Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

My best friend's hospital stay

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • #16
    My wife has really bad veins too, and it is always an ordeal when she needs an IV. only twice has she gotten an IV placed with one stick. once they used a machine that basically shone a light onto the arm and they could see on the screen where the veins were. the other time still makes us laugh to this day(it was nearly a decade ago) The nurse told us he used to be an army medic, and that he had no problems with small veins, but started by saying to her, i will apologize now, I honestly cannot hear screams anymore, so if it hurts you need to calmly tell me. she said ok, and he bent his head down, stuck the needle in, my wife started screaming that it hurt like a mother, then he flushed it, and it stopped hurting immediately, then he looked up and said, and i quote, "See told you it would be easy, you weren't even bouncing in the back of a humvee with both of us ducking gunshots..." then we all laughed, and we requested him EVERY TIME SHE NEEDED BLOOD DRAWN AGAIN! because he would actually GET IT IN RIGHT...
    ~LSTYD~
    Quote: Dalesys:
    you may want to take a census of your brain squirrels... maybe one escaped?

    Comment


    • #17
      The hematomato strikes again, I see.

      Comment


      • #18
        Aaugh. I knew I shouldn't have started reading this thread. (hides in corner with arms folded so insides of elbows are not visible)

        Comment


        • #19
          Quoth firecat88 View Post
          which I'm convinced you should always get an anesthesiologist to do IVs anyway. They're better at it than a lot of nurses
          We imaging techs are good too. Me personally, not as good as I'd like to be since I don't get to practice as much, but my collegues who work full time and start IVs on 90% of their patients rock.

          Unlike Pancea, I do like the crook of the elbow. The vein there is usually bigger and my patients are going to be laying on a table not bending their arm. I have gone on the side of the wrist before because it was the only option I had. But I didn't like it and neither did the patient.

          And I hate our IV needles. The "safety feature" is a tiny metal piece that covers the tip of the needle when it comes out of the catheter. They also splatter when pulled. Then we have the extension tubing with a hub that's hard to screw a syringe into and is messy. At least twice I've contaminated myself with my radioactive tracers because our IV stuff sucks.

          Quoth firecat88 View Post
          Second, you do *not* badmouth patients behind their backs while you're on the clock. If you want to vent about a patient you disliked, do it at home on your own time. Not at the freakin' desk where someone is definitely going to end up overhearing and it'll come back to bite you in the ass.
          Or, yunno, at least be out of earshot. Ah the joys of having a tech office with restricted access.
          I am no longer of capable of the emotion you humans call “compassion”. Though I can feign it in exchange for an hourly wage. (Gravekeeper)

          Comment


          • #20
            How about a nurse trying to get a vein for a blood draw...

            Trying 3 times to find a vein...saying "I can't get it, let me get another nurse"

            I look over to my arm to see...

            the needle sticking out of my arm. IN the arm. She had left the needle part way into my arm.

            I was NOT amused, and the nurse that came in was beyond shocked. She pulled it out, threw it out, and then walked out, where I could then hear her yelling at the previous nurse...

            Yeah. I've actually just gone through 2 i.v's in 2 weeks (one in the elbow, one in the back of the hand) and i'm feeling a bit tender...

            Comment


            • #21
              I'm an easy stick. Very high pain tolerance, and big, easy to see veins. For some reason medical types always choose the back of my hand... Hate that! I feel like I can't grip anything. The nurses that took care of me when I was in labor chose to put the IV lock in the back of my hand...with both kids. It made me feel as if that entire arm was useless. In hindsight I should have spoken up, but I wasn't really thinking clearly at the time.

              Comment


              • #22
                *shudders in pain*

                I hate IVs...I hate IVs...they always hurt so much more than regular blood draws...

                I even take pictures of IV hook-ups. Like the one in my hand the last time. That fucker hurt every last second it was in. My mom said that was "normal."
                "And so all the night-tide, I lie down by the side of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride!"
                "Hallo elskan min/Trui ekki hvad timinn lidur"
                Amayis is my wifey

                Comment


                • #23
                  I think your friend should also make a note of mentioning it to the hospital.

                  If the nurse feels free to call patients names on the floor, this might not be the first time she's done it. Plus, on top of that, she lied to the husband when confronted.

                  Does the hospital really need a nurse who will lie to protect herself?

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Quoth Panacea View Post
                    We also like to start low and work our way up the arm. If a vein blows, you can't restart below that site; you'll just cause swelling and edema. You have to go above. So if you start too high and blow a vein, you could lose access to the entire arm until the vein heals.

                    I try to avoid starting them over joints (fingers, the wrist, and the AC) because any flexion or extension of the joint could cause the site to become "positional" . . . it will flow only if the joint is in just the right position.
                    I was in the hospital for 5 days and both my arms look like complete shit from veins being blown, swelling and bruises going up and down my arm from all the IV sticks and moving the needle around while looking for the vein.

                    I don't know what was going on at the hospital I was at but no patient should have to endure what I did just to get an IV in and I do wish more hospital people would ask for help from someone who is truly skilled at putting an IV in instead of trying to cover for themselves and causing more harm to the patient!

                    I am now wondering if the screaming old woman on my floor who kept me awake with her constant screaming for 5 days was screaming because of her IV? If she was, I can't say I blame her! I felt like screaming.
                    Do not annoy the woman with the flamethrower!

                    If you don't like it, I believe you can go to hell! ~Trinity from The Matrix

                    Yes, MadMike does live under my couch.

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Quoth jedimaster91 View Post
                      Unlike Panacea, I do like the crook of the elbow. The vein there is usually bigger and my patients are going to be laying on a table not bending their arm. I have gone on the side of the wrist before because it was the only option I had. But I didn't like it and neither did the patient.
                      Well, your purpose in starting the IV is different than mine. Your access is short term: long enough for the procedure to be done, then the IV isn't your worry and probably will come right out (unless its an ER patient, then it might not).

                      When I start an IV, I have multiple purposes in mind. If I know the patient is going for a radiology study, I will go for a large bore for the contrast. If I need to give rapid fluids or blood ditto. Other access I have more options in terms of size and site, but in all circumstances I want the IV to be usable for the 72 hours it is likely to stay in.

                      Quoth jedimaster91 View Post
                      And I hate our IV needles. The "safety feature" is a tiny metal piece that covers the tip of the needle when it comes out of the catheter. They also splatter when pulled. Then we have the extension tubing with a hub that's hard to screw a syringe into and is messy. At least twice I've contaminated myself with my radioactive tracers because our IV stuff sucks.
                      Ugh. I know the brand you are talking about. They should be withdrawn from the market for the very reason you cite. Hospitals buy them because they are cheaper than the other types. But they are very dangerous.[/QUOTE]

                      Quoth Misanthropical View Post
                      I was in the hospital for 5 days and both my arms look like complete shit from veins being blown, swelling and bruises going up and down my arm from all the IV sticks and moving the needle around while looking for the vein.

                      I don't know what was going on at the hospital I was at but no patient should have to endure what I did just to get an IV in and I do wish more hospital people would ask for help from someone who is truly skilled at putting an IV in instead of trying to cover for themselves and causing more harm to the patient!

                      I am now wondering if the screaming old woman on my floor who kept me awake with her constant screaming for 5 days was screaming because of her IV? If she was, I can't say I blame her! I felt like screaming.
                      She was probably sundowning.

                      However, a lot of times doctors order IV access in patients who otherwise wouldn't need it so they can give pain or nausea meds. Patients like them because they don't want multiple sticks for IM injections.

                      But getting those meds IM (intramuscular) has an advantage: they stay in the system longer than IV. IV they work faster, and are metabolized out faster. IM they absorb slower. IV meds might last a couple of hours in some patients, but up to 8 if given IM.

                      Next time you're in the hospital ask the doctor directly how necessary an IV is. If he's willing to give certain meds IM, you might be able to skip the IV pin cushion.

                      Of course, some meds have to be given IV: certain antibiotics, and of course fluids for rehydration or nutrition.
                      They say that God only gives us what we can handle. Apparently, God thinks I'm a bad ass.

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Panacea The woman was always and I do mean always screaming unless she was asleep or someone was feeding her. All I know is I was ready to drop from lack of sleep by the time I got home. I don't think I got more than a couple hours of sleep on the floor the whole time I was there and that was with IV sleep meds and a Benedryl. The only thing she ever said the whole time I was there was done when she was screaming alone in her room and that was "HELP ME!" "NO!"

                        I don't mind in the least having an IV. That wasn't the issue. The issue was when they were put in and the needle dug around looking for the vein. It kept happening over and over again as the vein would give out/burn out and they had to reinsert the IV. I swear to all that is holy that my arms look like someone beat the ever loving shit out of them. I have had plenty of IVs in my life and my arms have never looked like this afterwards.
                        Do not annoy the woman with the flamethrower!

                        If you don't like it, I believe you can go to hell! ~Trinity from The Matrix

                        Yes, MadMike does live under my couch.

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Quote-Hmm. I'm not sure what that could be . . . I don't know of anything other than heat that is used to enlarge veins. Unquote

                          I actually do not know..that is what they told me at the time but this has been about fourteen years ago so I don't remember too much about it.

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            I keep ending up with IVs for dehydration... It's not like I deliberately plan to have something happen where I need to have either a blood test or do a pee test and I've not drunk enough that day... [Although I probably am perpetually dehydrated and that's really not very good. ]
                            "And so all the night-tide, I lie down by the side of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride!"
                            "Hallo elskan min/Trui ekki hvad timinn lidur"
                            Amayis is my wifey

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Quoth Misanthropical View Post
                              Panacea The woman was always and I do mean always screaming unless she was asleep or someone was feeding her. All I know is I was ready to drop from lack of sleep by the time I got home. I don't think I got more than a couple hours of sleep on the floor the whole time I was there and that was with IV sleep meds and a Benedryl. The only thing she ever said the whole time I was there was done when she was screaming alone in her room and that was "HELP ME!" "NO!"

                              I don't mind in the least having an IV. That wasn't the issue. The issue was when they were put in and the needle dug around looking for the vein. It kept happening over and over again as the vein would give out/burn out and they had to reinsert the IV. I swear to all that is holy that my arms look like someone beat the ever loving shit out of them. I have had plenty of IVs in my life and my arms have never looked like this afterwards.
                              That's a real shame. I'm betting some form of dementia. When people with dementia end up in the hospital, they act that way because they are frightened . . . they don't know where they are or why they are there.

                              Yeowch. I hate it when that happens. I won't dig for more than a couple of seconds (sometimes you have to, the needle pushes the vein away instead of peircing it) because I know it is painful.

                              You have some chronic health problems, right? Ask your doc about a PICC line if you're in a situation like this again. It's a longer form of IV access that has to be specially placed, but is used in situations where veins keep burning out. They last longer, and you don't have the constantly having to be restarted issues.
                              They say that God only gives us what we can handle. Apparently, God thinks I'm a bad ass.

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                Quoth Panacea View Post
                                She was probably sundowning.
                                What's sundowning?
                                Seshat's self-help guide:
                                1. Would you rather be right, or get the result you want?
                                2. If you're consistently getting results you don't want, change what you do.
                                3. Deal with the situation you have now, however it occurred.
                                4. Accept the consequences of your decisions.

                                "All I want is a pretty girl, a decent meal, and the right to shoot lightning at fools." - Anders, Dragon Age.

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X