Comments on: A nurse lists a dead patient as stable http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/nurse-lists-dead-patient-as-stable.html Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:56:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/nurse-lists-dead-patient-as-stable.html#comment-73002 Anonymous Mon, 19 Mar 2007 04:57:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/a-nurse-lists-a-dead-patient-as-stable.html#comment-73002 Actually, a dead patient is anything but stable - decomposition, after all, involves lots of biological activity. Actually, a dead patient is anything but stable – decomposition, after all, involves lots of biological activity.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/nurse-lists-dead-patient-as-stable.html#comment-72989 Anonymous Sun, 18 Mar 2007 12:20:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/a-nurse-lists-a-dead-patient-as-stable.html#comment-72989 As a medical student in the VA I complained that the resident made us take everyone's vitals ourselves every morning. One day we found one dead, cold, and starting to stiffen--the VA nurse had charted normal vital signs 20 minutes before. <br/><br/>I never complained about that again. <br/><br/>If you really want to know something and don't have experience validating the integrity of the specific individual reporting, check yourself. As a medical student in the VA I complained that the resident made us take everyone’s vitals ourselves every morning. One day we found one dead, cold, and starting to stiffen–the VA nurse had charted normal vital signs 20 minutes before.

I never complained about that again.

If you really want to know something and don’t have experience validating the integrity of the specific individual reporting, check yourself.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/nurse-lists-dead-patient-as-stable.html#comment-72988 Anonymous Sun, 18 Mar 2007 12:16:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/a-nurse-lists-a-dead-patient-as-stable.html#comment-72988 The key members of our healthcare team are the nurses who actually take the vital signs, not the chart jockies.<br/><br/>What really tells the tale about what is wrong with our government is that these folks never get fired. All sorts of excuses are made such as citing what they contribute. But the fact is, if they can't be trusted, you are better off with the task to not be done at all. I would rather see no vital signs be charted than to not be able to trust what is that--if I see a blank, I know that I need to take them myself if I want to know. The malfeasance is due to laziness. The failure to fire them is also due to laziness and cowardice.<br/><br/>It really tells the tale about our institutions and culture that people excuse lying on medical records. The key members of our healthcare team are the nurses who actually take the vital signs, not the chart jockies.

What really tells the tale about what is wrong with our government is that these folks never get fired. All sorts of excuses are made such as citing what they contribute. But the fact is, if they can’t be trusted, you are better off with the task to not be done at all. I would rather see no vital signs be charted than to not be able to trust what is that–if I see a blank, I know that I need to take them myself if I want to know. The malfeasance is due to laziness. The failure to fire them is also due to laziness and cowardice.

It really tells the tale about our institutions and culture that people excuse lying on medical records.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/nurse-lists-dead-patient-as-stable.html#comment-72970 Anonymous Sat, 17 Mar 2007 16:08:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/a-nurse-lists-a-dead-patient-as-stable.html#comment-72970 Come on Concierge the nurse was charting stable on a DEAD patient. If that isn't professional malfeasence I don't know what is. I really haven't figured out what you have to do (or not do) in the VA system to actually get fired. What a sad way to treat our vets. Come on Concierge the nurse was charting stable on a DEAD patient. If that isn’t professional malfeasence I don’t know what is. I really haven’t figured out what you have to do (or not do) in the VA system to actually get fired. What a sad way to treat our vets.

]]> By: Conciergedochttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/nurse-lists-dead-patient-as-stable.html#comment-72960 Conciergedoc Sat, 17 Mar 2007 13:21:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/a-nurse-lists-a-dead-patient-as-stable.html#comment-72960 Com on docs, let's not attack key members of our patient care team. They are just as overworked as well are. Com on docs, let’s not attack key members of our patient care team. They are just as overworked as well are.

]]> By: The Medicine Manhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/nurse-lists-dead-patient-as-stable.html#comment-72958 The Medicine Man Sat, 17 Mar 2007 07:03:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/a-nurse-lists-a-dead-patient-as-stable.html#comment-72958 Strictly speaking, dead patients are in fact <i>exceedingly</i> "stable".<br/><br/>John Strictly speaking, dead patients are in fact exceedingly “stable”.

John

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/nurse-lists-dead-patient-as-stable.html#comment-72956 Anonymous Sat, 17 Mar 2007 06:19:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/a-nurse-lists-a-dead-patient-as-stable.html#comment-72956 Ahh... 'radar-vitals' - my favorite. <br/><br/>As in every profession, there are some excellent nurses, lots of average nurses, and a few terrible, terrible nurses. Ahh… ‘radar-vitals’ – my favorite.

As in every profession, there are some excellent nurses, lots of average nurses, and a few terrible, terrible nurses.

]]> By: Happymanhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/nurse-lists-dead-patient-as-stable.html#comment-72942 Happyman Fri, 16 Mar 2007 22:41:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/a-nurse-lists-a-dead-patient-as-stable.html#comment-72942 you mean "20" isn't a normal respiratory rate? i always thought i was just really calm, breathing at like 10-12. you mean “20″ isn’t a normal respiratory rate? i always thought i was just really calm, breathing at like 10-12.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/nurse-lists-dead-patient-as-stable.html#comment-72939 Anonymous Fri, 16 Mar 2007 20:12:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/a-nurse-lists-a-dead-patient-as-stable.html#comment-72939 I was always amazed how all four patients in a room at my training VA hospital always had the same vital signs as each other. The place was famous for miracles. I was always amazed how all four patients in a room at my training VA hospital always had the same vital signs as each other. The place was famous for miracles.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/nurse-lists-dead-patient-as-stable.html#comment-72934 Anonymous Fri, 16 Mar 2007 18:16:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/a-nurse-lists-a-dead-patient-as-stable.html#comment-72934 yes. how about when they chart bp 60/40 and you have to READ it on the chart in the morning on rounds.. (IE they didnt CALL ME). that happened in my surgical internship. yes. how about when they chart bp 60/40 and you have to READ it on the chart in the morning on rounds.. (IE they didnt CALL ME). that happened in my surgical internship.

]]>