Hi Karen. Thank you once again for bringing to light evidence that we as people who live in pain must stand up for one another. I wonder too why no one seemed to have stayed with this patient who obvipusly was not in a position to advocate for herself.
This sickens me, it saddens me. What is the reason for staying in the medical field that creates such hateful expressions? Why did these two nurses need to cause at the very least humulation to this patient? What ever happened to dignity even in times of poor helath?
I am angry and hurt that fellow sisters and brothers could think for any reason that this was appropriate and kind. Compassion is something that those who are in care taker positions must have. I don't care hw unruly, obnoxious a patient may become, there are other actions and techniques that are the correct ad humane way of dealing with these occassions. God forbid I hate to think what could have happened to me when I had my first child in 1973 without any pain medication. During the final stages of labor I became quite vocal and loud. Thank God my husband was with me and my birthing team were not offended.
I've been blessed so far in my 28 years of living with chronic pain to not have had the need for an ER room. My fingers, my toes are crossed and my prayers said that this never be the need.
This is outrageous! It's scary to think that anyone in the health care industry has become so hard hearted.
My daughter-in-law recently had a similar situation. She broke her knee and had surgery a couple of months ago. She fell backwards soon after going home from the hospital. She went back to the doctor who told her she had just strained some musclces and sent her home. The pain continued getting worse and she called the doctor's office several times for pain meds. They refused to prescribe any and insinuated she was a drug seeker. Then they refused to return her phone calls. She finally went to the emergency room and they discovered that she had rebroken her knee when she fell 5-6 weeks earlier.
Is there any recourse when doctors are negligent? Firing the nurses was appropriate and they should never be allowed to practice nursing again, but what good does that do the patient?
I had a brain tumor for 6 years and after Doctors didn't find it the excuse was that I was drug seeking or because I was a woman (Ill never understand that one) If it wasn't for 1 Doctor who was a P.A. my brain tumor would've never been found and I would be dead and she beleived I was in pain and gave me pain medication. One thing Doctors have to relize they are not God and they do make mistakes and seriously why would anybody "be drug seeking" for 10 years? Most people probably would've had tried suicide after being told this because I know I thought about it thinking there was no help and I could'nt live with the pain. So I've learned never take what a Doctor says no matter how many say it you know your body better than anybody and you will eventually find one who is willing to care enough to find out what is causing the pain.
Wow. It never ceases to amaze me how cruel people can be to one another. I do not understand how people even come up with an idea like that. As both a nurse and a chronic pain patient (I even battle depression and attemped suicide 12 years ago) I can look and understand all sides of this scenario. There is no reason what so ever any person should be treated this way. I don't care if the patient attempted suicide, was extremely difficult or even abusive themselves, was a drug addict, a criminal, or whatever, this should not have happened. I do agree that the nurses should have been fired. I would like to think that those of us in the healthcare field there because we are caring people who wish to help others, but the reality is there are too many people who choose our field because of the salary. Those nurses give the rest of us a bad name. I feel so bad for that poor woman. And I agree with all the comments posted by the three ladies before me. How I wish human beings were kinder to one another...
Hi Karen
As soon as I saw that story...I wanted to pass it along to you because I knew your members would be as outraged as we are.
It sickens and frightens me too. I could not get that image of that poor woman out of my mind...wanting help and then being abused in this way in a hospital of all places.
I wonder as you do...about all the unanswered questions.
Maybe such a story will provoke a change in how medical staff are educated and trained. Such situations are not new. There are many people with chronic pain and anxiety who come for help.
On the anxiety site I had written about my personal story of how my history of depression and anxiety had altered the quality of medical care I received. I believe that every patient deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
Thanks again for giving your point of view on this news story. Let's hope this never happens again to another patient.
I can't imgine that any healthcare person should even be employed who would even think of taping a patients mouth shut no matter what the circumstances where. And laughing about what is wrong with people? People are not animals and I can't imgine even treating an animal like that. That is why you should never leave a loved one alone in a hospital just in case instances like this happen. People in pain especially the elderly need someone to speak for them it's not like anybody would ever choose to go to a hospital for being in pain unless it was extreme anyway. I have never been so shocked by anything I have ever heard than a nurse taping anybodys mouth shut What's next a women in labor?
That poor woman, I suffer from Chronic pain and have been prescribed everything from T3s to present medication - Morphine.
I also suffer from Rheumatoid, Psoriatic Arthritis and Fibromyalgia, so everything hurts me more than the healthy person.
I went to ER because I had a serious cold and I know with my illnesses it has to be checked. The Dr came in and his first words to me were "why are you on narcotics"? He was abrupt and his tone was not a caring tone.
Fortunately my husband was there and he told the Dr I have a bad cold so the narcotic questions are not relevant! However you have to know she suffers from RA, PA & FM...
The rest of the time was tense, he ordered an X Ray then said it was fine just go home it will pass. A few days later my own Dr phoned to tell me I had Pneumonia and asked what antibiotic I was on... when I told him that I was prescribed nothing as the Dr at ER told me i was fine.
I could have died from the Pneumonia just because too many doctors & nurses have a bad attitude toward 'narcotic' users. Before anyone asks - No I didn't put in a complaint against the Dr because I was afraid I would run into him again when I need emergency help... (another problem with us 'narcotic' users, we over explain ourselves or fear that we get admitted and they don't deal with our pain - that really scares me!
I'm lucky I have a good Family Dr and Rheumatologist.
This treatment of Chronic Pain sufferers has to stop... we are treated at times as if we are the scum of the earth because we 'use' narcotics.... such crap!
Part of my job as a Pharmacy Technician at a large hospital is to deliver narcotics to the nursing units. I also suffer from Fibromyalgia and CFS. I can not begin to count the times I have heard nurses complain about having to give pain medicine or say that this patient doesn't "really" need it, or they are lying about it not working. It makes me so angry that they assume that when you require a higher dose, which is often the case when you take pain medicine on a dailey bases, that you are a drug seeker. I can say that for me and most people with chronic pain that I would be much happier NOT taking any pain medicine. It scares me to think about being admitted to a hospital and lying there in pain because nurses are not trained trained properly in pain management.
This story reminds me of the time I was in critical care following brain surgery. There was only one other bed in the room and a full-time nurse was attending us. The woman in the other bed had suffered a stroke and appeared to be unconscoius.
Another nurse entered the room to perform a minor function and, as she approached the woman's bed, she exclaimed in a loud voice, "Well how are you feeling, Mary? Who knows! Who cares!"
I hope Mary was truly unconscious but I know that some stroke victims can hear. I should have said something to this irresponsible nurse but I had my own problems to deal with and I certainly didn't want to alienate her at that time.
Karen, As I read this article with total disbelief that it did occur, I realized that members of my chosen profession need to leave nursing with that behavior. I can admit in the many years of my practice, I might have thought about taping someone's mouth shut but never acted upon it. When I was an active RN, I worked with adult medical oconology patients. They always received their medications from me without any questions. I sadly had to stop working due to fibromyalgia, multiple back surgeries. I go to a pain clinic and am always treated with kindness and respect. I went into nursing because it was a calling for me and I wanted to help improve the lives of my patients. Didn't go into it for the money and job security as some people now do. I miss working as a nurse everyday and would be so glad to find someway to work as one. I hope those nurses realize what they did was very wrong and evaluate why they became nurses.
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Karen,
I posted this comment on the anxiety site. I hope it's okay to repeat it here. If not, please delete it for me. Thanks!
Although nothing as serious happened, when my older daughter was 19 and took an overdose of antianxiety meds, I took her to the ER at a local hospital. The medical staff who worked on her expressed very negative attitudes toward her in talking to her, because she'd attempted suicide. Thankfully, she doesn't remember much that happened for a couple of days. My daughter had taken the pills at night, and I didn't know till the next morning. Even a good friend of mine who came to the hospital to be with us asked me if I wasn't mad at her. I was not, as I'd had suicidal thoughts in the past myself and had once taken more Xanax than I should. I knew the painful feelings a person has when suicidal and could not be angry with my child for acting on those feelings. I was just glad that the amount of medication she took was not enough to do permanent damage. She had actually been able to get up and call in to work to tell them she wouldn't be able to work. When I went into her room to talk to her, I found the empty bottle which had been full the night before. I don't think it's right for nurses and other hospital staff to show their judgmental attitudes toward those they are treating. Having a negative opinion about what someone has done is okay; being open and showing it to the patient is not professional and can be damaging.
patsy