Question

I have a questions for you all to answer.

The patietn is an 84 year old white female with severaly advanced alzheimers dementia. She is alert to self only. She is easily agiatated, very confused and a screamer. And I mean she SCREAMS and cusses and hollars and SCREAMS some more. Obviously she is a nursing home patient. SHe is in the hospital becasue of renal failure, her BUN is 105, her creatinine is 4.0, she is in fluid overload and very very uncomfortable. She is dying.
The problem comes from this, the other day while I am caring for this patient, the CNA goes into her room to give her her am care, well, the patient started screaming and cussing, and was calling this CNA the N word, telling her that she didn't want (in so many words) a black person touching her.
The CNA filed a complaint agianst the patient for verbally abusing her. The hospital has launched an investigation.
My question is this, why is the hospital taking this seriously? Should they be? What do you all think should happen in this situation? What WILL happen?

amberdouglas wrote:I have a questions for you all to answer.

The patietn is an 84 year old white female with severaly advanced alzheimers dementia. She is alert to self only. She is easily agiatated, very confused and a screamer. And I mean she SCREAMS and cusses and hollars and SCREAMS some more. Obviously she is a nursing home patient. SHe is in the hospital becasue of renal failure, her BUN is 105, her creatinine is 4.0, she is in fluid overload and very very uncomfortable. She is dying.
The problem comes from this, the other day while I am caring for this patient, the CNA goes into her room to give her her am care, well, the patient started screaming and cussing, and was calling this CNA the N word, telling her that she didn't want (in so many words) a black person touching her.
The CNA filed a complaint agianst the patient for verbally abusing her. The hospital has launched an investigation.
My question is this, why is the hospital taking this seriously? Should they be? What do you all think should happen in this situation? What WILL happen?

Hmmmm....where to start with this one! Seeing as I work with this type of patient, I will answer.

First off, the patient has a dx of dementia. That alone puts up a flag. Often, these patients do NOT know what they say, or remember things one moment to the next. I have one who does something similar.

Perhaps the following link would be beneficial to any and all of your aides and staff who work with this type of patient:

Nursing Assistant Education


Of course the hospital has to take what the aide says seriously, but should also consider the dx.

Keep us posted, ok?

'Cat'

I see this kinda stuff where I work to. None of the staff takes it seriously because of the dx. Hmm I have been called slut, no good women etc. I just blow it off. Not sure what to think other than CNA may need a new line of work because she is gonna hear alot worse from dementia.