When the nurse becomes the patient

Nurses Relations

Published

It is amazing the things you notice. Perhaps my expectations were too high? I was admitted for observation and it was not a good experience. I had a nurse admit me to the room. Then I was hooked up to machines and left for 5 hours. I met the aide when I called to go to the bathroom, it took her 25 minutes to come. Never saw her again, the things that stood out to me as a patient? No one introduced themselves or told me their name. No one told me what they were doing or monitoring. No one showed me where the call light was or how to use it. I was there from just before 10 until after 3. I was starving. No one checked on me. I ended up unhooking myself the second time to go to the bathroom, then calling the dr myself to see if they were letting me out ever. I called the nurse but she never came. I literally did not see her again until I was discharged. I asked what my lab results were, she told me to ask my dr.

I think it was good to see the other perspective. I was scared, alone, and just left there. Not pleasant. I will remember that feeling every time I go to work. I'm happy to say on my floor we round hourly.

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Specializes in Oncology.

I think a letter to the manager is in order.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

Wow. That sounds awful. I would definitely contact the manager or patient relations.

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It wasn't busy either. That is what was so frustrating. The person who did my

Lab draw was very nice. He was friendly and made the room warmer for me. So at least one good thing. I am now dreading my delivery. I am getting close to my due date and am dreading this hospital stay.

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Specializes in Oncology.

I'm guessing you'll be shocked at how different L&D and Maternity are from your observation stay. Unless you were on maternity?

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I was. It was awful. I'm thinking of changing hospitals for delivery.

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I think you should wait on any complaints until after you have your baby. At your next stay you will have to be your own advocate. Speak up for yourself right from the start. Be nice, but ask their names and use your call light when you need them. If they don't come keep calling. Hopefully it was just an off day or a bad group you got. All staff will not be like that! If you get that same nurse, ask for a new one. After all s said and done, you do need to complain so this does not happen to anyone else. Sounds awful. Hope you are feeling better.

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My stay when delivering my first (before I was a nurse) was pretty bad. I was young, dumb, and scared. My labor nurse acted like she would sooooo much rather being doing just about anything but caring for my laboring hiney! Then, because it was so busy, at 0400 we got woken up to be sent to the peds floor. The peds floor was the only nursing floor in the original part of the hospital that had been built in the 20s. The rooms had windows to the hallway where moms were roaming with their sick and crying little ones. We were at the end of a long hallway with the lights burnt out (super dilapidated looking) The radiator in my room wasn't working and it was snowing outside. I curled my body around my bundled baby just to keep ME warm! I was too timid to ask for pain meds but she also didn't offer anything- heck, I only saw her twice in about seven hours. I finally ended up calling for meds and got about two hours later. I was cold, in a lot of pain, and felt truly forgotten about.

Funny thing is, I now work on OB. The labor nurse who acted like she had better things to do? Works my shift and still acts like that to her patients-sometimes she doesn't even look up from her online shopping to answer a question from a pt/visitor.:confused:

I wouldn't let this be a deal breaker. There are good and bad nurses in every bunch.my last delivery was great (now that I work there)- they let me hand pick my nurses and I got treated like a princess!

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

I was just in delivering my second. My first go through I was induced at 41w2d. For the most part it was a dreamy delivery. Only thing I noticed were no one swabbed a port, ever, and the off going RN didn't attach my epidural to the syringe. In the maternity ward I felt pretty abandoned as a new mon because they didn't tell us about cluster feedings. So the second night my husband and I cried along with our baby because we didn't know what was wrong.

For my most recent stay I was in Sunday night for induction again, 41w 1d because my babies love to hang out in there. This time I was 2cm when I got in and was in natural labor. They told me I could stay overnight since I was already there, but then it was like they were confused with what to do with me. I had to pull a pain management plan out of my RN but once I did, and I told her I was an RN things went well. Still not one person flushed my IV or swabbed a port. My epidural went well though my husband was watching like a hawk to make sure it was hooked up.

In maternity things were fine because I knew what to expect and wasn't afraid to call for meds. I met a fantastic tech who was married to an RN of 31 years and we joked about night shift and happy marriages. I really appreciated her. On discharge day my BP was running high (140's over 90's so well in pre-e range). I had a disagreement with the RN over BP technique and then everything sort of slid downhill from there. I got a "visit" from the supervisor before we left, though I told her everything was fine. I am still staring at my press ganey trying to decide if it is worth the time.

In the end it solidifies to me that communicating, checking in, and caring can make a huge difference to a patient for their stay. Oh and I don't feel bad for all those alcohol wipes I found in my dryer from carrying a pocketful to swab ports.

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I feel it is important to leave feedback. I try my best to always ask for a manager if someone goes out of there way and does a fantastic job, but I also ask for one if I think the care was horrible. Bad care needs to be addressed. Great care needs to be recognized.

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Specializes in N/A.

Please consider hiring a Birth Doula........ if not financially possible you could contact Doula's of North America, or CAPPA or any other doula certifying organizations and find a doula who will work at a discounted fee as she trains toward certification. She won't do anything medical but if you're not able to speak up for yourself she will. We're not supposed to but I've had to in the past.... Good luck!

It wasn't busy either. That is what was so frustrating. The person who did my

Lab draw was very nice. He was friendly and made the room warmer for me. So at least one good thing. I am now dreading my delivery. I am getting close to my due date and am dreading this hospital stay.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

I couldn't have been treated better when I was admitted for my cancer surgery. Everyone was so kind and caring; nurses were constantly checking on me and making sure my pain was under control.

I had orthopedic surgery a little while ago. Those nurses...some were good, some were pretty sketchy. One had me so upset that she wound up earning herself a mention on the Press-Ganey survey I got. The aides were actually nicer overall than the nurses. I have to have multiple ortho surgeries in the future, and I dread it. I am going to put it off as long as I possibly can.

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