Conference call set up by Dr. Ngui (DH’s GP) with nurse Grace, at the Care facility, and me. Grace told Dr. GP that Eric was screaming at the nurses and wouldn’t let the LPN I’d hired to change his dressings stay in the room. DH does not scream. He can be curt and authoritative, but scream he does not do. I told DH. Here is his letter to the doctor, which I will mail in the morning. Dear Dr. Ngui, I hear that I have been guilty of screaming, specifically at Nurse Grace. This is news to me, since I gave up screaming some years ago, to conserve the vocal cords for motor traffic. Just a fact finder. All the best, Eric N.... Sept. 9/09
after reading some of Eric's "work" I would also find it hard to believe him screaming,with his sense of humor an briliant use of the Kings english,I think he could get his point across very well
He may have screamed .....to make his salient point.... when Nurse Rached reprimanded him when he was authoritative. Some nurse's hate it when the patients question or know more than they do! She might have deserved it. However, with her training (AD certification) she should know how to handle and diffuse difficult situations.
As on "old" nurse administrator...send the note but more importantly ask the LPN you hired...your dollars..what transpired. LPN has no fear of talking against management..they cannot fire her. Then you ask for a care conference to make sure that all communication is appropriate, well documented. Why did she ask for the conference call? Was she looking for him to be medication? Transferred?
I asked the LPN, and she said that my husband never screamed. Your suggestion for a care conference is a good one, and I will do it. I don't know who asked for the care conference - it wasn't me. It could have been the doctor as I'd complained to him last week about the poor nursing care my husband was getting a this facility and that I was planning to transfer him as soon as I could.
If the doctor is not an administrator or medical director there....he will have little clout. I am assuming nurse Grace is not the admnistrator.....when you call your care conference make sure the administrator as well as the nursing director are there. (Grace obviously lied and should be held accountable) Not knowing what state you live in Mary hard for me to tell you how to proceed re elder affairs and nursing home reporting of substandard nursing care. Start with outlining your expectations, ask to see his nursing plan of care. Even if you plan on transferring him...your actions will ensure good care in the interim and hopefully will protect other patients. Wish you lived close would go with you.
Mary...looking for your state under your profile and saw you are a retired nurse....don't the likes of Grace and others like her make your professional blood boil!!!!!!!!
British Columbia, Canada. Have so much I want to to say but am beat and heading for bed. Yes, yes, yes, I'm so angry about it that I'm surprised at the depth of it! It goes against all we've been taught in our profession.
Been to BC...what a lovely area. A conference in Victoria love to go back!
Okay I can go with you virtually! Pretend I am right next to you channeling questions through you lol! Ask her to repeat again what she said about your DH. Ask to see documentation...her lovely nurse's notes. State what LPN told you in your sweetest voice! Now if you are planning to move him...tell her how you want him treated for remainder of his stay. Tell her of your concern about other patients who may not have a strong advocate as you are. Also make sure you see interagency documentation to ensure that Ratched does not pass along false information to new facility. And if your demands are not met how you intend to report her to board of nursing for false documentation and/or lying.
Do you have what we have started in the states...internet available... ratings for NH?
Thanks very much for your virtual accompaniment. This is so great. I will do it. Back to a point you raised a couple of posts ago: Dr. Ngui is the doctor that this expensive Care Facility uses. He was, and remains, Eric's personal physician. There is another patient whose young friend Alex says, "Grace says bad things about Charlie. They are not true. I hate it. I told her to her face, and now she don't talk to me." Charlie is a blind retired minister, and when Alex jumped ship in Halifax to claim refugee status (he's from some place in South America), Charlie acted as his sponsor. Alex acts as one of Charlie's family now. Alex gave me his full name and said I could use it to make a complaint.
Wow...Grace really has a problem! I wonder what it is? If after doing as we talked about above I would definitely report her to the powers that be. I shall research who that might be. She will give Nurse Ratched a bad name! Could you email me the name of the facility...sstamoulis@cox.net.
Was Dr. Ngui his physician prior to placement? Does he work exclusively for the NH? If so he may be conflicted...we will talk about him later. Hugs.
The College of Registered Nurses in B.C. are responsible for the safety of patients, and they would be the next step, re. Grace. I contacted the Vancouver City Health Dept. in charge of Licensing Private Care Facilities back in Aug. about the substandard nursing care at this facility with some results. Yes. Dr. Ngui has been Eric' doctor for 3 years. Eric has been in this Care Facility for almost 2 years. Dr. Ngui is the physician in charge at the Vancouver City Health Dept. Clinic in our area of the city. He has said to me in the past that he relies on Grace at the facility for getting things done, and so she does. However, she leaves meds. in Eric's room, I find them on the bathroom counter or floor, yet she charts them as given. I noticed last evening when I visited Eric, that she had charted on the wound care chart on the wall that she had changed the dressing on Eric's left ankle. There is no wound there. It healed 2 weeks ago. I will e-mail you the name of the facility. They supposedly were named the Best Retirement and Care Facility in Vancouver, or so reads the banner over the front entrance. My youngest son just phoned that he's coming into town tomorrow. Need to take a broom to the spiders down there. I think the bed is made. In haste....
Mary, your patience and understanding for these inept persons who call themselves professionals is beyond the call of duty. i know you want to do things on an even keel but in my opinion its time to start your own rants. scream and to the top of you lungs at the admin and tell her you are sick and tired of all the unprofessionalism and your next step for Erics care will be to proceed to file a lawsuit against the facility, administrators and professionals who are under their orders. Patients bill of rights in facilities guarantees them the right to professional care and safety factors that ensure this is being carried out. erics wounds are not healed and the lack of care provided is inadequate -if he develops staph its going to have to be addressed in a hospital not a nursing home facility. and can spread rapidly. documentation that is incomplete and inaccurate is a hazard to the patients and reflects poorly on the administrator and nursing staff. pills all over the place after documenting them as being taken is a hazard to patient safety as well as negligence. i think its time to let them in on the fact that you are not going quietly in to the night and will raise your concerns where they will be heard. you are paying out the kazoo for good care and not getting it. thats seems a good intent that they are not delivering the anticipated care you are expecting for those funds. tell them you will have to take it to the higher authorities if no action is satisfactory ie. court action. maybe threatening lawsuits will encourge them to act in a more professional and timely manner. good luck, divvi
As I mentioned in email...all reportable acts of unprofessionalism and negligence. As a reminder to all.....do not fear retribution to patient (as some would say to me when I encouraged them to report incidents) senior care advocates in your state should be alerted when you are making a report. They will follow up as well.
Spoke to lawyer all along. At first, she said she would. Now she advises to move him. Keep in mind, the first family are trying to remove both Co-committees Accountant and I, and me as Health Care Representative. That may be part of her thinking
yes I do Mary 75 an their both ready to leave the profession because of administrators that want beds filled instead of care for the patients,here in Mich they have done away with LPN's for the most part adding workload to the RNs,not concerned for heath or care of folks that need it the most,getum in an getum out,only the bottom line is important
All is not lost. One of my daughters works for a large nursing home chain and Quality of Life is their big issue at this time. This is what they are working on to fill their beds. another nurse and still proud of it