I (Denise) totally went off on the charge nurse this morning. The Durable Medical Equipment provider came by to switch Mary’s Trilogy from bipap mode to ventilator circuits and settings. The charge nurse said to the nurse and DME provider out in the hallway, “I didn’t know you were coming. We can’t put her on it today it will have to be tomorrow – she’ll have to be back on the hospital vent tonight.” I went out to the hallway and said, no, the plan was for today. She’s supposed to be discharged tomorrow. This has been the plan since Friday!
The case manager joined the conversation too. Somebody dropped the ball and didn’t schedule extra staff for tonight – their system can’t monitor the Trilogy from the nurses’ station, so they have to have a nurse in the room monitoring overnight. The charge nurse finally went off to find someone to come in for 7pm tonight. The nurse came in and talked to me and said this charge nurse is like that. I told her we’ve been in THIS room for 10 days, right across from the nurses’ station. I’ve seen this guy around, I never knew he was a charge nurse, he’s never even made eye contact with me let alone step foot in the room or meet Mary. The other charge nurses come in throughout their shifts and check on us. I also vented to her about them changing staff on us every day (she’s new this morning to Mary). She went through Mary’s chart notes and read off the name of every nurse she’s had in this unit so I could make a list and make specific requests if/when we’re back here. I know I’m dealing with frustration, lack of sleep and my own anxiety about this whole thing, but seriously, don’t make us suffer because you idiots can’t communicate! About an hour later, the charge nurse came in to Mary’s room (for the first time EVER) and said that everything was set up for tonight. I could smell the cigarette smoke on him. So, he’s the charge nurse on a Respiratory Care unit, where they are trying to convince COPD patients to quit smoking, and where there is a big sign that says “NO SCENTS OR PERFUMES” and he can be in here smelling of cigarette smoke?
I can’t wait for the “Patient Satisfaction Survey”.
On another note, we are expecting a potential caregiver for an in-person interview in 30 minutes, and I had a phone message from another potential caregiver. I also contacted our neighbor who is a hospital Respiratory Therapist, and she is indeed very familiar with trachs and ventilators and is willing to be a resource for us out in the boonies where we live. Just our luck to share a property line with her!