SeaCat
Hey, my Halo is smoking
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2003
- Posts
- 15,378
Okay so I'm cruel, but I found this to be more than mildly funny.
I had two new patients in the same room this morning. Both of them younger females. Both of them were post surgical.
Knowing their status, and well knowing our S.O.P.'s I was in their room early. By the time their nurses and my Super could show up I had both of them up and bathed. They were well taken care of, I had made sure they were comfortable and explained everything I was doing as I did it. I even offered to have their mothers stay there while I cleaned them up.
Their R.N. showed up to find them up and in their chairs. She announced quite officialy that she would bathe them and teach them their Catheter Care as she knew it would make them feel much more comfortable to have her, a female, do this. When they both replied that I had already done this she became incencd and called in the floor Supervisor. She explained to the Floor Super., in front of these patients, that I had bathed and instructed them. She complained quite vocally about how this was wrong and why.
My Supervisor then turned to the patients and asked them directly if I had made any offensive or innapropriate comments while bathing them or instructing them. She informed them they had not only the right but the duty to complain about their care. (I heard about this later, in great detail from the patients as well as the mother of one of the patients.) Both of my patients made comments that they were quite happy with the care they had received. When the R.N. then made the comment to the Supervisor that the patients were either still addled by their pain medications, or were in fear for their safety if they said anything against me they became quite upset.
Both of the patients, as well as the mother of one of them asked my Supervisor to contact either the C.E.O. or the C.N.O. (Chief Nursing Officer) and have them come by the room. They wanted the head of the hospital or the head of the Nursing Services to hear how they were more than happy with my care as well as their complaint about sexism aimed against me. They then informed my supervisor of their status. Both of the patients were Registered Nurses in other hospitals, and the mother of one of the patients was not only a Registered Nurse but the Head of Nursing for a rather large hospital in a city north of us.
I'm sure it pained my boss greatly but she then had to censur the R.N. in charge of these patients for her comments, (in writing no less,) she also had to commend me on my care of my patients. (when I heard about this from my patients I had to smile.)
What made this even more special was the C.N.O. was called in. My Supervisor and the C.N.O. went through all of my patients checking on their care. They could find no fault with it. (all thirteen patients, five of which were total care, one of which ahd to be bathed four times because of a leaking Biliary Drain.) Because I commented that this smacked of sexism or rascism, (I'm the only male and the only white Aide on the floor,) the C.N.O. went on to check the rest of the patients. She found that the other Aides had five and seven patients respectively, none of which were total care. Among these she found patients who had not been bathed, and whose care was below standards. She then commented to my supervisor that my care was the best on the unit and I should be commended for it, not harrased as was more than evident. She then chewed out the other Aides for their patient care, and my supervisor for being unfair in her treatment of me.
I know this will not change things, and in fact it may make things worse but it did make me feel good that my patients would stand up for me. It tells me that what I'm doing does have an effect on some peoples lives.
Cat
I had two new patients in the same room this morning. Both of them younger females. Both of them were post surgical.
Knowing their status, and well knowing our S.O.P.'s I was in their room early. By the time their nurses and my Super could show up I had both of them up and bathed. They were well taken care of, I had made sure they were comfortable and explained everything I was doing as I did it. I even offered to have their mothers stay there while I cleaned them up.
Their R.N. showed up to find them up and in their chairs. She announced quite officialy that she would bathe them and teach them their Catheter Care as she knew it would make them feel much more comfortable to have her, a female, do this. When they both replied that I had already done this she became incencd and called in the floor Supervisor. She explained to the Floor Super., in front of these patients, that I had bathed and instructed them. She complained quite vocally about how this was wrong and why.
My Supervisor then turned to the patients and asked them directly if I had made any offensive or innapropriate comments while bathing them or instructing them. She informed them they had not only the right but the duty to complain about their care. (I heard about this later, in great detail from the patients as well as the mother of one of the patients.) Both of my patients made comments that they were quite happy with the care they had received. When the R.N. then made the comment to the Supervisor that the patients were either still addled by their pain medications, or were in fear for their safety if they said anything against me they became quite upset.
Both of the patients, as well as the mother of one of them asked my Supervisor to contact either the C.E.O. or the C.N.O. (Chief Nursing Officer) and have them come by the room. They wanted the head of the hospital or the head of the Nursing Services to hear how they were more than happy with my care as well as their complaint about sexism aimed against me. They then informed my supervisor of their status. Both of the patients were Registered Nurses in other hospitals, and the mother of one of the patients was not only a Registered Nurse but the Head of Nursing for a rather large hospital in a city north of us.
I'm sure it pained my boss greatly but she then had to censur the R.N. in charge of these patients for her comments, (in writing no less,) she also had to commend me on my care of my patients. (when I heard about this from my patients I had to smile.)
What made this even more special was the C.N.O. was called in. My Supervisor and the C.N.O. went through all of my patients checking on their care. They could find no fault with it. (all thirteen patients, five of which were total care, one of which ahd to be bathed four times because of a leaking Biliary Drain.) Because I commented that this smacked of sexism or rascism, (I'm the only male and the only white Aide on the floor,) the C.N.O. went on to check the rest of the patients. She found that the other Aides had five and seven patients respectively, none of which were total care. Among these she found patients who had not been bathed, and whose care was below standards. She then commented to my supervisor that my care was the best on the unit and I should be commended for it, not harrased as was more than evident. She then chewed out the other Aides for their patient care, and my supervisor for being unfair in her treatment of me.
I know this will not change things, and in fact it may make things worse but it did make me feel good that my patients would stand up for me. It tells me that what I'm doing does have an effect on some peoples lives.
Cat
