Grrr!

[Akasa]

So my best friend was in the hospital the past few days. She just got discharged today. The doctor said if it had been 2 hours since she was given pain killer they could give her another dose before she left to go home since a car ride an hour long with a folly(sp) in would be uncomfortable. So the aide comes in and tries to remove the IV. They haven't brought up her walker yet, they haven't gone through the discharge procedures yet, she refuses to let them take the IV out, because the 2 hour mark isn't that far away. She asks what time they gave her the pain meds last so she can keep track.
"Its not time for you to have pain meds."
"I know that. What time was it given to me?"
"You don't need it yet."
"I need to know what time it was given to me."
"You can't have it yet."
"JUST TELL ME WHAT TIME I WAS GIVEN THE MEDICATION!"

The aide leaves the room, then comes back in and tries to remove the IV. She doesn't let them. Again demands to know what time she was given the pain meds. FINALLY they tell her. She has about 45 minutes till the doc would let her have it again. They do get her out before the 2 hour mark, but damn when she asked several times for the TIME go look at the damned chart!

[telecom_goddess]

I really can't stand it when they won't give a straight answer to a straight question.

[Der Cute]

Good for her to standing up on them! btw Foley . They didn't hurt me!

[Pixilated]

I really can't stand it when they won't give a straight answer to a straight question.

Yeah. Here you're often told it's a matter of 'confidentiality.' Um ... this is MY health I'm asking about?!?

[emt_cookies]

I can see this from the other side.

[HYHYBT]

I can see this from the other side.

Would it be all right to ask for an explanation of the other side?

[emt_cookies]

I'll PM it to people that want to know.

[CorneliaMarieRocks]

I'd like to know myself please, if it's not too much trouble

[Sapphire Silk]

I can see this from the other side.

Well, so can I. The OP was talking to an NA, not a nurse. The NA wouldn't know when the last dose of meds was given, and just wanted to get the job done and get out. Answering a perfectly reasonable question was not on her agenda.

"Let me speak to the registered nurse," is the solution to that problem. The RN would know when the med was given, and would understand the simple, "I want another dose of pain meds before I go" request, which is also perfectly reasonable.

I never take out an IV until the patient is ready to walk out the door. You never know when you might need it again.

[kpzra]

That person may not have had access to the chart either. They may have just been told to remove the IV. During my ER rotations I had to ask the Nurse for a chart if I wanted to look it over, as I was there for skills practice not charting. If I was told to draw blood, I drew blood. Sometimes I'd ask why, but some nurses don't like you to ask a ton if questions when it's busy.

[emt_cookies]

[QUOTE]

Well, so can I. The OP was talking to an NA, not a nurse. The NA wouldn't know when the last dose of meds was given, and just wanted to get the job done and get out. Answering a perfectly reasonable question was not on her agenda.

I know there are many different charting styles and brands, but if they use electronic charting, then there is probably a way for the NA to look up the last pain med if they do not have access to at least view the medication tab. That is either the vital signs section or the pain tab. Both RNs and NAs had the pain tab where you report the patient's numeric pain value along with the intervention.

Also, the NA probably would have had an idea where the chart is. Before my clinical site went to complete electronic charting, the non-electronic parts of the chart were kept outside the patient's room at the computer desks (there was a computer outside of every room). At my hospital where they aren't electronic yet (but will be soon), the charts are kept outside the patient's room at the "pod" (4 rooms per desk).