This is a weird question, but what would you do?

[hot.soup]

You're at a hospital cafeteria sitting down with food, and an elderly woman (who is in outside clothes, so isn't an inpatient) comes up to you and asks where the pharmacy is. It's just around the corner, so you direct her. She comes back 4 minutes later and says she needs a prescription filled and doesn't know where the pharmacy is. You direct her again. A few minutes later she comes back a third time, asks you if this is where she picks up a prescription that is phoned in. You tell her no, she has to go to pharmacy, and she asks: "And where would I find pharmacy?" You direct her again.

She comes back a fourth time, mentioning that she forgot her prescription in her car in the parking lot and had to go back, now would you please direct her to pharmacy?

Would you do anything? What would you do?

 

[davi_el_mejor]

I'd tell her to sit at the table and wait there while I go to get Hospital personnel to help her to the pharmacy. I'd also explain to the nurse or whomever what's going on and that you're concerned.

 

[Astra]

I'd ask someone from hospital personnel if they had lost a patient, she sure sounds to me like a demented person

 

[hot.soup]

Davi, that's exactly what I was trying to do, but she wouldn't sit down or come with me. By the time I found a security guard, she was gone. I told the security guard what had happened, how confused she seemed to be and that she had DRIVEN here. The security guard, a young guy, basically looked at me like I was overreacting. He said that sometimes old people get confused, and wouldn't help me any further.

Astra, she was in normal clothes with no ID, so definitely NOT an inpatient.

I'm glad you guys think she wasn't acting like a normal person should. I'm worried about her, but there is nothing I can do now.

 

[davi_el_mejor]

If she wasn't going to sit there and wait, I would have accompanied her to the pharmacy and spoke with the person at the counter about her.

 

[hot.soup]

I offered, she turned me down. By the time I grabbed my laptop and went after her, she was gone. I flagged down the security guard and we walked to pharmacy but no sign of her. Ugh, if I hadn't taken me time to pack up, I might have caught up with her.

 

[DivaDiamond007]

If I were visiting the hospital then I'd tell her to ask someone that works there after her first return visit. If I worked at the hospital then I'd take her to the pharmacy at her first request. Honestly, this reminds of me when someone will call my office and ask if I have the number to _______________. I tell them to look it up in the phone book. If they press the issue I tell them that I am not, in fact, directory assistance and that I am unable to help them and hang up the phone.

 

[Gypsy]

I'd tell her to sit at the table and wait there while I go to get Hospital personnel to help her to the pharmacy. I'd also explain to the nurse or whomever what's going on and that you're concerned.

Yup.

 

[dragonfly411]

I'm a bit baffled that the security guard didn't assist you further. It sounds as though she was very confused, perhaps Alzheimer? Things like that make me sad.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Since you couldn't get her to sit down, then it sounds like you did the best you could given the circumstances.