Private nurse for Lenox Hill Hospital?

[ImpOssibleOne]

It probably isn't necessary but I could have used one for the night shifts. I was a Stanford Hospital for two nights after an ALIF and both nights I had to wait a long time for pain meds...over an hour the first night when my pump clogged and my call button had fallen on the floor. Next night the nurse went to get my Vicodin and got distracted by a post op admit. Had to wait another hour.

Daytimes, the opposite is true. They never leave you alone.

[Katie]

So would they just bug the night shift to get the proper meds if the other nurse was busy? How would they assist with that? If my husband stayed overnight if we got a private room, would that be just as effective?

[Justin]

Katie, the private nurse doesn't sound like a "nurse" but a nurse aide or a medical assistant. Usually the NA/MA have very limited clinical knowledge and are mainly there to "keep watch" of patients.

[Katie]

So to be blunt, what use would they be, and if any, how do you go about getting one? (I haven't checked the Lenox Hill site yet...on my way to see if they address this)

[Justin]

Katie, I don't personally see how their added cost would be justified. They are usually assigned to patients that have psych issues or dementia (they frequently try to pull out IVs, forget where they are and try to get out of bed [hip fracture risk], etc.).

If you need a nurse, there are "nurse call" buttons on the hospital bed or built in with the remote.

I think you should get a private nurse if it makes you feel more comfortable, but the care you receive should be very good at Lenox Hill.

Good luck!

[Katie]

Thanks Justin. I had been scrolling through the archives here and came across a few posts that recommended having a private nurse at the Lenox, that the night staff is often short handed, etc.

I have had experience with a family member who had serious problems with Crohn's disease, home TPN, iliostomies and had over a dozen surgeries. I was there when he was literally crying because of the pain, and experienced the shortage of nurses which led to missed medications. They then got very defensive and any intervention through the doctors the next morning just made things worse the next time.

So having gone through that, I am a little gun-shy about having proper pain management I hope I don't sound paranoid, just pro-active.

Thanks for your information, and I hope those archived posts were just that, things of the past.

[Katie]

PS, I really miss your old avatar with the bony x-ray

Although I always appreciate pictures of our four legged friends. Who is that anyway?