nurses

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mrsriderman
mrsriderman Member Posts: 48
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
hey there everyone

i need to vent

so i am on my 2nd night of the 5 fu pack and my port area was bloody-- so since it was after hours i went to the er to have my port needle and bandage replaced.

to be fair i am not exactly nice to the pack

so anyway-- he nures at the er only changed the dressing and called it good. then at midnight the pack is beeping " high pressure'. i call the 800 number and shut it off. it was the needle that was plugged, because of the bleeding earlier.

has anyone run in to the his situation. where the er nurses do not anything about ports or how to care for them. i live in a small town but you would think they would atleast have a class on it or something.. during the day its fine -- i can get o hold of oncology nurses-- but at night or the weekend --forget it

thanks for listening lisa r

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  • scouty
    scouty Member Posts: 1,965 Member
    #2
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    Hopefully one of our resident nurses will give you the technical terms but I know for a fact that not all nurses are skilled at accessing ports!!!!!! The comprehensive cancer center where I go requires special training for the nurses to be certified in accessing and just as important the flushing of the port.

    I would ask the oncology nurses about the best way to get out of hours help; there should be somewhere you can call or go to.

    Lisa P.
  • CanadaSue
    CanadaSue Member Posts: 339 Member
    #3
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    Hi Lisa,

    My husband had become very dehydrated after his 9th chemo treatment, and I took him to our small town hospital. The same thing happened... The nurses and the doctors did not know anything about ports, and inserted an IV in his arm to get fluids into him. I think all health care workers should be made aware of the ports and use them instead of putting in needless needles.

    Sue
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #4
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    Aw, Lisa....all you have to endure...and now this! NUTS!

    I actually had nurses tell me that the oncologists INSISTED they do NOT use the port...unless they were trained....I then understood that some know, some don't and those that don't can make a big mess if they do try to use it...

    That said, I am amazed that an ER nurse is not trained....considering how many must pass thru...and, if they don't....well, there must be SOMEBODY in the hospital that knows...does it hurt to call around??? I know that the one nurse that was treating me actually called up to the oncology floor and got a nurse down to help...

    Hugs for your troubles!

    Hugs, Kathi

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