Must see commercial for nurses

[TDKH54]

Haha does this seem familiar?

[nickasarbata]

How do you nurses feel about that? My mom recently spent two months in the hospital, and when I picked her up when they were ready to discharge her, she was trying to get me to take everything: pillows, drinking bottles with straws, etc. She figured she was paying for it all anyway, so... :-)

Of course when we got home she didn't want to use the hospital pillow because it reminded her of being in the hospital!

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Yup, same with my parents. My mom has had a lot of inpatient time. Last round, when I was in school my dad pocketed some IV start kits some nurse left somewhere in the room... he's all, "Here, what's this stuff, maybe you could practice with it"

[klone, MSN, RN]

How do you nurses feel about that? My mom recently spent two months in the hospital, and when I picked her up when they were ready to discharge her, she was trying to get me to take everything: pillows, drinking bottles with straws, etc. She figured she was paying for it all anyway, so... :-)

Of course when we got home she didn't want to use the hospital pillow because it reminded her of being in the hospital!

So you actually took the stuff? Wow.

What do you mean, how do we feel about it? It's theft. I would hope that everyone would think it's wrong.

[FLArn]

I have no problem with patients taking their single use items (pitchers, bath basin, toiletries, etc) as these are thrown away if left behind. But pillows!!!:nono:

[NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN]

I can see taking toiletries. But taking pillows or any other linens... no way !

[CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN]

Perhaps this is why we rarely keep supplies in patients' rooms!

My brother in law worked as a manager for KMART and had witnessed a lady stuffing her tummy with various items. When she reached the exit he asked why her tummy had grown so during her visit. She stated that she was pregnant. "You're pregnant? What's this then?" he asked taking a swipe at her "tummy" all this stuff tumbled to the ground, quite a scene.

Patient's who steal are a sad lot indeed.

[kesr]

The same folks probably steal stuff from hotels, too. Single use stuff I always offered to pts - never know when an emesis basin will be handy (ha ha). I figure the rule of home applies: if it was your houseguest would you be ok with them taking the pillows or linens, or would you take them from a friend?

Not so funny, although I like the point of the commercial, telling folks where to buy the products. Not ok with even implying you can help yourself to the cupboards.

[Crispy Critter]

For some reason, a hospital I worked at gave patients and families total access to the kitchen on L&D. After dietary would stock it, you'd better stand out of the way, baby, or you'd get trampled by the families in the rush to grab what they could. Just like a horde of locusts. Staff was not allowed to say anything. The nurses would be upset because there would be little left for other patients.Those people didn't care if there was anything left for anyone else, as long as they got as many juices, sodas, and anything else that was portable. I haven't worked there for several years, but doubted if that little 'home-like' marketing ploy stayed in place for long. Can you imagine what that departments budget must have looked like?

When I worked in ED, we had to be careful to not let suture sets out of our sight, because the hemostats apparently made good roach clips. I've had patients take the BP cuffs that connect to wall units. They were absolutely useless to them. The worst ones for stealing were the patients who would say "Hey, why can't I have that? I paid for it!" when they were 'self pay', which meant most of them would never think twice about paying a dime. I don't care if they take single use items, as they are theirs.But I sure don't leave any extra towels and washcloths in the room.

[krenee]

I work in PP & Newborn nursery and sometimes it's really obvious with the diapers - we give them one pack from floor stock & then we charge, but who's paying for it? Most of them are medicaid.

[SlightlyMental_RN]

Sheesh. I live in the upper-midwest, and I can't imagine the type of thefts that some of you are describing--and a good portion of our patients are homeless or very poor. The worst thing we've had taken have been pajama bottoms or a towel, and that's very rare.

[merlee]

I have recently been in a hospital where the pillows were 'single-use'. They were not reused, but thrown away after each patient. So we ended up with some extra pillows!

But linens and hospital supplies? No way!