying to go into the hall and tripping over her OWN IV tubing), the nurse sauntered in and told us "You need to calm down. It isn't a big deal". Looking back on it, saying that was outrageous- #1: because I was 5 years old, and it was kind of hurting at this point and #2: I'm sure that there is some sort of risk for infection or otherwise when an IV infiltrates. It was overall, a very horrible night. That's the story that stands out most in my mind, but I could post quite a few others.
yes. i sued the hospital and i won after 3 years. i had a picc line snap off on removal as some of you may know. we all knew the damn thing wasnt going to budge but no this male nurse had to act all tough and high and mighty. he yanked at it so hard it snapped. i yelled out stop. i said something bads going to happen. my mum said get a doctor. every order was ignored. if the nurse stopped and got a doctor i probably wouldnt of had to go through the ordeal. we filed a complaint and we were ignored. we kept bugging them for answers and after a year of the hospital chiefs sitting on their fat a**es they gave us a really unsympathetic sorry. they also 'conveniently' lost the snapped picc line sample which was to be sent off to the line manufacturers to be tested for faults. unsatisfied at how they treated us we took legal action. after 3 years of them stuffing us around and their hotshot lawyers telling lies about me, we finally won. their lawyers said that i was fine about what had happened and that i was not upset when it happened. load of bull, i screamed non stop for 4 hours and was offered sedatives every 2 seconds. they have now changed the picc line removal protocol. unfortunately i cant have picc lines anymore and i get very nervous about the removal of any kind of cannula. i alkso have 4 big scars on my arms that looks like ive been shooting up on heroin or something.if something happens in hospital that you dont like, report it and dont let it be ignored! otherwise things will never change and it will happen to someone else.
I had a RT for a while who came to my home and we got along nicely. He once confided in me that he did not like a patient in the hospital one time so he decided to make him sick. Not a CF hopefully. He gave him a sick person inhalation mask. When I heard this I made believe it was no big deal as I realized this RT was either trying to scare me or he was seriously mentally ill. I fired him a few weeks later. IT was too bad as he was pretty good at what he did. Always be aware of your surroundings and do not be afraid to speak up. There is no need for explanations to others how you feel. IT is wise to state your feelings calmly and assertively. People are intimidated this wayOne time when I was in the hospital I noticed that the RT was taking ventolin and putting an unopened bottle into my nebulizer cup. I asked if that is the same bottle of ventolin that goes from room to room. He said yes, I said what happens one fine day when you miss and touch part of the nebulizer cup and then transfer unknowingly GERMS to my cup from a sick patients neb. He did say I was right and then I asked him to get me a brand new ventolin and I kept it in my room and then I wrote to the adminstration and from now on in they give each patient their own ventolin. GEEZ you would think hopsitals could afford an extra medication here and there. IT is sickening how some hospitals work.
I am sorry that you had to go through this kybert. Wow I am glad that you won your case. Do you go to the same hospital?Nurses and RT's should be scared of patients who speak up. We have our rights and there should be more laws in hospitals where either cameras are placed in rooms or a nurse or RT wears a monitor where they can speak into it and the patients can be heard as well. Sounds like big brother is watching over you but look at the security we have in airports. This is still a mild comparison but if there are no steps taking in hospitals there will be something major one day to warrant a new system.More patients need not be like sheep and not be afraid of speaking up.
Wow great subjectI once had a nurse give me medication and she filled up the syringe left it uncapped over the edge of the table then went about her business and then when she got all her other things lined up she gave me the lidocaine before she put in the line. I could not believe her technique. I watched the whole time and the needle did not touch anything but what she did was wrong and I finally got the courage to report her. I did not see her again in the hospital.Why do these medical staff think they can get away with things. They are taught a certain way to do things but they never want to comply.From now on I am going to tell them that I work for the news station or I am a reporter for a living. That will scare them. I said that one time to a dentist hygenist when I felt she had an attitude. I also mention that I write health stories for a living I am going to keep this up as I find this will keep them on their toes.... if they have anyPatients need to speak up and we have rights if doctors want us to keep coming back they need to open and listen to us and believe us. Why would we make up stories for what. We are people who need medical attention.
I forgot to mention that the head nurse or the head RT of the dept should come talk to every patient to make sure they were treated fairly. To assume that their dept has the finest workers is one thing but to keep the lines of communication open is another. The more people that speak up the more that things will change. I know we have patients rights but for some reason I feel these rights get pushed under a blanket somewhere.If there was not a shortage in nursing and therapists that maybe there would not be so many problems that we have today.
Just thought of an excellent idea that I will start to use. I will bring my tiny digital camera with me and next time something is placed down incorrectly that will be all the evidence that a hospital will need. I will keep the memory chip but if the hospital does not take action then I can send the film to the corporation that runs the hospital but I am sure the hospital would be happy to have a copy of the picture this way if the employee tries to sue the hospital they will not win.let us all carry our cameras
I do believe that most medical staff like nurses and RT will never think that a patient would complain so they do and say what they want. I once had a nurse say to me after I was complaining about being stuck so much she said I am going to put a sock in your mouth. I said to her if I do not express I depress and she looked at me like I should not have said anything uh oh. That shut her up for good and she stayed away from me.Sometimes talk is cheap but in these cases a short answer can scare someone. I say if you cannot be nice then do not work in the medical fieldIT is funny how when we go to a restaurant and the service is bad we may get a free meal if we speak up or if there is something bad with the food etc.. there is always an accomodation but when you go to the hospital is not easy to prove things and sometimes I feel guilty complaining because I do not want to look like that bad one.I like to establish a relationship with the team so if I do have to complain once every ten years then they take me seriously. any suggestions?
Yeah, after I spoke up about my nurses fake nails the hospital made a policy that the staff could no longer have fake nails or long nails. I read a study in a medical journal about babies in the nicu dying because of a bacteria that they were all getting. They finally cultured everyone and realized it was being passed from infant to infant via nurses fake nails!!
I heard this true a few years ago and it is kind or gross that the medical community has to prove something that is true through studies rather by a potential theory. IF they know that if you do not wash your hands you can pass all kinds of stuff. If there a brush on every sink for nails that might help. Then agin brushes that sit collect bacteria too. All people should have trimmed nails who work in the medical field.Sometimes I just pray when I cannot speak up. I hope for the best. Maybe I should bring a small whip with me<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0"> and spank their bottom
no i never went back to the hospital after that. it was the childrens hospital so i moved straight on to the adult hospital without any meetings or special appoinments. i literately ran haha. i hear you all about fake nails. although i havent yet seen a nurse with acrylics i have had a blood taker try and take blood with nails that had 1 cm overhang. she could not find the one and only vein that works and accused me of not having any veins. a family friend also had blood taken from her and she ended up making a complaint about the nails, bad bedside manner and all. acrylic nails can carry ALOT of bacteria, more than just natural long nails. when they chip or split bacteria gets in between the fake part and the nail bed. a fungal infection is usually the end result. scrubbing is pointless. im a trained beauty therapist and when i was training and working we were never allowed to have long nails of any sort. so that kinda says something when the nail tech themselves cant have acrylics!that guy who purposely made his patient sick has creeped me out. im never letting any medical personnel go near me again!
Hello all- I just wanted to write as a Healthcare worker. I am a Medical Assistant by training and do Phlebotomy as well. (Draw Blood) First and foremost, I'm appalled by some of the things that I have seen the healthcare field. From not washing hands, not gloving, wearing nails to unsafe, non-sterile technique. Unfortunately I have to agree; It's all true. Every last one. I myself have one philosophy about how I work, and that is to treat my patients as I would want to be treated. I know it sounds corny, the "Golden Rule" But I've seen so many poor examples of healthcare that is one of the reasons I become a healthcare professional. To make a difference. I am one person, but I hope that in some small way my being there for someone helps. If it helps, I have reported some of my own co-workers in the past and present. (I have worked as a temp so I have been in alot of clinics and alot of hospitals and I have seen things that I agree with and things I have not. I have walked out of some places because of safety or poor patient care that I strongly disagree with) I think it is IMPORTANT that ANYTHING that seems or feels wrong should be reported. by the way OSHA Standards Occupational, Safety, Hazardous Association or something like that(sorry can't remember exactly) has VERY SPECIFIC rules on each occupation and the Medical field has many..... If you have any questions look it up. I know there are things there that not many people are aware of. For example: Acrylic nails, long or unmanaged nails are absolutely against OSHA. and by safety commissions and Hospital regulations, sharps containers should be in safe places not more than 3/4 full and needles are NEVER to be recapped, reused or handled in unsafe practices. There is a list of things that I could go on.... The things that stuck out in my mind on this posting... I know this may or may not help, but I think any job worth doing should be done to the best of your ability. And as a person I try to remember that everyone has their good days and their bad days. I know that is not an excuse, but even when we mess up we should take responsibility and not say "it's not a big deal" because we are each individual and have a right to be treated in a manner that is appropriate. The RT thing scares me, it seems so childish, but I can imagine it. Like when you give a waiter a hard time, they spit in your food or ignore you. It's a pathetic world we live in sometimes. I know that when my Fiance' had his port put in, the IV nurse made a bad shot on his upper arm and missed and then proceeded to fiddle finding a vein in his opposite arm. My fiance' was so patient through it, but I was appalled and I could tell it was hard on him and he didn't say anything. When the nurse left I said to him "now what do you really think?" he said "I could've done it myself" I agreed. It was terrible. That same nurse had made the comment to him when she first came in and realized that he had CF "You don't look sick" It was an absurd comment. I'm really disappointed that so many healthcare workers don't know enough to be making comments like that. I have worked with so many people that throughout working together they eventually find out the my fiance' has CF. and the first thing is "what's that?" "oh, is he in a wheelchair?" or "doesn't that scare you?" And the reality is that they don't know the first thing about it. and as far as scaring me, well yes but he's a person and everyone no matter whether they are here for today or twenty years from now are as human as anyone and he is the man that I love and care for and if anything I love him because he is the person that he is. If we all really lived by Integrity and Respect then maybe there would come a day when this world had some peace. Gee this is really long, I've been wanting to write for awhile this site has been sooo helpful to me. I may not have CF, but I can certainly listen. Hope you don't mind.Thanks for everythingMichellePS I would love to keep in touch with anyone who wishes my email is missmem@juno.com
<blockquote>Quote<br><hr>I myself have one philosophy about how I work, and that is to treat my patients as I would want to be treated<hr></blockquote>I LOVE YOU! if you were sitting right here next to me id give you a hug <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif" border="0">
I just came across this article on CNN.com today, I thought it would be relevant to this thread:<a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/07/28/health.mistakes.reut/index.html">http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/07/28/health.mistakes.reut/index.html</a>
Whats funny is one story that sticks out in my mind is simular to some other posts but it just happened all in one night. One of my stories is from the ER. I went to the ER at about 4:30 in the afternoon because I was coughing up blood (and my regular doc was gone for the day)...big gobs of bright blood...First time I had ever done this and it had scared me. We new something wasn't rigth and we should have it looked, for one I had been kinda sick and on prednisone for that whole week before the blood incident. We get to the ER (with a empty butter tub with the blood in it for proof I was coughing up the bad stuff-just incase I didn't do it again while I was there). We filed out paper work and sat and waited. Waited, waited, waited, waited. Finally at 11pm we were brought into a exam room. Then waited some more, after a nurse came and did vitals again. Then a lady came in to draw blood. She was rude and acted like I was a waste of time "because I looked fine" (i heard her say this to another nurse in the hallway). She wanted to go home and I was just taking up a whole 10 mintues extra of her time. Well she also had, i'm not kidding, inch long fake nails and didn't wear gloves (i hope she washed up before she came in). Then the attended Er nurse practioner came in to see me. She was nice but didn't know anything about CF so she called the on call doc to ask what to do. Well this guy never even came in to see me and even though he worked with my regular pedi doc he never even had seen me period. He told the lady doc to put me on PREDNISONE and send me home....(oh and this doc is known to be one to go by what insurance says not really what should be done for the patient) remember i was already on that that week and it wasn't working. My mom got soooo mad. She said "I don't think so!!! She has been on prednisone for 2 weeks now and its obviously not working! If her regular doc was here he would put her in the hospital for at least the night to see whats going on!" Well the attending lady nurse practioner said "oh really! well lets get her in right away. I didn't realize" she was nice and apologetic about everything. So I get to the hospital room by 1am. The nurses there are nice and all know me and are very sweet. I knew most of them but the one that was going to be on my room for the night, no biggy because she was nice. Well she tries to access my port to start some saline drip. She has only had training in ports and had never really had to access one. I think no biggy she will get it. I was wrong. It took her 5 times!!!!! To try and get it in. the whole time the needle was either side ways or to close to the wall. Finally they got a nurse that knew waht to do and she got it on the first try. Now usually since this was the pedi floor I don't mind being the guenia pig so they know what to do on little kids instead of those kids being subjected to 5 sticks. But at 1 am and after sitting for hours on end in a ER waiting room I was tired and just wanted to be left alone. I didn't report that nurse because she was nice and was even about to cry because she couldn't get it. I did however tell my doctor about the phelbotomist with long nails, whom I didn't see wash her hands (there are sinks in the ER rooms)., and how long we waited to be told to go home on prednisone. He was not happy about that at all. He gave us his home number and told us to call him next time I coughed up blood like that or something else happens. (since then they have built a emergency care unit-much better than the er but not open 24 hours). I have some other stories I might share later on. When medical personal is rude to us, act like we are huge burdens on them and don't take us seriously when we know something is wrong...that really hurts us, makes us angry and even can make us feel hopeless because its these people we depend on to help us out and to take care of us when we are sick. If we have uncaring people taking care of us that is scary. Patients don't feel safe, like they have been taken care of properly, or even that all measures were taken to help them if they have a staff like that. Amanda