Question:
Has anyone hired a private nurse to stay in the hospital
and then to help at home for a few days after surgery? Would hospitals allow a private nurse to keep you company in the room? I'm not suggesting that the nurse will actually do any nursing work during the hospital stay, but to ensure everything is under control. Is this a crazy idea? — vitoria (posted on July 6, 2004)
July 6, 2004
You won't need a nurse probably. I had LAP on 10/8/2002 and went home two
days later. I was back at work (foolishly) one week after the surgery. The
plastic surgery (abdominoplasty and full belt lipectomy) was far worse.
Neither needed a private duty nurse. Good luck to you. Feel free to email
me ([email protected]) if you need further information or have any
questions.
— Steve B.
July 6, 2004
I guess you could have a private nurse, but I don't think you will need
one. However, once you have one, I find that hospital staff leaves that
person to tend to your needs for the most part, and does the bare minimum
they are responsible for. I'd just as soon have a friend/family member
spend a good part of they day with you to advocate for you if necessary,
ie. quicken the response of a nurse, etc.. It probably is a better thing
that you do more for yourself since you will have to be more mobile once
you get home. Good luck!
— Fixnmyself
July 6, 2004
I do not think that the hospital would allow it for their own liability
issues. You really do not want someone keeping you company in the room.
When you want to take a nap or need to take a nap you will want to do just
that and not have to worry about someone else being in the room. I think
that you would have a tendancy to stay awake more knowing that there is
someone else in the room. It sounds like you have some questions in your
mind that the hospital that you are going to is not equipped to handle
bariatric patients. Why else would you want to have a private nurse hired
to stay with you? Maybe you need to research the hospital that you are
staying at a little more to see how they handle bariatric patients. Having
the nurse at home with you for a few days afterwards is ok, but you really
need to get up on your feet and do as much on your own as possible because
that helps the healing process along. Good luck.
— ChristineB
July 6, 2004
private duty nurses are common in hospitals, my wife is a RN and is always
happy for someone to share the load. But I doubt its necessary, although my
wife jen stayed with me the first night, and I was happy for the company.
Getyting a close friend to stay the night is probablly better, and less
costly. I was so worried about sleep apnes, I welcomed having someone
around to keep a eye on me. Check with the hospital in advance as you will
likely need a private room to have anyone stay. Thats probably a out of
pocket expense depending on the hospital. DO discuss this with your
surgeon.
— bob-haller
July 6, 2004
Do you have a husband or friend that could stay with you? I don't think
you need a nurse, but my dh was helpful when I was trying to walk around,
plus, when I developed some fluid in my lungs, he was there to pound on my
back. That was a real treat.
— mom2jtx3
July 7, 2004
As a nurse and a patient i can say im been on both sides of the fence.first
off , if you hire a nurse the staff wont do anything for you.as drousy as
you will be i sugust a friend or family to be your advacate. you may not go
whats going on but they will and it can be reassuring to you. i had several
complications post op(CHF and pulumary edema) and the nurse wouldnt even
listen to me.my husband had to call the hospital at 3am after i called him
frantic. they finally the dr was called and the shit hit the fan.i had
$0lbs of fluid on my lungs and the nurse told me i was anxious and to go to
bed.the dr wasnt called for 4 hrs and he was pissed.have some one that can
speck for you there at least for the first night.GOod luck!Tracey
— traceybubbles
July 7, 2004
I go along with the suggestion of a friend or relative staying, if allowed.
Of course, if you can afford to pay privately for a nurse to stay, good for
you! Your insurance will not likely cover a private duty nurse. (I have
never seen a policy that will.) You may be talking anywhere from $30.00 to
$40.00 per hour, depending on the part of the country you are in, for an
RN. I didn't need anyone with me, in the hospital or at home, because I was
determined to get my butt out of bed, and stay out of bed, and off my butt,
as much as possible, and do for myself! Where I had surgery, the staff
offered to open the sleeper couch and make up a bed for my husband to stay
the night, but I sent him home, since I knew he was tired. Personally, I
think hiring a private nurse is a huge waste of money!
— koogy
July 7, 2004
I doubt the hospital would let you bring your own private nurse in. Like
another poster said, there would probably be liability issues. However, I
had complications that kept me in the hospital a few months. My sister took
a leave of absence to stay with me but eventually had to go back home. We
found out that some of the nurses at the hospital worked privately at
peoples homes in there off time. Since I was so sick and my husband, who is
self employed, had to work we lined up one of those nurses to stay at home
with me. There are also home health care programs affiliated with the
hospital that can assist you. More than likely, your surgery will go
smoothly and you won't have the need to have a private nurse. Everyone else
I know that had WLS did fine at home and moved around pretty easily. Hope
this helped. Erin
— Erin N.
July 7, 2004
Hospitals have clear rules about agency nurses but LOVE their presence. It
frees the regular staff for other jobs. 5 years ago it was 1 nurse to 4 or
5 patients today its 11 an more to one. In no way do hospitals discourage
private duty nurses
— bob-haller
July 7, 2004
I have never heard of a hosptial that did not allow a private nurse. I
think it's a great idea and if I wasn't in a small private hospital, like I
was I would have considered it. It is not a crazy idea at all. My parents
used private nurses for years when my brother was hospitalized when he was
small.
— Karen Renee
July 7, 2004
If you have a private nurse it will be his/her job to do the actual NURSING
WORK, that is what you would be hiring them for! All hospital allow nurses
and there should be not problem as long as their creditials are creditable
- they will write up your chart for your hospital doctor's review.
— Anna M.
July 8, 2004
I think its a great idea! I am a Labor Doula (professional Birth partner)
and there are postpartum Doula's that go to the mom's home and help out
after a baby is born. So sounds what you need is a WLS Doula. LOL
— jenafwife
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