Feeling unappreciated?

I have a real moment of pause when I write this new thread as there will undoubtedly be somone who wants to accuse me of having burn-out or an unprofessional attitude. Let me first say, this is a vent and I love this site to allow such vents to be posted and discussed.

I have a real problem with patient's and their families who grab on to an attitude that the nurses are somehow keeping the patient's in the ER for hours due to laziness or..... something. Even when you constantly update your patients or explain that for example: There's a Trauma, or stroke, or MI or any other EMERGENCY taking (Lab/Radiology/EMD/RN/Tech/ect.) presidence at the time.......THEY COP AN ATTITUDE WITH YOU, ROLL THEIR EYES, STOMP THEIR FEET, ACCUSE LAZINESS, THREATEN TO CALL THE CEO...the list goes on.

Yesterday, I had such an episode with a family member when his MIL was brought in with a HR of 165, SOB and hx: of pacer, etc.. It was all fine and dandy when she had 4 sometimes 5 professionals in the room when this acuity was occuring, but 3.5 hours into her visit he is standing over me while I was charting on yet another Emergent OD...1000units insulin suicide attempt/central line insertion, intubated patient....rolling his eyes at me asking why his MIL is still in the ER. I kindly explain the system of waits in the ER and inform him that the ER doc is in another room and when I see him I'll have him come in to talk with him.

This a-hole rolls his eyes at me....stomps his feet, gets in my personal space and rants about how long it's taking.......I had had enough....I stood up, walked into his personal space and repeated word for word what I had just said to him moments ago, and further added...."Sir, now if you will kindly respect my other patients right to their privacy while I chart here at the nurse's station and return to your family member's room, I will beable to help you sooner" ....This woman was not only helped with the acuity , she was given numerous warm blankets, a lunch and repositioning on many occassions/ bed pan, etc......(No break or lunch for any of us on the team...12 hour shifts mind you)

I feel I show great restraint/respect with patient's and families who think they can just talk to the staff the way they do. Why do people think they can just treat staff this way and get away with it? I know the reasons.....because customer service...blah blah blah.....Even when you educate people the time frame tests take, they still get this...."Drive-thru" mentality......Ohhhh does it tick me off. Rarely do I ever confront their ignorance, but in the back of my mind, I am looking them right in the eyes and telling them to back off and let us do our job. ER is hard , demanding work...and I wouldn't want to work anywhere else as a nurse. (I don't need to work at all actually, I went back to school to become a nurse) People like this just kick ya in the shins and make me wonder sometimes, why I take the abuse.