Reply
Fri 10 Nov, 2006 11:48 am
My 90 year old grandmom was recently in the hospital. She had a fall and broke her hip. The hospital treated her pretty bad in my opinion. They didn't call my mom for three days. This particular hospital even has her record on file that states to call her and my grandmom asked them too. No one knew she was even in there or hurt until they operated on her. After the operation, I went to visit her. She was in extreme pain - crying! I got a nurse and told her. She looked at her chart (this was late afternoon) and informed me that she had not received any pain killers all day! Well, before I left, I made sure she was taken care of - all comfy and relaxed and falling asleep - thank God I visited!
Even though she is 90, she is a very vibrant and alive spirit. She lives on her own, gets around fine with little help. She even has two boyfriends - both younger than her.
Do you think hospitals treat elderly differently? If it were me in the hospital - would I get better treatment?
Absolutely. There are many hospitals, and doctors too, who take the attitude, "Well, they're old, and are going to die anyhow".
If you have an elderly loved one in a hospital or nursing home, it is so important that you show up at regular intervals, talk to staff, and let the people who are caring for the person that you are involved with that person.
That's what I was thinking. However, even so or even if some one is in the hospital where you know the results are fatal - wouldn't you want at least to make them comfortable? My grandmother has a high tolerance for pain and she was crying - she was in intense pain and all she needed was a little pain medication and to be moved slightly. Once that was done - her whole face looked different - she looked more like her healthy self and she was able to sleep. Thank goodness she is out of the horrible place.
Fortunately my brother is a nurse so he knows the right questions to ask - he looks at her chart and ensures that things are as they should be. Unfortunately she was in a small community (crappy) hospital - not the one my brother works in - last time she had to have surgery, my brother made sure she was tranfered to his hospital - she certainly got great care there.
There are some doctors that are absolutely paranoid about prescribing pain medication. In the case of the hospital, it was important that someone was there to relate as an advocate for your grandmother.
Oh she had already been prescribed pain medication, they just didn't give her any that day. She had been given some the previous day when my mom was with her.
I can only guess that she had been given a P.R.N. (as needed)prescription for the medication. When there was no one around to make a noise, the nurses didn't bother. What a shame!
Re: Are the elderly treated differently in hospitals?
Linkat wrote:
You mean call her at home on the phone?
-----------------------------------------------------------
No one knew she was even in there or hurt until they operated on her.
That would have been impossible, since they would have had to do labs and pre-ops on her prior to surgery.
-------------------------------------------------------------
After the operation, I went to visit her. She was in extreme pain - crying!
One never knows, if an elderly patient is crying due to pain, or mental dysfunction.
--------------------------------------------------------------
I got a nurse and told her. She looked at her chart (this was late afternoon) and informed me that she had not received any pain killers all day!
Perhaps the MD didn't think sedation of any sort was needed. Or he/she didn't have a complete list of allergies, etc.
------------------------------------------------------------
Well, before I left, I made sure she was taken care of - all comfy and relaxed and falling asleep - thank God I visited!
One possible consequence of your VISIT, may be trouble for your gandmother. RNs don't like to be insulted or angered.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Even though she is 90, she is a very vibrant and alive spirit. She lives on her own, gets around fine with little help. She even has two boyfriends - both younger than her.
Sounds like she needs to be in a nursing home or living with you. She's too fragile to be taking care of herself.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Do you think hospitals treat elderly differently? If it were me in the hospital - would I get better treatment?
Based on my clinical and medical experience hospital care doe not discriminate from one patient to another based on age.
Of course, one hospital ( in the Boston area ? ) should never be equated with another hospital. Many of the hospitals are short staffed when it comes to RNs and many of the RN roles are now filled by uneducated and ill-trained nurses aids.
Fractured hips among the elderly are common in any hospital as is the surgery. All things considered, today, most individuals ( old and otherwise ) receive excellent care in American hospitals.
Miller- I could tell you some horror stories about patients who are given the short end of the stick when they are elderly. Hey, you are in Boston, where there are some of the best hospitals in the country, if not the world.
Phoenix32890 wrote:I can only guess that she had been given a P.R.N. (as needed)prescription for the medication. When there was no one around to make a noise, the nurses didn't bother. What a shame!
I believe that is what the situation - she had pain medication as needed.
Linkat wrote:Phoenix32890 wrote:I can only guess that she had been given a P.R.N. (as needed)prescription for the medication. When there was no one around to make a noise, the nurses didn't bother. What a shame!
If the patient didn't say she was in pain, were the RNs supposed to read her mind?
Linkat wrote:Oh she had already been prescribed pain medication, they just didn't give her any that day. She had been given some the previous day when my mom was with her.
Excessive dosing of the elderly with specific drug classes may terminate their lives. Perhaps the RNs were just being professional by not over dosing the elderly woman.
Miller - seems you are making lots of assumptions and being a bit on the attack - is it because you didn't like a response or two I gave previously, perhaps, but any way I will answer your responses
.
My mom's phone number was on record at that particular hospital as she had gone there previously. The nurse actually apologized for this mistake of not calling her sooner so they certainly knew they were in the wrong.
Why would this be impossible? My grandmother is an adult who can take care of herself - she doesn't need some one to sign for her. Perhaps you misunderstood - no one in our family knew she was there. And I meant until the day she was being operated as well.
My grandmother has and never has been considered to be mentally dysfunction. She is fully capable mentally. Even you saying this sounds biased and ignorant of the elderly.
They did have a complete list of allergies - I saw it myself on the board next to her bed. Also, they had prescribed pain medication as I stated before.
You are assuming that I was rude to them. I was actually very nice and they responded, once I spoke with them, politely and nicely back. I never insulted them. I simply found a nurse, told them my grandmother seemed to be in a lot of pain and if they could give her some medication for it. I never said anything else. The nurse was the one to inform me that she hadn't any medication all day. I didn't even complain or say a word about that.
She certainly does not. She simply slipped and fell - same as anyone of any age. So you should take some one's freedom away because they got injured? How would you feel if you broke your arm and some one made you live in a nursing home simply because you got hurt?
And my brother is a nurse in an excellent Boston hospital so I also get a little insider information on how things work
.and yes, I do agree that the nurses looked overworked - one reason I was nice about the handling of my grandmother, but that still doesn't mean she should have to suffer.
Miller wrote:Linkat wrote:Phoenix32890 wrote:I can only guess that she had been given a P.R.N. (as needed)prescription for the medication. When there was no one around to make a noise, the nurses didn't bother. What a shame!
If the patient didn't say she was in pain, were the RNs supposed to read her mind?
Unless you were a complete idiot, it was quite apparent she was in pain. She was crying for God's sake. Unless they never went into her room all day (which is unacceptable), they would have known.
Miller wrote:Linkat wrote:Oh she had already been prescribed pain medication, they just didn't give her any that day. She had been given some the previous day when my mom was with her.
Excessive dosing of the elderly with specific drug classes may terminate their lives. Perhaps the RNs were just being professional by not over dosing the elderly woman.
I doubt that's the reason since the nurse was befuddled herself that my grandmother did not receive any pain medication all day. The nurse mentioned it was strange she hadn't received any medication.
You have to hunt down a nurse for pain meds after a hip fracture? They should have been in there routinely asking if she was comfortable and did she need anything. At which point, they would have found out that she was in pain. If you are in the hospital for three days, it doesn't take a brain surgen to know that the injury is quite bad.
Medical malpractice anyone?
Phoenix32890 wrote:Absolutely. There are many hospitals, and doctors too, who take the attitude, "Well, they're old, and are going to die anyhow".
Perhaps this might be so in some countries.
But I've never heard such before - actually, sometimes I get the imprsession, it's just the other way around - in hospitals, nota bene (though there certainly might be excemptions).
Most hospitals here have special geriatric departments for the elderly.
Part of the problem might have been nursing support staff who were either overworked or poorly trained.
Noddy24 wrote:Part of the problem might have been nursing support staff who were either overworked or poorly trained.
Yes I would have to agree. The nurses all seemed nice, but overworked. Just this morning I heard an advertisement form this particular hospital looking to hire experienced nurses - they were offerring a hefty sign-on bonus.
It very well could have easily been a PRN medication.
PRN's you essentially HAVE to ask for. And since she has no mental issues, more then likely, they were waiting for her to speak up about it.
Usually.. pain meds are given on a regular basis for the first week after surgery.. not always..
So, that could have been the issue right there.
And, from the nurses station-
They knew she didn't have alzheimers, dementia.. etc. so they did not think that they had to check in on her as they would other patients.
When you are told by the doctor, the charge nurse, and anyone else that a new patient is elderly, but able to care for themselves, and ask for what they need, you turn your little bit of free time to those who can not.
Im sure it was not an abuse of power, time, or true negligence..
though it can feel that way.
I do find it strange however, that she had a broken hip, and noone checked on her.
Does.. or did she I should say, have a catheter?
Or was she expected to go to the bathroom by herself?
And why were they not there on the every 2 hour rounds?
Even the aides should have been there.
SOMEONE..
but, yet again, I know for a fact how over worked nurses can be, and just from what you explain, I would bet it was just a simple misunderstanding on a nurse who was spread way to thin.
Im glad your grandmother is ok now.
I've noticed that just one cranky and demanding patient can disrupt the routine for the entire floor. Of course this shouldn't happen, but hospital life is not always ideal.
Stumble It!
Tweet This
Bookmark on Delicious
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace