I live in California and I have Medical POA for my mother. Recently, my mother had to be sent to the hospital from the facility she was in but I was unable to be there. My daughter, was the one to request be sent to the hospital and I was called to get the confirmation, of course.
But when my mother and my daughter got to the ER, they would only treat her according to what the facility told them to but my mother was in a lot of pain and my daughter was unable to get her any pain meds until I got there. Also, the Dr or nursing staff would not do anything other than begin treatment for the UTI she had, which of course were IV antibiotics. My daughter was upset because she was unable to do anything for my mother until I was able to get there several hours later.
My question is this: being Medical POA for my mother, am I able to proxy medical decisions to my daughter until I am able to get to wherever my mother may be? My daughter was understandably upset she wasn't able to do anything for her Grandma and had to watch her be in pain until I got there.
I don't understand withholding pain medications. This is normally not done in this manner at all. I also don't understand their not being able to reach you for instructions if they needed them. This whole situation sounds a bit out of the norm. As you might imagine it is very rare for there even to BE anyone else. As a for instance, my brother lived on one end of the state and I on the other. I was always called. And pain medication were always given as required. That is basic ER care. Now procedures on a DNR would normally be waiting for contact with you, surgeries, even invasive tests. Otherwise treatment follows a norm of treatment until family can be reached.
Usually there IS no proxy.
So I just can't imagine the situation and am really sorry for it.