Do hospital patients get better care if they're nice

Nurses General Nursing

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Caffeine_IV

1,198 Posts

Specializes in LTC, med/surg, hospice.

My sweeter patients definitely get an extra touch from me whether it be me offering them a snack, spending a few just to chat, printing out a word puzzle online, going to another unit to find that flavor of popsicle they want etc.

Kindness always goes along way. I always tell those friendly, nice patients that I appreciate their patience when meds/treatments or anything takes longer than I anticipate.

MomRN0913

1,131 Posts

Specializes in ICU.

I think they will get the same level of medical care as the PIA patient, but the nice patient will get more personal attention to their non-medical needs.

BLMRN2BE

7 Posts

I'm a CNA and a soon to be senior nursing student. I've been a CNA for over 2 years now, and when I first started I'd bend over backwards for anyone including the PIA pts. I only make $9/hr and after awhile these people wear you out. Now, for instance, when I bring their meal to their room (because they are too sorry to go to the dining room, or think they are staying at the Waldorf Astoria) I try and plan for what they might need. I bring the tray in, " Oh! can you get me the alternate?.... sure no problem, anything else? "No" ok, be back in a minute. Come back with the tray.... " I don't like that. Can you have them make a sandwich or etc." The call light goes off and I leave the room and don't come back until its time to pick up trays. If they catch me in the hall I just say they didn't have what you wanted.

I hate being that way, but I'm not gonna be slaved for $9/hr. These are the ones that pull this BS all the time. So yes, the honey always catches more bees.

sourapril

2 Articles; 724 Posts

Specializes in public health.

I think it goes both ways, whether we are nurses or patients, if you are rude then you are going to be treated rudely. I don't know if nice patients get treated better (sometimes we just have to do what we have to do) but I do think hospitals that treat their staff well generally have happy patients because the staff would provide better customer services.

nola1202

587 Posts

i think that depends how you define "better". i'm going to provide the same level of care for all my patients. even if someone is mean or rude to me its not like im going to hold off on giving them pain meds or whatever they may need. but i probably do spend less time/talk less with those patients.. i know there are people truly in pain/suffering that can be short and thats ok. but then there are those patients who just seem to have a bad attitude that you dont want to be around! an example that comes to mind, my third night in a row with this particular patient. i go in to the room and give him his pain meds as soon as i get out of report at 1930 b/c i knew he would be due/wanting them. he had visitors and while i'm in giving his IV dilaudid he is telling his visitors this hospital sucks, the nurses suck (no offense) they dont give me my pain meds. i'm leaving here tomorrow and going to a different hospital where i will get better care. meanwhile all his visitors are glaring at me. so then as im walking out of the room the pt says to me sarcastically "i guess i wont see you until the morning". really had to bite my tongue on that one! maybe you forgot the last 2 nights where i was in here every 2 hours for your dilaudid?? there was more but anyways... no, a pt that gets on my nerves like that, im not going to stick around and chit-chat. on the flip side, i had this patient who was just the nicest lady. i was having a crazy night but she wanted to talk and show me pics her grandkids made for her. so i took the 10 mins to stay and talk with her. i know she appreciated it and it made me feel good i could do that for her.

so is that better care? i know if i was a patient i'd like it if my nurse could spend a few extra minutes just talking with me. i know its a lot to ask for given the nature of our jobs. but i think the same is true for any line of work, you make my job easier and i'll be more inclined to help you:)

I've had someone say that to me too. I could feel myself getting ready to pop a major blood vessel in my brain. My first gut reaction was to respond to the comment. "I guess I'll see you in the morning" with a hostile and pithy comment of my own. I went home and wrote down every possible response I could have made. Later I shared them with other nurses. Together we came up with some enigmatic one liners that could be used in a situation like this.

ie: I guess that's up to you. I make rounds during the night and you have your call bell. Is there anything more I can get for you right now? What's your pain rating right now?

If they get ugly I ask them (in front of the guests) Has there been a time when I was caring for you that I didn't bring you your medication when you needed it, or didn't check in often enough? Usually they back off and say "you are the exception." I just respond "good, I was concerned you were worried about hurting my feelings."

Specializes in ICU.

It's flies. You catch more flies with honey. Bees are interested in pollen.

Carry on.

JSlovex2

218 Posts

i was helping a nurse one time to clean up an incontinent patient (as a CNA) who had come to us from a nursing home. she had breakdown from not being turned as often as she should've been at the nursing home.

this woman was THE most hateful patient i had encountered at that time (and still at the top of the list). she would bark orders at us. instead of, "can i get another blanket?" it was, "get me another blanket!" she had one expression - evil. once right after she asked for an extra blanket bc she was cold, i was arranging things on her bedside table so she could reach, and i started to leave the room. she said, "keep that door open bc it's hot in here and it makes the air flow." i couldn't resist saying, "oh, ok. i thought you said you were cold. i'm sorry." SHE didn't know if she was hot or cold - she just wanted to boss someone around.

anyhow, i haaated going into her room. i didn't think of it until her nurse pointed it out to me that the reason she was developing a pressure ulcer was probably because the employees at the nursing home didn't go into her room to turn her like they should bc they hated going into her room period! it's not a good excuse or an excuse at all - it's still neglect, but it made sense.

Poi Dog

1,134 Posts

I will care for the rude and demanding ones but I will not go out of my way for them by letting my sparkling personality show ;)

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