Did you catch today's On Call teleconference with patient advocate Sorrel King? If you had a question or comment that you didn't get to share, here's your chance to weigh in. Sorrel will check this blog frequently and respond to your questions for the next few weeks.
Just click on the "Comments" link at the bottom of this post and leave your question or comment.
If you didn't catch the call, check out the recording and transcript. You can also watch a video of Sorrel telling the story of her daughter Josie, who died in 2001 as a result of medical errors.
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4 comments:
My name is Lynn Pronschinske, I am an RN and a current Master's of Nursing Education Student. My Thesis is senior nursing student's perceptions on vigilance in patient care delivery in the clinical setting. Senior nursing students are in the hospital setting with their nursing instructor, and paired up with the staff nurse to deliver care to patients. From a family members perspective, what advice would you give a nursing student regarding the safety of medication delivery to the patient?
Thanks,
Lynn RNBSN
Great question. As a nursing student, your studies and your supervisor are excellent resources. And the hands-on training with patients is essential. While patients and their family members usually don't have the intense training that you have had, they are really important members of the healthcare team, too. Of course, some patients are unable to speak or manage their medications, but in the cases where they are, communicate with them. Let them know what medicine they are getting, how much, why, and what the possible side effects are, any appropriate information that informs and doesn't overwhelm. A patient's family member may be better equipped to pay close attention to the medications. At the Josie King Foundation, we encourage patients and their families to write this sort of information down...one less thing to remember during a stressful time. Also, encourage the patient and their family to ask questions and speak up about concerns that they may have. This sort of in-hospital communication also lays the ground work for the transition out of the hospital. In most cases, discharged patients continue some sort of medication regimen when they are home. It is helps the transition from in-patient to out-patient if the medication regimen has been something they have been actively involved in before.
Thanks for the question. If you would like I would be happy to send you a Care Journal. Many hospitals have partnered with the Josie King Foundation on this project. It is a little green journal for patients to use so that they can write down the important information that they are getting from the nurses and doctors. Think of it as a 30-day diary that has places to record information like name of medical staff on duty, medication directives, questions to ask the caregivers, etc. If you are interested in the Care Journal, just shoot an email to carejournal@josieking.org. Keep up the good work.
Sorrel
Sorrel has left the building -- her "rotation" for answering questions in this forum has ended. But please feel free to continue the conversation!
Sorrel,
I am an "old" doc. I heard you at West Virginia University today. I have been retired for several years, but I can't leave Medicine in my mind.
The Care for the Caregiver was the part that got to me. I would ask students why we use the word "Practice" Medicine. My answer is we never get it all right, but we try. My devastating experience came just a little over a month from graduation. A man came in about 4 times in 2 days. We couldn't find anything wrong with him. The last time he came in dead. Even though the coroner could find nothing wrong to explain his death, I could not even share my pain (when I didn't know the report yet) with my wife.
Keep up your good work.
Dick Iammarino
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