Unprofessional to mention you have other patients?

Nurses General Nursing

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Someone mentioned in another thread that it's unprofessional to mention that you have other patients.

I disagree. There is definitely a tactful way to let a patient know that you have an urgent matter with one of your patients, but will get that extra pillow as soon as you can. I find people very understanding when I communicate in a friendly and informative manner.

Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
People usually are understanding, but it can also backfire on you. I had a family member point blank said "I don't care about the other people."

And these are precisely the people who we need to set that boundary with. ;) Of course I would never say it this way, but *I* don't care about a pt's narcissism, or a family member's narcissism by proxy. I have on occasion flashed my dazzling smile and said something to the effect of "I would gladly give my right arm to be able to divide myself in half, but those durned facts of biology..." and then assured them I would be back asap.

I really like the "I am obligated to care" response!

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

At our job, it's no big secret that we have other patients. All they have to do is look at the whiteboard.

As far as telling patients directly, if it's an urgent matter, I will tell the patient that I have to take care of an urgent matter for another patient first and then I will be right with them. If it's not an urgent matter, I generally handle patients in the order in which they approach me (e.g., "Patient X asked me for something first and once I get that done for them, I'll take care of you next.").

If they have a temper tantrum about it, well, they have a temper tantrum...and quickly realize that yelling and screaming isn't going to magically make me drop everything to attend to them :)

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The problem isn't even the family members when it comes to that. I could not care less about their tantrums, but our facility is so hell bent on those...surveys...and that's when the hammer of management comes swinging down at me full force.

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First, it lets them know that you have a legitimate reason for why you can't do something right that second; you're not ignoring them.

I agree. I could see if it was some issue where you divulged information about the other patient. But the fact of the matter is nurses are responsible for a set number of patients and certain treatments and procedures need to take priority. Some patients take 'patient-centered" care to an extreme wherein they can sometimes neglect the fact that nurses have to care for other patients too.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVICU.

I notice this being an issue less in ICU. Our rooms are like 75% window so while we can see the patient and their monitor, the patients can usually see us running around. Being 1 of 2 patients is easy to explain and the patients generally are happy. Most of the time when I've had a critical event (i.e code, intubation, etc), I've gone into my other patient's room and if they are with it, they usually have gotten the sense that something has gone terribly wrong somewhere on the unit, and most have been happy that it isn't them that it's happening too. Sometimes I think it can be humbling.

That being said, this can get dicey with 6 patients per 1 nurse. The worst was inpatient general surgery: dilaudid, zofran, dilaudid, zofran, dilaudid zofran,4 lights going off at once, clock watchers - AHH! It drove me crazy! And because the government says pain is now a pivotal vital sign, patient's don't care if the guy next door can't breathe! Their POD 1 abdomen is hurting 11/10, and they NEED IT NOW BECAUSE PAIN IS UNACCEPTABLE!!!

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

In most of my personal experience, it's been the family or patients that aren't that ill that have the least amount of respect or concern if you have other patients. That's why I think this is more of an individualized judgement call on whether its "professional" or not to mention other patients.

Personally, I suppose one of the perks of not really having family and loved ones is I have never really spent time in the hospital outside of being a patient. I have been a patient many times long before I considered nursing and I was one of those patients that would try hard to not call out or "bug" the nurse. To the point I got scolded I needed to and I wasn't a bother. The rare times my kids have been in the hospital or doctors I still have been more on the understanding side. But I know a different side to it now to be more understanding.

However, there have been times patients or their families DO in fact need to understand they are NOT the only patients and it's usually because they are NOT as sick as some of the other patients and if I have a patient or family getting snotty and being rude over petty things when some serious stuff is going on, unprofessional or not, I will not hesitate to firmly tell them.

I was literally doing CPR one time and a saw the daughter of another patient come out and peek in the room. While I was doing compressions on this other patient I looked up and made direct eye contact with her. So I know she saw me. After all was done I stepped outside to cool off for a minute (this is ER setting and ambulance bay doors were right there) because 45 mins doing compressions when you and only 1 other person is doing it is absolutely exhausting. So I come back in and go check on the other patient and her daughter starts going off how her mom is hungry and they asked for a sandwich over an hr ago and how unacceptable it was they have been forced too wait. Initially I calmly apologized and told her that I was sorry it has taken so long, there was an emergency next door and I have been tied up. She responds that she doesn't care about any other patients that she only cares about her mom, she even had the audacity to say that it's not like the other patient would care if they ate or not.(mom was watching TV during this exchange and shaking her head at her daughter like she was embarrassed). Well nice me went out the window.

I very curtly told her that I know she just saw me doing CPR, as in I was literally trying to help save a patient that died. I told her that since she seems to have deep care and concern for her mother, if the situation had been reversed and I was instead doing CPR on her loved one, would she be OK with a family member interrupting us while trying to save her loved ones life and demanding a sandwich and having me stop and go get it??? I walked out. 30 mins later she sought me out to apologize for her behavior.

Goes back to the whole "there is a time and place for everything" and that it's more a matter of how you say things as opposed to what you say. Especially in a situation like this. IMO

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I noted that the only time I have been moved to want to make this comment was when I was dealing with someone who was really very,very far out of line. It is not a statement that I take lightly.

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I straight up throw away the whole professionalism out the door and be myself and treat my patients as if they're my friends from college, church, etc. rather than a patient. Once I establish a warm and friendly rapport, I use the kill 'em-with-kindness technique where I say something like "alright you're all set, I gotta check on my other patients. If you need me, use your call light. I'll see you soon! all with a smile. And I say that as I'm walking backwards towards the exit door. I don't even think twice that they're being offended by the fact that I have 3 to 4 other lives I need to stabilize.

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Specializes in Cardicac Neuro Telemetry.

I don't think it is unprofessional as long as it is done tactfully. Some patients need to be reminded that you can't always stop everything you are doing to immediately assist them. It is not rude to set limits or boundaries.

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Specializes in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.

I don't know why but it's always been a weird topic -- I vaguely remember being told that it's not that patient's problem that you have other patients so it's not an excuse or something (?). I can't remember but it's some customer service-related nonsense. I have had parents ask me how many patients I have for the night but that's usually just small talk. I still get a weird twinge of guilt mentioning it (again, don't know why). And, then, there's some parents who were used to having their nurse 1:1 when they were in PICU and don't get, ahem, sharing their nurse with 2 other patients once they get to the floor. So, they genuinely just don't know that not all nurses have just 1 patient. They're shocked, I think it's funny, but they just really don't get it.

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When will the powers realize that healthcare is NOT a customer service industry!

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I don't know why but it's always been a weird topic -- I vaguely remember being told that it's not that patient's problem that you have other patients so it's not an excuse or something (?).

I get that from management too. I simply tell them I'm not giving the patients any excuses, I'm merely explaining the situation.

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