Today was another low key day with Sara. We spent the afternoon watching "Most Extreme Elimination Challenge" (MXC). My dad stopped by for a quick visit too. That was nice. He hadn't seen Sara in quite some time. Only thing medically interesting is, I found out that there is apparently no order for the nurses to be putting on Sara's foot and hand bracer's. She is supposed to have them on periodically. I know that myself, Kristina, and Mike put them on her when we visit. But apparently, unless we have told the nurses to do so, It hasn't been getting done otherwise. I informed Kristina about this, so it shouldn't be a problem anymore. I showed tonights nurse how to put them on. And she picked some times to take them on and off for the rest of her shift.
Ok, that is the end of the relevant stuff. The rest of this entry is just some observations/gripes I've made regarding Nurses having problems adjusting to communicating with Sara.
I know Kristina has noticed this, and I'm starting to notice it more too now. People unconsciously talk to Sara in a loud voice, I think peoples minds put them under the assumption that she has trouble understanding things because she can't talk I guess... Today's nurse was particularly bad about it. Also, she kept asking Me what Sara wanted, as though I could read her mind. I kept telling her "I don't know, ask her." After I explained how Sara communicates, she got a bit better about it. I've noticed that often, nurses will ask Sara a question without first Knowing how Sara Answers.
Nurse:"How are you doing today?"
Sara: *blink*
Nurse: "What does that mean?"
Me: *sigh*
I don't blame them for their initial question being a non yes/no question, although it can get annoying for me sometimes. It takes a bit of conscious thought to form all your questions into Yes/no format. I know it took me a while. I just wish they could learn how to do basic communication with Sara without somebody else's help. Like perhaps put it in Sara's chart. Because most of them don't see the sign posted over Sara's bed with the communication info on it. Sometimes I worry that a nurse will have no idea how to communicate with Sara and will either stop trying, or just assume she can't communicate at all. I've also noticed that most of the nurses Don't know when Sara is trying to get their attention. (She will start blinking constantly until it is recognized that she has the targets attention) That seems like another thing that would be worth putting in her chart. (I don't even know if Sara's chart would be an appropriate place for this stuff, But I hear nurses saying stuff about seeing or not seeing something in a patient's chart all the time. I figure it would be a good start.)
~Daniel H.
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I understand your frustrations, Daniel. Take a deep breath and remember that people become nurses because they want to help people. Its a lot easier and a lot quicker for them to ask you than to wade through reams of medical paperwork looking for that information. Keep doing what you're doing. The more you interact with them and guide them, the better they will be able to do their jobs.
ReplyDeleteKaren Winfield (from martial arts)