Patients Rights vs. overly demanding patients

[Angela Mac]

Where do you draw the line? I had a very demanding patient who would sit at the nurse's station and holler out that he wanted his BP taken while I was scrambling to get all the fingersticks done. This patient wanted constant attention. The Social Worker told me- "Residents Rights- if he wants his BP taken every hour you must do it". You can imagine how upset I became. Where do you draw the line?

[mattsmom81]

Hotel workers won't wipe your butt, and nurses won't leave a mint on your pillow...love it.

How about this one "Hotel workers don't save your life, and nurses don't leave a mint on your pillow." I'd like a TShirt that says THAT. :)

Social workers, and the other suits are like annoying little brothers who won't go away...LOL...SOOO true...and why I work night shift.

[RN4NICU, LPN, LVN]

mattsmom81 said:

Hotel workers won't wipe your butt, and nurses won't leave a mint on your pillow...love it.

How about this one "Hotel workers don't save your life, and nurses don't leave a mint on your pillow." I'd like a TShirt that says THAT. ?

Social workers, and the other suits are like annoying little brothers who won't go away...LOL...SOOO true...and why I work night shift.

I'm with you mattsmom - people already think all nurses do is wipe butts anyway. I'm so sick of that stigma I could just spit.

[leslie :-D]

that's one of dh's zingers thrown at me during a fight "all you do is wipe orifices"....sadly and pathetic to say, i think he partially believes that. i refuse to even dignify that with a response. :stone

[RN-RD]

How many times have I wanted to say "I am your nurse. I am here to save your butt not kiss it!!!

[RN-RD]

I forgot to mention in my above post that when I worked in the ER I wanted to say many times "Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part"

[mscsrjhm]

It is especially irritating to have demanding family members- "Mom needs a drink of water"- when the water is 2 foot from their hand.

I have less frustration with demanding patients then with the demanding family members.

[nursemike, ASN, RN]

I used to attend a church that practiced foot-washing among its membership, because Jesus did it. I was too young, at the time, to participate, but my father said it was kind of a great ritual--profoundly humbling and very intimate.

Hope I didn't imply that "butt wiping" was the be-all and end-all of nursing, especially as this is still a field I aspire to. Technically, wiping butts is still beyond my scope of practice at work, though I've done it a few times at school.

On the other hand, I will say that personal care, including butts, is a pretty fundamental part of nursing. Sometimes the distinction between nursing and medicine isn't what docs can do that we can't, but what we will do that docs (sometimes) won't. In other words, I would never cite wiping butts as a way to disparage nursing, but rather as one of its glories--sort of.

BTW--the very first time I did peri care was on an older gentleman who, when I explained afterward how I would roll him to one side to change his bedding, then roll him back, said, "OK, but wouldn't it be easier if I just got up and sat in that chair?"

Still working on those assessment skills.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

nursemike? said:

BTW--the very first time I did peri care was on an older gentleman who, when I explained afterward how I would roll him to one side to change his bedding, then roll him back, said, "OK, but wouldn't it be easier if I just got up and sat in that chair?"

Still working on those assessment skills.

As a student I SOOOO understand this - you're so eager to DO something, ANYTHING, that sometimes that gets in the way of common sense.

[LPNtoBSNstudent, BSN, RN]

This had me cracking up. I can just picture it. LOL. Another classic.

nursemike? said:

BTW--the very first time I did peri care was on an older gentleman who, when I explained afterward how I would roll him to one side to change his bedding, then roll him back, said, "OK, but wouldn't it be easier if I just got up and sat in that chair?"

Still working on those assessment skills.