As a retired nurse, I understand how incredibly busy the hospital staff is. But with family not allowed in the hospital, how are you choosing to keep the family informed? Calls, emails, texts?

We are using phone calls. In my experience the families have been incredibly understanding and thankful, which is a blessing.

My niece has always thanked the nurses and inquired after them - But - she has to call them (choosing as best she can a not so busy time) -they never initiate the call. She has spoken to the doctor three times in 23 days, and one was when they wanted to secure a DNR "just in case". So are you all initiating the calls or waiting for the family? What is a reasonable number of times to touch base on any given day?

Please bear in mind, families now need you to impart real information. Be their eyes and ears. Normally, the family at the bedside get to ask questions all day long and catch the doctor at the bedside once or twice a day. these are hard times for everyone!

Thank you so much for sharing this. I know it is so emotionally hard as well as physically tiring. Thank you for your sacrifice.

wbt5845 said:

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Another older patient with dementia in pre-op kept asking for her family and couldn't understand why they weren't there. She started crying and screaming for them and they finally had to sedate her.

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One of the saddest things I've read yet about the impacts of Covid.

Absolutely!

My Uncle has been hospitalized for 18 days, on a vent for 15. A doctor has spoken to my niece 3 times. A nurse never calls. My niece initiates EVERY call. Is this normal in your experience?

benchmark said:

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My Uncle has been hospitalized for 18 days, on a vent for 15. A doctor has spoken to my niece 3 times. A nurse never calls. My niece initiates EVERY call. Is this normal in your experience?

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It is fairly typical. In general (in my experience), ICU nurses are used to communicating with families during the narrow established visiting hours and tend to not call folks on the phone unless there has been a status change. I think there are some patterns that need to be changed given the situation.

All I can really do is encourage her to keep calling.