Question

Nurse Frank Brown has been a nurse in the intensive care unit (ICU) for at least 15 years and is extremely clinically proficient. Today he is caring for Mrs. Gonzalez, a young mother of two who is recovering from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident. Mrs. Gonzalez is very anxious about being in the hospital without seeing her children and wants to be able to see them, although they are very young and not typically allowed in the ICU. Mrs. Gonzalez asks Nurse Brown if they can visit. He tells Mrs. Gonzalez that children under the age of 12 years are not permitted by the hospital rules to enter the ICU and exits the bedside. Mrs. Gonzalez begins to cry because she knows her family is worried about her and she knows the children have been crying for her at home. Nurse Brown gives report to the next 12-hour shift and reports that Mrs. Gonzalez is trying to go against hospital policy and that the department needs to be united in adhering to rules. If you were the nurse manager, how would you handle this situation? Was the behavior that Nurse Brown exhibited professional or family-centered behavior? What would be a good solution for Mrs. Gonzalez and her family? How would you demonstrate professionalism in this example? With technology that is available are there additional solutions?

Answer 1

Being in the place of the nurse manager some of the best way to handle this situation are assess the patients psychological status , the benefits and harm, if a child visits them in all stand point right from the ICU environment to patient condition.The expectations and the impact on the child before and after a visit to their mom.If it is going to improve the patient's condition and provide a comfort relief ,hope and confidence in the family then the child can be allowed with all necessary precautions and preventive measures after getting approval from the management. This can be a good solution too otherwise a psychological support will be needed on both end.

The nurse's behavior was professional centered by not encouraging the visit and abiding and sticking to the rules and regulations of the organization.

The way to exhibit professionalism is by explaining in a gentle manner and assuring to provide a remedy.

Video call can be established or a telephonic conversation can be done in these types of situations.