Coffee Break
by

This is exactly why Nursing Home runs scare me. I went to a run at a local home, the patient was reported to have severe breathing difficulty. We get there, and there are about 5-6 nurses and aides sitting at the nurses station chatting away, drinking their evening coffee. I was thinking that this must be a pretty well staffed place...

We were directed to a room at the very end of the hall, I enter the room first expecting to find at least one nurse, maybe an RT. or the House Doc. Guess what? The only one in the room was the patient. She was in fact having breathing difficulties, so severe in fact, she had stopped breathing completely and was in full arrest. We began care when the charge nurse came in and asked what was happening, as she wiped what appeared to be sleep from her eyes, she began screaming at everyone in sight.

Well, this poor lady (the patient) never had a chance, although we did all we could. I have to wonder though, Why was she left alone? How long was she alone? I was going to ask how I could reserve a room there for my retirement, but thought it might me wise to bite my tongue Hmmm... Just wondering.