NursingLink

There is a situation at work that I feel extremely uneasy about. I need direction, maybe I'm making something that isn't a big deal into a big deal. I work on a unit that the patients are there to rehab, either get stronger and go home or are placed in long term care if they can't be cared for at home. There is a nurse on the unit that calls the doctors has all their medications discontinued and has them order roxinal Q1hour and made COMFORT CARE ONLY. These are people that are not terminal. There are two currently that are comfort care only, she got insulins dc'd which seems extremely wrong. I can't believe the doctors are giving these orders. I have been working on another unit and a patient there has refused her calcium for a month, one of the nurses requested an order to dc the calcium and the doctor said NO, continue to attempt and encourage patient to take the calcium. This person gets a doc to dc insulin?? The thing is one of the residents that just passed came in with hip repair and she was made comfort care, roxinal, dc all other orders. In the past when I have had comfort care only the patient is terminal, knocking on the pearly gates, having difficult time swallowing. We have people over her and they don't do anything about this. I mentioned that it seemed strange the other day and someone replied "oh ya, nurse kavorkiain" so other nurses see this and are not doing anything about it. She got upset with me last night because I didn't give any roxinal, the patient didn't need it, I could barely get her to wake up and she wants me to give the roxinal?

What are your thoughts, I couldn't sleep thinking of this, it's just eating at me.

If I were in this situation I would be an advocate for the patient, especially if they do not have any family/visitors to act as an advocate on their behalf. Your motives are pure, you are there for the patient !

p.s. Hopefully the  Anonymous Zone will be used for topics such as this and not the mean and nasty things that we have seen posted here in the past.

First I see nothing in any of these  posts to keep anyone from signing their name. Second - the original post has not been addressed. These are not terminally ill patients on comfort care measures, they're there for rehab! Why would a doctor DC all meds on Rehab patients especially insulin? Something doesn't sound right here.  There needs to be further investigation into this matter. These patients should be alert and oriented. Why don't they question the doctor's order to DC their medication?  What kind of a doctor would do this? And why doesn't any question the nurses' motives? Is she just trying to keep them sedated so they will be less of a problem for her? What's going on?    charlita

ok, i am still knew to this site, so, i am the prev poster , i dont want it to be anonymous........... pezzy

I was told this is the wishes of the family members, they have discussed this with the doctors. ?? I've never seen anything like this. I was off and came back and there are two more people that have passed. I was told this is common knowledge. These are not people with termial illness, not until they get the order for comfort care.

Anonymous says ...

This is a prime example of why we need

Anonymous Zone

 

you're right it is why its needed....