Visitors arouse conflict in a nurse’s heart. A good visitor is worth their weight in Xanax. A bad visitor makes the nurse wonder why she didn’t take a job hanging off the back of a garbage truck (plenty of fresh air and all you can eat).
A good visitor is comforting and supportive of the patient, but ALWAYS ON THE NURSE’S SIDE. That's worth repeating: A GOOD VISITOR IS ALWAYS ON THE NURSE’S SIDE. The reason for this is simple—the nurse is already on the patient’s side. Siding with the nurse IS siding with the patient.
A good visitor is encouraging and cheerful.
They are a calming influence in the face of unknown outcomes and a distraction from the boredom of a hospital room. A good visitor encourages the patient to be brave and compliant with the treatment plan.
A good visitor does NOT encourage the idea that their famiy member's nurse is the reincarnation of Nurse Ratchett.
They are a calming influence in the face of unknown outcomes and a distraction from the boredom of a hospital room. A good visitor encourages the patient to be brave and compliant with the treatment plan.
A good visitor does NOT encourage the idea that their famiy member's nurse is the reincarnation of Nurse Ratchett.
A good visitor respects the rules.
If the unit has restricted visitation, don’t bring eleven people into the room then demand sandwiches, coffee, sherbert, extra chairs, pillows and blankets. This is a sick room, not a slumber party.
Pillows and blankets--and everything else--are in limited supply. If your room has ten chairs in it, then there are nine other rooms with no chairs in them.
If an emergency happens and there are eight people camped out on the floor, the medical staff can’t get the code cart to the bedside. I've tripped over sleeping family members when trying to get to a patient in Vtach.
Nurse's Note: Go to Yosemite to camp.
To ensure patient privacy, visitors should not be wandering up and down the halls, leaning over the nurses's shoulders--all ears--asking for a pen, peering at the charts and computer screens.
In all sorts of questionable dress.
In all sorts of questionable dress.
About the ice water: I don’t mind getting visitors ice water. But, some visitors seem to have taken a wrong turn on their way to Red Lobster. They want food, they want soda, they want ice cream.
Food trays are sent up for the patients from the kitchen. The food supply available on the floor is limited to juice and jello.
Also, the food is for the patients.
Nurse's note: Your dad's nurse is not your waitress.
Visitors need to feed themselves.
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Best new blog of the year!!!
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