[rph3664]

Originally Posted by santhony44

I worked dialysis, for about 6 months, some 20 years ago.

While I didn't like it at all, and found the patients very demanding, I can't imagine this happening with our patients. While they might compete to get on and off the machine ahead of each other, they were concerned about one another, and I feel sure would have alerted the staff to another patient's being in distress.

So, I don't buy the electrolyte excuse, either.

I also have to admit that my first, immediate reaction to the "they were probably in a hurry to get to work" comment was "you have dialysis patients who work?" At that time I think we had maybe three who were employed. One of those basically did everything for himself but his own vital signs.

I had wondered about that myself - employed dialysis patients. Most of the dialysis patients I've heard about are retirement age.

My 40-year-old cousin is on dialysis and works full time but he uses PD at night. He's a veterinarian and his wife is an RN, so they know what they're doing.

[Bonny619]

I'll always remember this story...my mom was a postpartum nurse and she was discharging a woman home, she came into the room and the woman was in the bathroom bending over, yelling at my mom to..."WIPE MY BUTT"

My mom basically said, uh...no. You're going home in 1 hour and you are going to be taking care of a baby, you need to be able to wipe your own butt.

[AussieTina]

Originally Posted by kxvc

This reminded me of an old lady in the ER who asked me to set her glasseson the bedside table for her which was, of course, easily within reach. I told her, "No, but I'll move the table closer in case you cannot stretch your arm that far." She replied by putting her glasses down all by her self without me having to move the table. I also told her I was there to help her get better, and I needed to know she could care for her self before sending her home. She was persistent, but all of her other replies were met with similar answers until she just gave up.

The hospital I work at is mainly a rehab/waiting for nursing home placement hospital.

For any patients who try that type of thing, we just tell them seriously "well if you are starting to have problems doing things like that for yourself, maybe you should start to consider going into a nursing home, would you like me to arrange a meeting..."

It is amazing how fast they start to do stuff for themselves again, and how much better their walking ect gets

[StacieRN]

Originally Posted by squeakykitty

There's only one good answer to that----------

"Great! Can I have a raise?"

Or:

Ok, I charge an extra $10.00 an hour for maid service - CASH and in advance!

[Natkat]

Originally Posted by santhony44

I worked dialysis, for about 6 months, some 20 years ago.

While I didn't like it at all, and found the patients very demanding, I can't imagine this happening with our patients. While they might compete to get on and off the machine ahead of each other, they were concerned about one another, and I feel sure would have alerted the staff to another patient's being in distress.

So, I don't buy the electrolyte excuse, either.

I also have to admit that my first, immediate reaction to the "they were probably in a hurry to get to work" comment was "you have dialysis patients who work?" At that time I think we had maybe three who were employed. One of those basically did everything for himself but his own vital signs.

That was kind of my reaction to. What? Work? Dialysis patient?

A fair number of our patients didn't work BEFORE they were on dialysis either. I have noticed the same thing as you. Our patients who work or have other things going on, are far more patient and understanding when things go wrong and we're running behind. They're more realistic. And they tend to be more self reliant overall. They take their own temps, their own blood pressure and tape themselves up at the end. We even have a guy who puts his own needles in.

Dialysis patients in general have special quirks that other patients don't have. They tend to be more controlling about little things, and I do whatever I can to accomodate their little quirks because I know they can't help it. It's part of the deal. I actually am quite fond of most of our patients. They see us more than they see their families, so relationships develop. However, the point of this thread is selfishness and that's what I was talking about. I was very shocked at what I saw going on and decided to share my story. That's all. I wasn't complaining about my job. I wasn't whining about dialysis patients.

Thanks for understanding what I meant.

[squeakykitty]

Originally Posted by StacieRN

Or:

Ok, I charge an extra $10.00 an hour for maid service - CASH and in advance!

I'd charge them $50 an hour for putting up with them. In advance. And $10 per swear word.

[Michigan RN]

My guess is if you really add up all the work we do, we probably should be earning about 40-50 bucks an hour. Gosh, we are so severely underpaid for the stuff we do and put up with.

[ranaazha]

Originally Posted by aeauooo

For the first time in my nursing career I am working at a corperate owned and run hospital and I have to say that if this is what hospital nursing is coming to, then I'm glad I'm leaving bedside nursing.

I've worked in for-profit hospitals in the past, but locally owned and managed. I've also been treated abusively by nursing management and hospital administration before and don't trust the 'suits' are far I as can throw them.

My experience of corperate hospitals is that nurses are generally treated as laborers, not professionals. The attitude of administration seems to me to be paternalistic.

Anyone else out there have feelings in this regard?

Yup... but this also stems from my belief that healthcare should be a non-profit industry (which I've saved comments for on another thread). In any case, I am working at a for-profit hospital and find that we actually do a pretty good job of caring for out patients as patients -- not just customers.

On a slightly unrelated note, I have to comment on this... We have a new CEO. He's been making rounds throughout the hospital, saying hi to everyone. I saw him a week or so ago and didn't know who he was. He came up to me yesterday, though, and greeted me, told me who he was, asked who I was -- very casual, arm's length sort of greeting. It seemed so... fake to me. But maybe I'm just jaded.

[ranaazha]

Originally Posted by chisgirl

I've been on both sides of the "fence"...I've been frustrated as an RN at patients who see me as a servant at their personal beck and call... I have no other patent but them and have all the time in the world... and I have no real training... I'm only there to serve THEM immediately and fulfilling their every wish/want. I have also been a patient who can't seem to make the nurse understand just HOW much pain I'm in and/or how limited my every attempt at mobility is. I couldn't scratch my own nose because I was so totally paralyzed with pain. The response from four shifts of nurses....so pathetic that I signed myself out of the hospital and took my chances with care from my untrained, but loving/concerned family. I will no longer stay in the hospital a minute longer than ABSOLUTELY required/allowed after any procedure/surgery... I will be home.
This is where nurses have lost it.... we used to CARE... I graduated with the knowledge of a professionaol RN.. but with the heart of someone who truly CARED..... we "pretended" that every patient might be someone we knew/cared about and we put ourselves in their position. We asked ourselves the question... "what would I want...". Medical staff, not just RN's don't ask that question anymore. They look for the most cost-effective/legal/time-saving route that will "take care" of the patient's request without costing them time/concern/anything....
I've said it before and I'll keep on saying it... all nurses should be incognito patients... see what it's like from the other side of the fence. You'd be a much better nurse (and person) because of it. As a nurse... what you consider a "bother" might be something entirely different to a patient. And yes... there are "bad" patients who want the world and they demand everything. PLEASE.... Don't let those few ******** ruin it for the rest of them. Try being a patient and you might just seer how valued you truly are to them. Having been on both sides... I know how much nurses truly rule!!!!

I've been on both sides. It doesn't make it any easier when you're in the middle of a long, hard day, and you have 1 (or more) difficult patients. As with any career, it's hard to perform in the ideal way you'd like to when you're stuck in the middle of reality.

[Michigan RN]

Originally Posted by ranaazha

Yup... but this also stems from my belief that healthcare should be a non-profit industry (which I've saved comments for on another thread). In any case, I am working at a for-profit hospital and find that we actually do a pretty good job of caring for out patients as patients -- not just customers.

On a slightly unrelated note, I have to comment on this... We have a new CEO. He's been making rounds throughout the hospital, saying hi to everyone. I saw him a week or so ago and didn't know who he was. He came up to me yesterday, though, and greeted me, told me who he was, asked who I was -- very casual, arm's length sort of greeting. It seemed so... fake to me. But maybe I'm just jaded.

I don't trust anyone who wears a fancy suit and has CEO at the end of their name.