Feeling like a servant

Nurses Relations

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Do you guys ever feel like the families and sometimes patients treat you like u are the waitress? Or like they are ur only patient? It really irritated me today.

:yes: I love massage, but I don't know how.

Welcome to the wonderful world of nursing!

You think that is a common experience on the hospital floor? Try home health! heh heh

Specializes in PCCN.

yeah but home health you're not stuck with them for 12 hours straight, are you?

Yes, I'm constantly fetching snacks and water even though the majority of my patients are ambulatory.

Maybe you could show them where the kitchen is and tell them walking is what the doctor wants them to do.

Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

I always tell my family that nursing is a service job.

I recognized that years ago.

I have also had this problem in acute care as well as long term care. I encourage my patients to do as much as they can for themselves in order to get better so they can go home. I show them where they can get snacks, ice, and water. I don't mind helping those that are unable to help themselves. And as far as their visitors go, I direct them to the cafeteria and vending machines.

I think it's a great idea to show patients and/or family members the kitchen and inform them of the policies, as suggested by KookyKorky. Perhaps some people are truly ignorant of how it works (don't know where the kitchen/vending is, think that drinks/snacks must be procured by the nurse, etc.).

Admittedly, as a recent hospital visitor I allowed my grandma's nurses to fetch her drinks and snacks. I never heard them mention a kitchen, and I didn't stop to question when they asked what they could bring her. I would have gladly fetched water/Sprite/ice for her to lighten their work load, but I was under the impression that the patients' drinks were kept in a staff-only area. I bet I'm not the only one to make this mistake, but boy do I feel embarrassed after reading this thread! :facepalm:

Best wishes! :geek:

Yes me too....

I am a big fan of Orem's Self-Care Management and practice it as often as possible. I am not helping you if I do things for you that you can do for yourself. I have no quilt with this. We do not need to encourage this behavior - and besides these little niceties will dry up when universal healthcare comes to fruition in full force. Our client population is going to increase by at least 30 million. There will not be time for anything but what holds precedence.

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

it can be annoying, but i try not to let it bother me. the post which basically said we are servants actually resonated with me as well, but for personal reasons. it is good for me to serve, i can't speak for anyone else. clinical judgment comes in when i have to decide whether it's good for the patient as well. it isn't always, thus Orem.

that said, fetching things for family members is strictly out of the question in most cases.

I am a waitress going through nursing school and i always say nursing is going to be like waitressing only you get paid much more. Ill take $20+ over $3.85 anyday!

Yes queen waitressing is alot like nursing you serve others but you try to do it in such as way that you are not abused. As I indicated earlier, the problem with servitude is that it that it has negative connotations. Even many dictionaries such as merriam webster will indicate that servant is one that serves others but then goes further to give negative connotations to it.

I certainly agree with others who write that a large purpose of the "service" or "care" you provide should lead to some measure of independence for the patient and family.

I also do have a problem when patients and or family and friends come to the hospital with the idea that they are in a hotel. Again, that gets to become a more abusive situation than one of service.

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