Nurse Complaint Question

beachykeen1723

Here is what happened: 

Cooper has been doing really well- We got to start kangarooing on Monday, and he has been responding really well to it- he didn't desat at all the 2 nights after we did it. This afternoon I went in and he was fine, I held him for about an hour, and then called an hour after I left to make sure he was still okay, since he usually desats a lot if he gets over stimulated, and his nurse said he was fine. 

We went in there this evening (8pm) and they had him on 100% oxygen, up from 50% before shift change (7pm). That was the first thing that upset me, I have never seen them do that before, but I wasn't there when it went up so I figured they know best.

We just did not get good vibes from the nurse- she spoke very loudly, and didn't listen when I told her Cooper likes to be swaddled.  The isolette cover was also on backwards, and he just did not respond well to her. I have never felt uncomfortable with a nurse before, and I wanted to stay all night because I just didn't feel comfortable with her. I know these are all little things, but I'm not willing to ignore anything when it comes to my baby. 

Am I crazy? Did you ever have to complain about a nurse? I am planning on talking to the charge nurse tomorrow and requesting that we don't have this nurse again- we are working on getting primaries, so hopefully once we do this will not be a problem...

TriciaJoy

talking to the charge nurse is the right thing to do.

I look at it this way- If they had been born full term and came home, you would never hire someone who made you uncomfortable. You would want someone not just qualified and capable of keeping them alive, but someone who cared for them, comforted them, and was generally good for not just their physical health, but emotional as well.

don't feel bad about it. YOU are his mother and your instincts are very important.

msalinardi@live.com

I totally agree. If you are uncomfortable with something, do not be afraid  to speak to the charge nurse. Also, I would question why the O2 was so high and also ask if they could lower it. My DD had a hard time with destating and some nurses would just leave it high and only lower it when we asked. Other nurses were on top of it and as soon as her blood oxygen level was back above 95%, they would turn the O2 down. This is your child and you have every right to make sure things are done right for him. Good luck!

KellyMichelle

We mostly had wonderful nurses, but we had one with a situation similar to yours.  We talked to the charge nurse and asked for her not to be with DS.  It is important that you have someone that you and your baby feel comfortable with.

jehprb

You have just as much right to ask for the nurses you like as you do to request not having the ones you don't - there doesn't even have to be a reason :hug:

Ali05

((hugs)) I had DS at 30 weeks due to HELLP as well. I did have a similar experience. You have enough stress without feeling safe about your baby's care. Do talk to the charge nurse. As a side note- My friend is a NICU nurse and she has been asked before not be around some babies....and has been asked to be other babies primary nurse. Either way she is not offended and realizes that the parents need to be at ease. 

AFwife1106

We've had issues before.. It's usually an issue between the shifts, that one nurse will do something and the next nurse won't or doesn't know what is going on.

I'm going to throw a fit tomorrow if they don't change her feeding schedule. The doctor was supposed to put in orders to bottle feed her at every feedings and didn't.. so she's still at every other.  

The feedings are the only thing that is keeping her there.  The dayshift nurse KNEW we were pushing for this and totally left without making sure LO had the orders.  The doctor has 40 babies to worry about, she had 4.. I can understand where the dr wouldn't be worried about LO and her bottles, since she's not even in the NICU anymore and they have babies that need more attention and have bigger issues.. but the nurse should have made sure that the orders were there. 

Anyways, you have to stand up and say what you want.  If you don't like the nurse, do something about it.  We've had to do that in the past, and we were right about what was going on and the nurse was wrong.  You know your baby better than they do.  Follow your instincts.  You aren't crazy for complaining.  I just try to pick my battles.  That would be my only advice.  GL!

lemen99

Speak up in a polite way!  We had a nurse we weren't very comfortable with and we politley hinted (stronger than hinting but not a direct complaint) and never had her again.

beachykeen1723

Thank you everyone!!! We called last night, and Cooper is back on the CPAP. The charge nurse was a little defensive of her, and so I said that Cooper just didn't respond well to her- since when I was there with him last night his sats were in the 90s.

I'm going to talk to the charge nurse today and directly ask that he not have her again.  I'll definatley be polite about it. Hopefully he does better today and they can get him off the CPAP again soon!

Million$$Baby

Absolutely talk to the charge nurse and ask not to have that nurse again

I did that once. Lily had a nurse who put her on the cannula while we were holding her but never turned it on and didn't notice! Then I returned from pumping to find that Lily had yankrd off her CPAP and was desating away with no nurse in sight.

You have the right to be comfortable with you nurses. Do what you need to do! Good luck!

southphilly

this is totally your right.  I have asked that a nurse not be reassigned.  I didn't give a ton of reasons b/c I didn't see any reason to "throw her under the bus" I just left it at "our personalities don't mesh."  there are tons of nurses.  she can care for another baby.

beachykeen1723

I called and just said that he didn't respond well to her, and that I would rather not have her again, and that was all I needed to say. Thank you all for the reassurance!!