Some nurses seriously need their head examined

[Scrubby]

Have you ever been in a situation where you simply want to tell another nurse to kindly remove themselves from your presence before I start raising my voice?

A few days ago I was involved in a case where my patient had their member and a testicle removed. Not very pleasant at all, this patient is terminal and the procedure was to give him extra time.

You would think this patient should be treated with dignity and respect wouldn't you?

The clinical nurse in charge of this clinic announced to the entire operating room that 'he deserves it for not washing himself properly'...............................

Ummm where do I start? At the time I was just speechless. I should have told them to refrain from making disrespectful comments. Instead I stewed about it which isn't healthy but at the time I was incapable of speaking to them without using curse words.

This was wrong on so many levels. I have a sister who is undergoing chemo, for someone to say anyone deserves cancer is personal to me. We had a nursing student in the room, now they go back and tell their preceptor and students how heartless we all are. It's hard enough to gain respect from surgeons, no wonder they think we're stupid when someone makes a comment like that it reflects on ALL of us. And of course how you can stand their and look at such a horrendous wound and make a comment really is just mind boggling.

I haven't had a chance to speak with this person but I'm going to. I'm going to let them know that their comment was disturbing, inappropriate and has really offended me. And I will tell them that in future maybe they should show some leadership and maturity by treating their patients with respect.

I just cannot understand all of this. I've cried all weekend over this incident.

[Ruthfarmer]

It is amazing how many vile heartless people are able to get a nurse's license. I do not abide such comments. I will very calmly and deliberately tell someone, "Your comment is inappropriate and unprofessional. Please keep such comments to yourself in the future."

This same vile heartless person is going to be oh so surprised one day when one of her comments is heard by a patient's loved one and the nurse winds up getting herself slapped baldheaded. I've seen it done!

[Vito Andolini]

It is amazing how many vile heartless people are able to get a nurse's license. I do not abide such comments. I will very calmly and deliberately tell someone, "Your comment is inappropriate and unprofessional. Please keep such comments to yourself in the future."

This same vile heartless person is going to be oh so surprised one day when one of her comments is heard by a patient's loved one and the nurse winds up getting herself slapped baldheaded. I've seen it done!

That would be a hard slap! And she could respond with having the slapper arrested and prosecuted/sued.

If this nurse spoke in front of an awake patient or the patient's family, that is quite another matter. But I thought OP said this remark was made in the OR. I assumed, perhaps wrongly, that pt was asleep and no family were present. Sorry if I was wrong on that.

[Katie5]

There's this nurse on the unit that I'm currently on, that constantly does this. But just cos it's regular doesn't mean it's normal.

[pedicurn, LPN, RN]

You have failed the allnurses.com hyperbole requirement. Your proper response would equate this event to the Holocaust, nuclear war, etc. Bonus points for "I would never want (the person described) to care for me or my loved ones."

Your post was the single worst post ever on the internet. You are a horrible nurse and I'd never want you to care for me or my loved ones, and you are setting a horrible example for all student nurses (bless their sweet little souls) everywhere.

^^^^^see, like that.

Oh, and I LOL'd at the "feel my legs" joke, but I did feel a little bad after.

LOL

Many nurses do exactly what you have described.. are we professionals???

I don't know anymore, i really don't know. Can we please learn to recognise situations where we might 'wear our hearts on our sleeves'.

Whilst the behavior was poor, inaccurate and unkind....the patient wasn't awake.

The nurse should be counselled, not crucified

[morte, LPN, LVN]

That would be a hard slap! And she could respond with having the slapper arrested and prosecuted/sued.

If this nurse spoke in front of an awake patient or the patient's family, that is quite another matter. But I thought OP said this remark was made in the OR. I assumed, perhaps wrongly, that pt was asleep and no family were present. Sorry if I was wrong on that.

i am surprised at your response......this nurse was giving false information....in front of a dying patient, whether he was under anes or not, doesnt mean he didnt hear it.....and the remark was just totally unprofessional.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

LOL

Many nurses do exactly what you have described.. are we professionals???

I don't know anymore, i really don't know. Can we please learn to recognise situations where we might 'wear our hearts on our sleeves'.

Whilst the behavior was poor, inaccurate and unkind....the patient wasn't awake.

The nurse should be counselled, not crucified

awake or not, doesnt mean he didnt hear.....

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

That one is a new one, but I've heard some bad ones before.

I had a terminally ill pt that had brain mets. The pt would awake with nightmares, crying or screaming at night.

One of my "religious" coworkers came up to the desk, saying that the patient must have lived a terribly sinful life...she was having the nightmares because she was heading to Hell.

(Said nurse once described me after I left that unit behind, to someone who forgot my name and was asking where I had gone to, as "You mean, you're talking about caroladybelle the JEW", when referring to me. Not the redhead, not the chubby charge on nights, mind you, but "the JEW".)

There are some special types of insensitive morons out there....

[Medic/Nurse, BSN, RN]

yikes.

well, using her logic folks have bad things happen to them because they have some level of "deservedness" - we can only hope that it works that way in her case. her tongue will surely rot out or maybe a brain tumor that lets her lose control of body functions or maybe her teeth will fall out, she might go blind or something - really, the sky is the limit for the deserved badness she surely must deserve. we all know someone who never gets what they deserve, but that is not really the point. i pray that no one here thinks and works with the edict that "we get what we deserve" - sure, i think bad health habits have consequences but this is not the point.

actually, i have been so shocked by certain folks that i was left mute - so, i get your point.

i think this is called psychological abuse. abuse. abuse. it puts a patient in jeopardy and is predatory. i think you could speak to her and kudos for your restraint - i am not sure that a friendly chat is in order or at least, i'm not sure i could be satisfied with that alone.

there is another thread recently where a poster noted that her co-worker was fired d/t the op reporting immature and profane behavior. as a rule, the punishment should fit the crime and i try not to judge. however, in a case of true jeopardy - i'd have no qualms taking this as far as necessary. remember - patient abuse demands mandatory reporting. i think every behavior has to be taken in context and all situations calmly and fairly visited. sure, there is more than a passing "mean girls" mentality that rots many workplaces and ganging up on someone is never indicated just "because". i think most of us have said something we should not have said in certain situations and have real regret and horror at our indiscretions - not sure if this is her baseline behavior or not, but in this case i do not think it matters.

no doubt, sitting here and reasoning this is a waste of time and not helpful. this is potentially serious and should be addressed pronto.

you can talk to her and fyi i'd be less concerned with what the surgeons thing of us - that might be too easy for her to dismiss her actions by think "everyone knows i'm kidding" or "the doctors really like me". that is not what i'd focus on as the issue. i'd focus on the patient jeopardy and psychological abuse facet and make sure she walks away with some different attitudes.

or

you could just go to hr or your manager to discuss the matter and the behavior. focus on the psychological damage that may/could/might/may have been done and you are just advocating for the fragile populations that we are entrusted to protect.

good luck.

[nursel56]

It wasn't a dumb remark. It was a detached, cynical and cruel remark. And to all you over-sentimental, heart-on-sleeve nurses,

:ilyc: :1luvu: :luvnltr: :flowersfo

[bluemorningglory]

,

When I was a student I saw some nurses abuse a new mom in the delivery room. It was so awful I can remember every detail today.

What happened???

[newtress, LPN]

You know, this brings up a very sad memory as a nursing student that angered me then and still does. But it involved a doctor. There's a batch of them out there too. I was assigned to a female who had just had a CVA night prior on admit. She had MRI early the morning of my arrival on the floor and was in her room, with me seeing her as my first patient. Although she could not utter any words to me but certainly was trying to with her eyes and responded to touch, this youngster doctor comes in the room and does a quick once over and says to me "did you know she had bilateral CVA? Sheesh, I don't know why they didn't just get her transfered on over to hospice, won't be long." I wanted to just b*tch slap him to the floor. I feel certain she heard him, and her son was on his way to her room, not knowing the results of her scans yet himself. So far, that ranked the most ruthless thing I have seen a specialist say in the presence of his patient.

[mango_madness90]

Wow. Wow. Wow. That nurse has some screws loose. I'm 18, practically just out of high school and know a lot better than that. That nurse should lose her job.