Self Defense Rules For Hospital Living With Your Child

It's sad that health care has come to this in America, but, those falsely accused of MSBP will attest to the truth of this page! Whether or not you apply some or all of these recommendations, you should at least be aware of what you might one day have to face if you are a passionate, advocating parent. You would be stunned to see the lengths that a hospital, in concert
with CPS, will go in order to cover up their misdeeds and to protect their image! If at all possible, you should hire a private duty nurse to care for your child while he/she is hospitalized. This is very costly which few of us can afford, but is far less expensive or tramatic than defending yourself in the courts. :

• Always, always behave as if a hidden camera is in the room monitoring you; be careful of what you say on the hospital phone! Your legitimate actions can be easily misconstrued. If you are given a room switch for no obvious reason, you have probably been moved into a surveillance area.

• Document everything. Keep paperwork in good order! Get copies of medical records as you go along and keep perfect files on your child from every source. In an accusation situation, records can suddenly disappear and change.

• In accordance with the laws of your state (posted in your phone book), tape record all phone conversations with anyone involved with your child's care. Some states require the knowledge of both parties, most require that only one of the parties know...like yourself. Radio Shack sells a great phone recorder for around $100; its worth its weight in gold. You might even request that you be able to openly tape record or videotape meetings with the doctors. Also, if necessary, use a micro-recorder in your pocket to tape record a doctor or nurse in conference with you at bedside and try to refer to the person by name for the tape. Always date your tapes.

• If you have a complaint against a nurse or staff person, you might put it in writing and send it out to hospital administrators with cc's on the bottom of the letter.

• Get a good 35mm (or digital) camera and a video camera and document any thing that you believe might be important. Take regular pictures to add visual evidence to your journal notes.

• Never confide too much personal or family information or much about your feelings or emotional state to a nurse, doctor, hospital chaplain or hospital/state social worker. No matter how much you think they like or empathize with you, if you get falsely accused of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, the staff will immediately enact the "Code of Silence" and radically distance themselves from you to save their jobs and avoid having to testify on your behalf. If you need someone to bear your burdens, find people unconnected to the hospital to talk to. Anything you ever say to a nurse, doctor, hospital chaplain or social worker can and probably will be brought against you. They will exaggerate your words, put them in the worst light and even misquote what you actually said to destroy your character.

• Never take it on yourself to give your child medicine in the hospital, let the nurses do it. Do not bring any thing into the room in a purse or clothing bag that could in any way be used against you. They will search everything you have when you walk out of the room for a moment. They will even lure you away!

• If a hospital starts setting you up for an accusation, they will have nurses ask you questions like "what about your other kids, who's taking care of them; how can you cope with this?" or "How is your relationship with your husband?" The Chaplain may even come in and say that you need to "open up and share your feelings." You will start recognizing strange behavior towards yourself and if you have been talking to outside physicians (searching for help for your child), you may find that they suddenly won't respond to you, or they might say "I have to talk directly to your doctor from now on!"

• Every day, write down names of nurses and doctors who come and visit you and what is said by them; you bet they are taking those type of notes on you. If you become a target, it will be critical for subpoenas.

• Have as many relatives, friends, ministers & church members visit you as possible. Without this you will be far more likely to be a target of a false allegation. If you are out of town, unite with a church group. A loner is much more apt to be accused!

• Always keep in touch and update any physician that you trust or your family has used for a while. They can be invaluable for your defense. Try to have friends witness meetings with doctors or nurses especially if you expect confrontation.

• If someone from the staff starts talking to you about taking psychiatric counseling, or if their focus starts leaving your child's condition and becomes directed at you - BEWARE and GET OUTTA THERE!!!!
  
• If you get falsely accused and your child gets confiscated, don't speak another word until you have an attorney!

Home To

Mothers Against MSBP Allegations