Nursing CE Central
After being allegedly chased away from her hospice house call, nurse LaNette Rainey has no plans to return to work. Despite her passion for helping people, which drove her to this career, Nurse Rainey describes the anxiety that plagues her, “I’m just like if I would have left what would have happened to me? All the bad things just come to my head. Would you have run me off the road?”
These fears come from an encounter Nurse Rainey experienced while driving to an evening hospice care appointment at a patient’s home. She asked a local homeowner for directions and pulled into the driveway of what she believed to be the home of her patient.
However, Nurse Rainey quickly realized she was at the wrong home and went to turn around before being blinded by approaching headlights. She describes backing onto the main road from the narrow driveway as a black truck followed closely behind her.
The truck continued to follow Nurse Rainey for nearly three miles to the closest gas station. Allegedly, intimidating her on the road and threatening her once they arrived at the gas station.
From the time I left my patient’s area, till I got to the Shell gas station, not only did this truck rev up on me, he reared up his engine, trying to intimidate me, tried to push me off the road.
– LaNette Rainey, RN
Nurse Rainey then called 911 and waited for the police to arrive. She also documented the truck’s license plate and the driver using her cell phone. While the altercation thankfully never turned physical the home-owner is quoted to have told Rainey, “You come back on my property, and you’re going to find out.”
Despite this fear-inducing ordeal, Nurse Rainey laments the patient she was trying to reach. Sandra Duffell waited nearly an hour after her appointment time with Nurse Rainey before going to bed.
Duffel expressed her lack of surprise to hear Nurse Rainey made a wrong turn, “I’m just glad she didn’t get hurt as I said. And like I said, if they’re going to come out at night, they need to know exactly what house they’re going to.” She also reiterated
There’s been a mixed response from Crawford County Police. The deputy who arrived on the scene with Nurse Rainey advised that should ask for a warrant against the man for making a “terroristic threat.” However, the county sheriff later said there was not enough evidence beyond each side’s story to press charges.
The sheriff also made a comment for people to find where they’re going in the daytime to avoid situations like these. Unfortunately, hospice nurses do not often have this luxury as their house visits are often needed at all times of day or night to care for their patients.
One comment made in reaction to this incident came from fellow nurse Faye Tripp, who has worked in hospice care for 25 years. She stated, “So many people don’t realize what a danger this could be” when making house calls to patients.
House calls, like the one Nurse Rainey attempted to find, are becoming increasingly popular with elderly patients or patients who otherwise require a nurse caregiver. Home health nurses are often responsible for a myriad of responsibilities, from medication management and colostomy care to even end-of-life care.
While house calls do offer patients benefits such as decreased stress levels, greater privacy, and lower hospital readmission rates, these appointments present a unique challenge for nurses. Nurses may face unknown or unsafe conditions within a home and lack access to specific medical equipment.
Caring for a patient in their home can also be an isolating experience, without the support of a full healthcare team. Home health nurses are often represented by an agency, leading to a lack of social or professional resources when problems arise.
This incident has left Nurse Rainey with debilitating anxiety, unable to sleep or drive her children to school. Thankfully, her company is providing the counseling she needs to process this event and eventually return to work.
Nurses are already overworked and overwhelmed on all sides, leaving direct patient care at alarming rates. It’s disappointing that incidents like this may continue to push house call nurses away from their communities and their service to patients.
Nurse Rainey has received an outpour of support on social media, showcasing the public’s continued support of nurses and the trials they face.
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