My God, these family members!!

[SoundofMusic]

They are just killing me. Why is it that so many of them feel so entitled to sit in their aging parents rooms and just boss us nurses to HELL and back, while they sit there, fully able to do much of what we're doing for their parent, but simply do NOT have the time to do when we have other patients and issues to deal with. i MEAN -- can't they get mom up at least perhaps ONCE during the day? Does it have to be a nurse doing it every single time, ten times a day??

I just came off a shift tonight where I literally waitressed all day long, making and fetching coffee and water and 100 millions cups of juice for these patients (because we're always short a tech) -- and a patient's daughter was literally screaming at nurses at change of shift to come in and do something or other for her mother. It was absolutely NOT an emergency. (She was actually screaming -- "Good thing it WASN'T an emergency!!" These people have been on our unit for over 2-3 weeks, running every nurse on the unit ragged. Their mother is far over 80 years old and is only going to head to weeks of rehab after being on our unit. They want a private nurse -- that is what they want and need. But they can't get that on a floor. I think their call light was on for perhaps five minutes, max.

I am just SO tired of family members not understanding what we do -- and our managers from the floor to the corporate headquarters not backing us up to explain it to them. We are simply to treat everyone as our "family members" and go above and beyond 1000 percent of the time. Who goes above and beyond FOR NURSES??? DOES ANYONE???

We have no private space to do our charting, we are like fish in a bowl for these family members. If they see you at the nursing station -- that's it. They are ON YOU like flies. If they don't have a reason to bug you, they will find one. So, you don't get your charting done on time and are left to stay after a shift for an hour.

I am just so tired of it. So burnt out. Is it any wonder why they can't keep nurses for long? I mean -- come on, management -- take a LOOK at what you are doing to nurses nowadays. Put some LIMITS, please, on these family members. It is OUT OF CONTROL.

[dhinson45]

i have been a nurse for 36 years and refuse to be abused by anyone!! [color=dimgray]i ask pt or fml menber " would you have me get you a coke or save someones life?" this usually turns things around and i can take care of my patients needs. i am now not nursing due these " customer " needs, i am a nurse and am responsible for my patients medical needs. period.

[RandeeN]

when at work, i hardly get to eat,pee, or drink. after a couple of days, i am definately dehydrated. parched lips,dry skin, and not much urine to have to hold in. it is truely subhuman treatment,and we are not allowed to keep anything to drink at the nurse's station. just in the kitchen or breakroom. but our manager is such a neat-freak, that she throws stuff out, it's unbelievable

[RyanBillington]

You know, this is a modern day form of abuse and SLAVERY; and it should be stopped as soon as possible!!!

This sounds very much like a Civil Rights issue to me.

If this could be dealt with on a federal level -- like is should be -- hospitals and other medical facilities would be forced to hire staff sufficient to carry the load -- and NOT burden YOU with alone. True, health care costs would go up, but then again so would the quality of health care.

Somebody ought to do a documentary to show how nurses go without food, water -- or proper rest.

This form of slavery is breaking and killing many medical professions prematurely. And it's just disgusting, cruel, and inhumane. To me it sounds like it violates fair business practices and employee's rights.

In this country, it's not even legal to work animals the way some of you are being worked. Don't tolerate it!!! Complain whenever you get a chance -- even if you have to remain anonymous.

Also, document everything that's noteworthy in case you have to sue!!!

Heck, even Wal-Mart employees did that and won!!!

You have rights. Find out what they are. Ask questions. Contact attorneys if you have to. And contact local Civil Rights groups in your area. Also address President Obama with your concerns and complaints. The lives of many are at stake!!!!

[lindarn]

I couldn't agree more!! Contact the Human Rights Commission concerning these workplace abuses! Until nurses finally put there foot down, and REFUSE to act like waitresses while caring for patients, these abuses will continue.

Do family members ask the Physical Therapists to "fetch" them some water, snacks, pillows, or blankets? Do they scream at other health care workers because they are "stressed out" about the condition of their family members? Of course not. The only reason that nurses have become the hospital's "whipping boys", is because nurses let them.

I do not agree with the excuse that we should give "stressed out family members a break", because the only individuals who seem to be the target of their "stress", is the nursing staff.

Make them accountable and refuse to be a waitress. Perhaps if nurses sent famiy members a bill for 15% of the services you provided, (15 minutes to go to the kitchen and fix a snack, 30 minutes searching for pillows, blankets, 30 minutes talking to six family members on the phone, giving each the same information, etc. times, 15% of how much do you make an hour? You get the picture. JMHO and my NY $0.02.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

[psalm, RN]

I still think it would be a benefit if all patients were given, along with their Patient's Rights info, their Patient's Responsibilities. Some responsibilities:

Treat all the staff with respect.

Please be aware that if your request for a non-urgent item or service is delayed, you may call again. It may be due to an emergency that your nurse or aide cannot be there.

Appoint one family member or friend to be the go-to person for loved ones who want information of pt. condition (saving staff from the Hippa mantra and many wasted minutes on phone/in hallway, etc).

Family members & visitors should respectfully stay out of the staff's way (ie, leave room for pt. treatment, meds, assessments). This protects the patients' privacy as well.

Family & visitors should expect to utilize the cafeteria, snack machines and visitor rest rooms. Please inform your visitors that your tray is specifically for your dietary needs, and should not be shared; the bathroom is for the patient only, etc.

Please inform your visitors you are here for a reason. Please keep the visits short unless there is someone who will be staying most of the time to assist the pt. with dementia, etc.

I know these need to be polished up a bit, but it would spell it out for all of us. Why is it so hard? Why does it even have to be written out? Someone staying at a hotel is paying a fee, but the "unwritten rule" is that the patron not rob/destroy/trash the place...or have 4-6 extra people staying with them, without additional fees for extra pillows, blankets, cots, etc.

[RN1982]

Where I work, they started this hourly rounding program, called the 6 P's. I can't remember all of what they stand for but for an ICU nurse, I find it insulting as I round hourly anyhow.I wonder how management expects a nurse with 7-10 patients to round hourly. It's suppose to encourage "better" customer service. Better customer service would be realistic and SAFE staffing for units where nurses have 7-10 patients. But oh no, god forbid there be SAFE staffing because it's not in the budget.

I didn't go to school to earn a degree just to have administration come up with these stupid ideas and insult my intelligence. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I can't wait until I can do agency then I won't have to deal with the politics of this crap.

[Wade21, ADN, RN]

At my hospital, the nurses, and techs carry cordless phones so that the front desk can contact you or the tech if I pt. calls them for a need. The hospital made a policy of placing a billboard in pt.'s rooms listing the their nurse's and tech's phone #s with the nurse's # at the top of the list. Guess who gets called directly first for every little thing.

[lindarn]

At my hospital, the nurses, and techs carry cordless phones so that the front desk can contact you or the tech if I pt. calls them for a need. The hospital made a policy of placing a billboard in pt.'s rooms listing the their nurse's and tech's phone #s with the nurse's # at the top of the list. Guess who gets called directly first for every little thing.

Why don't you add the phone numbers of the nurse manager, the Director of Nursing and the hospital CEO? Let them share the wealth and experience the same interruptions as the staff! JMHO and my NY $0.02.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

[nursemike, ASN, RN]

Why don't you add the phone numbers of the nurse manager, the Director of Nursing and the hospital CEO? Let them share the wealth and experience the same interruptions as the staff! JMHO and my NY $0.02.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

Of course, the CEO and DON won't get the full experience of always having the phone ring as soon as they are in the middle of a sterile dressing change in MRSA isolation...

Hmm.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to get your coffee more quickly. I was tied up for a bit, disimpacting another patient's bowel. But I brought it as soon as I could. Here ya go."

[psalm, RN]

Of course, the CEO and DON won't get the full experience of always having the phone ring as soon as they are in the middle of a sterile dressing change in MRSA isolation...

Hmm.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to get your coffee more quickly. I was tied up for a bit, disimpacting another patient's bowel. But I brought it as soon as I could. Here ya go."

Don't forget to tell them you washed your hands, LOL!!!!!!!!

[elthia]

i can't believe what i just read! are you guys going along with such insulting, inhuman directives?

i would throw a fit!:angryfire

why wouldn't it be known that nurses take a lunch break? are we robots? do we not qualify for the most basic human needs?!

this is just wrong in so many ways!

i very rarely take my breaks and it isn't normal- but to actually advertise to patients a culture of slavery for the nursing staff is intentionally belittling and encouraging abuse!

that really made me sick!

there have been documented patient complaints, where pt family members came to the desk and asked for the nurse. they were told the nurse was at lunch. instead of asking for someone else, or further assistance, the family member went back to the room, and the pt then had to wait until the nurse came back from lunch. one time it was for pain meds, the other time it was for difficulty breathing.

don't ask me why the families didn't ask for someone else...but this is the reason given to us why we were told we are no longer allowed to say the nurse is at lunch.

[SchoolNurseBSN]

i can't believe what i just read! are you guys going along with such insulting, inhuman directives?

i would throw a fit!:angryfire

why wouldn't it be known that nurses take a lunch break? are we robots? do we not qualify for the most basic human needs?!

this is just wrong in so many ways!

i very rarely take my breaks and it isn't normal- but to actually advertise to patients a culture of slavery for the nursing staff is intentionally belittling and encouraging abuse!

that really made me sick!

bless you! well said! we will always have demanding family members because people will push as far as they can if there is nobody (the facilty) to stop them.

and it is absolutely absurd for anyone to hide the fact that the nurse is on a break (most likely with her phone ringing or someone coming in to ask a question). we are human and cannot be expected to take care of other people when our own basic needs are not met.

the sad thing is....you can leave the hospital, but these problems seem to follow you. i am a school nurse and in 3 years - i have only taken an "official" lunch away from my desk maybe 5 times. and when i do - i will hear from a teacher "a parent was looking for you or a student had a papercut and you refused to see them." this, when they get 2 planning periods and an uninterrupted lunch. must be nice! they will even start yelling for me and knocking on the door if i am in the bathroom!