"I DEMAND an antibiotic. I am the customer and I am paying your salary"

[Nascar nurse, ASN, RN]

Oh you just have to love family members!

I work in LTC. Family member calls in today and says "Dad has a cold and I demand an antibiotic". I get just a few words out about an antibiotic not treating a cold but she interrupted me every time I tried to speak. Never even got to the point that Dad has no fever, lungs are clear, I never heard him cough - nor did other staff today, chest X-ray in the hospital a few days ago is completely negative.

After a couple of minutes of trying to get in a few words in she yells "I am the customer and I demand an antibiotic. I pay your salary and I get to get what I want. You'd better get the next **** Dr. that walks in the door to order an antibiotic or you'll hear from me tomorrow". She then promptly hangs up on me. At some point she also informed me she planned to sue the hospital for discharging him without the antibiotic that she demanded that they start.

Needless to say, I did not even attempt to get an antibiotic order, although I did inform the Dr. of this tirade.

No advice needed. Just needed to vent frustration about the general public.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

Ain't entitlement grand. Don't you wish dear old Dad could move in with the witch and get you out of the loop?

[opossum]

Ugh. Sorry to hear that...I think we'll all be experiencing more and more of this now that customer service reigns in healthcare. What's frustrating is that a) this woman thinks it's OK to talk to another human being like this, and b) what she wants is not based on any sort of scientific evidence whatsoever.

I'm curious to hear what happens next. Did she call back?

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I'm also thinking that the biggest loudmouths who yell "I'm paying your salary" don't even earn one of their own....and that Dad is probably Medicare.

[amoLucia]

You handled it pretty much as I would have, and I would have alerted supervisor/mgt too.

[tothepointeLVN, LVN]

I wonder what the markup is on antibiotic flavored tictacs. Maybe get the MD to prescribe "Cebocap" and bill it to the family member. Since she's paying your salary can you ask her directly for a raise?

[amoLucia]

Oh yeah---that "I pay your salary" comment is one the top 3 that make my teeth grind, too. LOL

[amoLucia]

Oh yeah---that "I pay your salary" comment is one the top 3 that make my teeth grind, too. LOL

[Lynx25, LPN]

Hahaha, do you work with me?

I had a family member just absolutely screaming at me for this exact reason. Mom had a bit of a cough and sneeze, no complications.

"HOW DARE YOU ARGUE WITH ME?! YOU CALL THAT DOCTOR RIGHT NOW AND LET ME CUSS HIM OUT AND TELL HIM HOW P--- POOR YOU ARE!"

I was sick of her at this point, and she had gotten me so far behind in my medpass, that I thought this was an excellent idea. I dialed our notoriously crotchety, short tempered doc, explained the situation, and handed her the phone.

You should have seen the color drain from her face. It was excellent.

I'm going to start running entitled snots down with my med cart.

[Nurse Leigh]

so does this mean i should go to a mechanic and demand a new carburator (sp?) even though my car does not have one (i don't think it has one since it is fuel injected or whatever, right? i as so mechanically disinclined!) because i am the customer and i should get what i want?

ok, people...you think you pay my salary, fine. then know you are paying me for my expertise as a nurse, not for obeying your every whim regardless of appropriateness! sheesh. some people should not be allowed in public!

[VICEDRN, BSN, RN]

laugh...or we might all cry.

people are really just too much...

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

i'm going to start running entitled snots down with my med cart.

i want this on a tee shirt!! Lol