Nurses Humilated - Illinois

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in Long Term Care, Expert Witness.

This is clearly a "Sensitivity Training" to show staff what it's like to be on the receiving end of care. Making someone wait to use the bathroom, putting patients on guerneys in the hallways, exposed to those walking by are just a couple of reasons NOT to go to an emergency room. I've been a nurse for a very long time and I get it-there is not enough staff for 1:1 care for every patient but when you have to use the bathroom, 5 minutes can seem like 5 hours. When you can't see or hear very well, it seems the whole world is ignoring you. I think sensitivity training is a good thing. Those who actually try to get something out of it will learn something, those that don't, will never have the sensitivity and compassion enough to continue in the nursing field.

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Specializes in Critical care.

I hope they sue and are handsomely compensated

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Specializes in PCCN.

GDMT. This makes me so angry. We are sympathetic to a persons needs. How can we be in more than one place at a time.

Fk. administration in trying to place all the customer service blame on all the nurses.

I can't wait to get out of this " profession"

Profession, LOL what a joke:roflmao:

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This is a disgusting way to treat the nurses, or any one. I will guess that the nursing staff at this hospital have not been treated properly for a long time if this is how this situation was handled. Whatever the breach, this action is completely punitive and unacceptable. Humiliation tactics harm. If this is the response the hospital took due to a breach or any kind of unprofessionalism, it speaks to the quality of the administration. Unacceptable.

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Specializes in LTACH/Stepdown ICU.
This is clearly a "Sensitivity Training" to show staff what it's like to be on the receiving end of care. Making someone wait to use the bathroom, putting patients on guerneys in the hallways, exposed to those walking by are just a couple of reasons NOT to go to an emergency room. I've been a nurse for a very long time and I get it-there is not enough staff for 1:1 care for every patient but when you have to use the bathroom, 5 minutes can seem like 5 hours. When you can't see or hear very well, it seems the whole world is ignoring you. I think sensitivity training is a good thing. Those who actually try to get something out of it will learn something, those that don't, will never have the sensitivity and compassion enough to continue in the nursing field.

*Shakes head* ^

I hope they sue and are handsomely compensated

GDMT. This makes me so angry. We are sympathetic to a persons needs. How can we be in more than one place at a time.

Fk. administration in trying to place all the customer service blame on all the nurses.

I can't wait to get out of this " profession"

Profession, LOL what a joke:roflmao:

This is a disgusting way to treat the nurses, or any one. I will guess that the nursing staff at this hospital have not been treated properly for a long time if this is how this situation was handled. Whatever the breach, this action is completely punitive and unacceptable. Humiliation tactics harm. If this is the response the hospital took due to a breach or any kind of unprofessionalism, it speaks to the quality of the administration. Unacceptable.

I completely agree.

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:laugh::laugh::D this is hilarious...

I draw the line at placing a c-collar on me and banging the bed/stretcher into objects on purpose to prove a point. Do they really believe nurses do these things on purpose or for entertainment?

I wonder who initiated the idea.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
I have to admit I would have participated just to play the role of Worst Patient Ever. I would have banned everyone from my care except admin. I would have made a mess of the bed and everything else. I would have screamed in the hall for my pain meds and hit things. I would have threatened to sue and call the cops. Maybe if admin got close enough to tell me to stop it, I'd even kick or pull hair--though it would be even better if poo was involved. Oh I can empathize with the patient role if I need to.

The evil subversive in me thinks it could have been fun. :sneaky:

If anyone ever really does do this, please, for the sake of the rest of us, get it on video!

And yeah, this was despicable. Huge difference between this and the brief things I had to do when I worked at a nursing home- eat 2 bites with gloves on to simulate arthritic hands, wear glasses coated with vaseline for a minute. Brief, and made the point. Not humiliating as we were all aware up front.

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This is clearly a "Sensitivity Training" to show staff what it's like to be on the receiving end of care. Making someone wait to use the bathroom, putting patients on guerneys in the hallways, exposed to those walking by are just a couple of reasons NOT to go to an emergency room. I've been a nurse for a very long time and I get it-there is not enough staff for 1:1 care for every patient but when you have to use the bathroom, 5 minutes can seem like 5 hours. When you can't see or hear very well, it seems the whole world is ignoring you. I think sensitivity training is a good thing. Those who actually try to get something out of it will learn something, those that don't, will never have the sensitivity and compassion enough to continue in the nursing field.

Do you believe that the program was a good sensitivity training program? If so, please stay out of management.

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This is clearly a "Sensitivity Training" to show staff what it's like to be on the receiving end of care. Making someone wait to use the bathroom, putting patients on guerneys in the hallways, exposed to those walking by are just a couple of reasons NOT to go to an emergency room. I've been a nurse for a very long time and I get it-there is not enough staff for 1:1 care for every patient but when you have to use the bathroom, 5 minutes can seem like 5 hours. When you can't see or hear very well, it seems the whole world is ignoring you. I think sensitivity training is a good thing. Those who actually try to get something out of it will learn something, those that don't, will never have the sensitivity and compassion enough to continue in the nursing field.
This is the most poorly planned exercise possible in "sensitivity training". I think it is really an excuse to belittle and embarrass the nursing staff in the guise of "training" that has been devised by some sadistic administrator who is clueless about true leadership traits.
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Do you believe that the program was a good sensitivity training program? If so, please stay out of management.

Sadly, (and predictably), this person is already in management. Surprised? Not me.

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Specializes in PICU, Pediatrics, Trauma.
The difference being this was not an empathy exercise, but rather a way to punish the nurses and show them what it feels like to not be able to go to the bathroom. It is abusive, shameful and sadly a cruel joke because it is so common for nurses to not go to the bathroom at work because they don't feel they have the time! Management once again blaming the nurse for all the problems. If only the nurses were like Florence Nightingale then everything would be wonderful! No mention or recognition that the problems stem from systemic understaffing and mismanagement!

I grew up in a physically and emotionally abusive environment and sometimes it feels like nursing is similar! The working conditions are coercive and then the physical abuse comes from the patients. It's a sad irony that is not lost on me, but I have to work and can't afford to quit and take early retirement. I've seen alot over the years that has left me bitter, but then even worse things are done such as forcing vaccines on us just to have a job. It leaves me wondering where things will end by the time I can retire! How much worse is it going to get! We are left where we don't have control of our own body, what we put in it and now when we can even go the bathroom! This insanity needs to stop!

Management are the ones that should have had this "empathy" experiment, not the workers in the trenches. They have probably never not taken a break, lunch or gone to the bathroom whenever they wanted! Heck they don't even have to punch a time clock. Maybe if they experienced what it felt like they might wake up and hire more staff! That should be the first solution!

Sadly, it is a reflection on our society as a whole.

Money, control, power.

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Specializes in PICU, Pediatrics, Trauma.
This is clearly a "Sensitivity Training" to show staff what it's like to be on the receiving end of care. Making someone wait to use the bathroom, putting patients on guerneys in the hallways, exposed to those walking by are just a couple of reasons NOT to go to an emergency room. I've been a nurse for a very long time and I get it-there is not enough staff for 1:1 care for every patient but when you have to use the bathroom, 5 minutes can seem like 5 hours. When you can't see or hear very well, it seems the whole world is ignoring you. I think sensitivity training is a good thing. Those who actually try to get something out of it will learn something, those that don't, will never have the sensitivity and compassion enough to continue in the nursing field.[/quote

I completely understand your point on sensitivity training. Having been a patient many times over the years has taught me many things about how it feels to be on the "other side". However, I don't think it was necessary to humiliate the nurses and it was very "one-sided". I believe, most nurses have compassion and the point could have made another way. I agree with those who say the administration should also have been involved. I don't know of any nurse who is taking a break while her/his patient is on a bedpan.

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