A Short Rant About Medical Care

[benenglish]

My sis is ridiculously anemic so she's scheduled for a series of iron infusions. The first one went fine but on the second one, the nurse got involved in a phone call with an insurance company (she was the only person working in the office at the time) and didn't check on sis for about 20+ minutes.

The blood vessel at the site of the infusion had blown and ~40cc of iron went under her skin instead of into her blood. Sis noticed the swelling and called the for the nurse but by then the damage was done.

Iron stains things, y'know? Now her skin is stained from the inside out and she's going have to live with this for around a year, possibly longer, given her panoply of other health problems.

When there's a chance of something like this happening, why can't people pay attention to their most immediate work tasks instead of getting distracted?

Folks may not consider this a valid board topic but it's certainly something that makes me want to rant and rave.

 

[Davetex]

It's a good point and a better lesson.

 

[kyletxria1911a1]

Just wow sorry

 

[Moonpie]

Sorry about your sister Ben.
Did the office even offer any additional help?

 

[benenglish]

Did the office even offer any additional help?

That would be part 2 of the rant. They helped by wrapping the area and said that a tight wrap could lessen the discoloration. See those stripes of her natural skin color? That's where the bandage overlapped and was tightest.

The whole time the bandage was being applied my sister kept saying to the nurse "Well, if tight is good, you can go a lot tighter. That's not uncomfortable at all." The nurse, however, was insufficiently aggressive with the pressure.

So, mistakes compound mistakes.

What gets me is that over the course of these two treatments, sis had already blown three blood vessels. In each case, the nurse caught it immediately and the result was just a dot of discoloration, like a very small bruise. Then, with a patient known to have such problems, the nurse goes off and leaves her alone for too long and the same thing happens with much, much worse results.

It's frustrating, to say the least.

 

[F350-6]

There are state boards that oversee medical licenses. If it were me, I'd start there with a letter/email that includes photos.

I do understand getting stuck on the phone waiting on someone to talk to at an insurance company, but either get a cordless phone or wait till the patient is done.

I'm not happy with doctors at the moment either, but my situation isn't too bad at the moment.

 

[Younggun]

Damn.


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[ZX9RCAM]

Sure sorry to hear this Ben.

 

[Vaquero]

Pisses me off.

 

[Dhayes]

Sorry about this Ben.

 

[ElevenBravo]

There are state boards that oversee medical licenses. If it were me, I'd start there with a letter/email that includes photos.

I do understand getting stuck on the phone waiting on someone to talk to at an insurance company, but either get a cordless phone or wait till the patient is done.

That's what back office staff is for, not the nurse that is actually providing care. It's inexcusable, and everyone involved that it was "only" iron discoloration. I'd be looking for some medical licenses to nail to my wall.

 

[orbitup]

Damn.


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X2

 

[duckknot]

That's what back office staff is for, not the nurse that is actually providing care. It's inexcusable, and everyone involved that it was "only" iron discoloration. I'd be looking for some medical licenses to nail to my wall.

If you knew how overworked and under supported nurses are currently you might think differently. I work with nurses on a daily basis and can honestly say I'm amazed more accidents dont occur. These men and women work themselves to the bone trying to keep up with a broken system that places unrelenting demand on medical resources. Nurses are often overworked, understaffed and in some cases physically assaulted by pts and their families.

What happened is a mistake and should be handled accordingly, but before we start "nailing medical licenses to the wall" let's remember that mistakes happen regardless of the field! If the nurse was blatantly negligent intentionally then yes, nail it up but I would venture to guess that this wasn't the case!

Ben, I'm sorry this happened to your sister and I wish her a speedy recovery! Hopefully the nurse involved (and her supervisors) can learn something from this and ensure it never happens again!

Sent from...wait where am I!?

 

[ElevenBravo]

If you knew how overworked and under supported nurses are currently you might think differently. I work with nurses on a daily basis and can honestly say I'm amazed more accidents dont occur. These men and women work themselves to the bone trying to keep up with a broken system that places unrelenting demand on medical resources. Nurses are often overworked, understaffed and in some cases physically assaulted by pts and their families.

What happened is a mistake and should be handled accordingly, but before we start "nailing medical licenses to the wall" let's remember that mistakes happen regardless of the field! If the nurse was blatantly negligent intentionally then yes, nail it up but I would venture to guess that this wasn't the case!

Ben, I'm sorry this happened to your sister and I wish her a speedy recovery! Hopefully the nurse involved (and her supervisors) can learn something from this and ensure it never happens again!

Sent from...wait where am I!?

I worked in one of the nation's foremost cancer research centers for three years. I knew all of the doctos and nurses and how overworked they are. Regsrdless, the situation described is completely out of line. Sure, mistskes are made in every field, but when a cashier shortchanges me, I don't die from it. These are licensed professionals who spent a lot of time learning their profession, not a day laborer picked up from the front of Home Depot. How hard is it to either pay attention to your patient or say "we are understaffed, can we re-schedule your appointment?".

Nurses are overworked, but they still have a responsibility to provide the correct level of care, even if that means not providing care. The nurse should be reprimanded, the practice she works for should be as well.

 

[Dawico]

First off, sorry to hear that Ben. We know she hasn't been well.

Second off, it sounds like the nurse may have been more concerned about money than the patient at the time.

Thirdly, and I am not generally "that guy", the best way to get a company policy changed is in the courtroom and in the wallet.

 

[ROGER4314]

Just wait until the bastards refuse to accept your medical insurance, send you away, but advise that if you bring CASH, they'll help you! GGGGRRRRR!

Flash

 

[Texas42]

First off, sorry to hear that Ben. We know she hasn't been well.

Second off, it sounds like the nurse may have been more concerned about money than the patient at the time.

Thirdly, and I am not generally "that guy", the best way to get a company policy changed is in the courtroom and in the wallet.

What damages are they going to sue for? What harm or potential harm has occurred? Patient was not checked on for 20 minutes? This is Texas, and the laws don't support such frivolous lawsuits like other states.

You want to find another transfusion center would be the easiest way to let them know your displeasure, and will hurt the business. Sorry about your sister, Benenglish, but I would keep the big picture in mind.

 

[jrbfishn]

Disagree. They should be held accountable for things that are negligent. Murses should be for patient care, office staff for phone calls. When money trumps the patients well being, something should be done.
Yes, medical proffesionals do a lot for society. And like any profession should be accountable for gross mistakes of procedure or negligence.

Sorry to hear about Sis Ben. Give my best for me. Hope things get better and I see y'all soon.

from an idgit coffeeholic

 

[duckknot]

I worked in one of the nation's foremost cancer research centers for three years. I knew all of the doctos and nurses and how overworked they are. Regsrdless, the situation described is completely out of line. Sure, mistskes are made in every field, but when a cashier shortchanges me, I don't die from it. These are licensed professionals who spent a lot of time learning their profession, not a day laborer picked up from the front of Home Depot. How hard is it to either pay attention to your patient or say "we are understaffed, can we re-schedule your appointment?".

Nurses are overworked, but they still have a responsibility to provide the correct level of care, even if that means not providing care. The nurse should be reprimanded, the practice she works for should be as well.

You ever sped while driving? Drove through a yellow light? Ran a red light or stop sign? All mistakes that could have killed someone yet I don't see anyone trying to revoke your license unless you did it on purpose or do it consistently.

The nurse should absolutely be dealt with and educated/reprimanded but to say we should start taking medical licenses because of a mistake is nothing short of an overreaction!

Once again, the nurse screwed up and that should be handled accordingly, but to take away someones license and livelihood over it is not the correct course of action.

Sent from...wait where am I!?

 

[F350-6]

That's what back office staff is for, not the nurse that is actually providing care. It's inexcusable, and everyone involved that it was "only" iron discoloration. I'd be looking for some medical licenses to nail to my wall.

I don't know the whole story, and don't know how much help is available in that particular office. Maybe it was a once in a lifetime situation that will never happen again, or maybe it's just another oops in a long line of mistakes.

Either way, I still think the letter and photos to the state board are appropriate just in case this is part of a trend in one particular office.

And people wonder why I don't like doctors.