Be honest, what pt behaviors do you find annoying?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

We are all supposed to love our jobs and most of us do! But we are all supposed to over look just danged annoying behaviors.

My pet peeve, I do not care for drama patients. You walk out in the hall and they are laughing and having fun with a visitor, they take one look at YOU looking at them and they are hanging on to the walls to help them walk and moaning in pain. I sometimes think my mere presence causes them harm... ;o)

Me: "Great! Your temp is normal!" Patient: "Oh, if it is normal I am SICK! My usual is 72(F).

Me: "Great! Your b/p is 120/70!" Patient: "Oh, if it is normal I am SICK! My usual is 50/10."

Why do people complain about having great vitals?

NOADLS

832 Posts

Any health concern which the floor nurse cannot address or anything that would make a floor nurse anxious to deal with on their own.

Meaning that I actually have to get up and do something.

Specializes in Acute Care Pediatrics.

Whining.

I can't stand whining.

It's always the teenage boys. The WORST whiners. :yes:

blondy2061h, MSN, RN

1 Article; 4,094 Posts

Specializes in Oncology.

"Do you need anything else?"

"Yes, I'd like an apple juice please."

"Okay, is that all?"

"Yep."

"I'll be right back."

"Here's your juice."

"Thanks, do you mind getting me some ice?"

*sigh*

"Okay, is there anything else you need?"

"No, just ice."

"I'm back with your ice, have a good nigh..."

"Can I please have another blanket?"

"I have to go see my other patients, but the aid will be rounding in the next 15 minutes or so. Use that time to think about anything else you may need."

Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

Lately, all of them........ I need a vacation.

1. Patients with ongoing issues, i.e have been having problems with chronic pain, joint problems, GI issues.....not necessarily the reason they were admitted, but it is still a problem.

When the doctor is in to see them on AM rounds, they consistently fail to mention their concerns. (I always ask if they told this stuff to the doctor, always hear "well, no") Somehow they expect me to magically fix all these problems at 11pm.

So much easier and faster to get orders when the doctor and his team hear it first hand.

2. Ineffective coping and denial I can understand. The over the top, aggressive, shoot the messenger behaviour gets tiring. Just because your buddies smoke more, drink more, do more drugs than you doesn't mean your healthcare providers are morons and don't know what they are talking about. You are the one that almost died. Make the most of your second chance or don't. Your choice. Welcome to life isn't fair 101.

3. The ones that "move in" and then proceed to complain about everything but do their best to avoid getting discharged home.

caliotter3

38,333 Posts

Basic dishonesty and refusal to be up front with their physicians. You don't need to tell a lie to back up your request or preference about something. Just be an adult and state what you want. And don't come back to the house after a medical appointment and give me an earful about how you are refusing to follow the doctor's instructions. No, I don't want to hear it. Tell the doctor! This primarily refers to family members of my home health patients since they are the ones calling the shots.

CrunchBerries

146 Posts

Ahhhh........ I am feeling better and less alone. There are others in this world that really honest to goodness get it!

Specializes in Peds Hem, Onc, Med/Surg.

It annoys me so much when at the end of shift I walk in with the oncoming shift and the patient or the family member says "oh by the way, *insert event that I should have known about * happened this morning" (-_-)

my favorite one was "oh my IV has been hurting since this morning." (Even though I consistently checked it throughout the day.)

I've also gotten "I forgot to tell the MD or social worker this important fact this morning during rounds and I need something done about it ASAP."

blondy2061h, MSN, RN

1 Article; 4,094 Posts

Specializes in Oncology.

Me to patient: "How is your pain level?"

Patient to me: "No pain, I'm feeling well."

Physician to me: "How is the patient in room 12 doing?"

Me to physician: "They're doing well. No complaints today."

Patient to physician: "I've been in terrible pain all day, isn't there something you can give me to help me?"

Physician to me: "How come you haven't given them any of their PRN pain medication?"

Me: "Uhm, they told me they weren't having any pain..."

EMR to Me: "New PCA order for room 12"

BSNbeauty, BSN, RN

1,939 Posts

"Do you need anything else?"

"Yes, I'd like an apple juice please."

"Okay, is that all?"

"Yep."

"I'll be right back."

"Here's your juice."

"Thanks, do you mind getting me some ice?"

*sigh*

"Okay, is there anything else you need?"

"No, just ice."

"I'm back with your ice, have a good nigh..."

"Can I please have another blanket?"

"I have to go see my other patients, but the aid will be rounding in the next 15 minutes or so. Use that time to think about anything else you may need."

Yes, I hate when patients do this !!!!! Make a freakin list !

CrunchBerries

146 Posts

Lately, all of them........ I need a vacation.

Wish I could like this one 11 times.

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