A patient's experience with RUDE nursing staff.. Should this be reported?

Mrs. SnowStormRN, RN · May 6, 2011

:yeah: I think this poster has hit the nail on the head. I also think there may be a socio-economic think going on with this thread. I wonder how many of the posters here have received subsidized food, health care, housing. Maybe there is a lot of sympathy because lots of us have been in her shoes. I received unemployment and the state paid for my education. I remember when I went to the unemployment office it was one of the most humiliating experiences of my life. I FELT like the staff looked down on me. Maybe they did, but the truth is I looked down on myself.

I agree. You do feel embarrassed and look down on yourself. Good way to put it.

excitedtobehere · May 6, 2011

I'm sorry that this happened to your friend... The beauty of the situation is that this is, ultimately, a business. The best way to handle the situation is to notify management of the experience, and to take her business elsewhere.

One thing to keep in mind is that your friend is extremely sensitive to her new situation, and while this incident clearly upset her and should be reported, she might be reading more into it than is actually there. You don't want to make a fundamental attribution error and assume that these nurses are inherently "cruel". Their reaction may have had more to do with a previous situation or experience.

While I have no doubt your friend is using this insurance as it is intended, there IS fraud everywhere, and there is a reason these stereotypes come into being. Perhaps these nurses have dealt with people defrauding the system on a regular basis, and unfortunately, extended this stereotype to your friend.

I'm glad I came across this post, because I'm going to use this as a teachable moment. It's not up to us to pass judgment on people and decide who is and isn't worthy of our care. We will never know the full situation, and the next time I catch myself passing judgment, I will remind myself that all may not be as it seems. I wish your friend success in the future, and hope that this trying time will make her come out stronger in the end!

Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN · May 6, 2011

Wondering why we keep referring to the clinic staff as "nurses"? In the typical clinic setting, there are few actual nurses. Most staff consists of UAP and registration/billing clerks.

caregiver1977 · May 6, 2011

While I have no doubt your friend is using this insurance as it is intended, there IS fraud everywhere, and there is a reason these stereotypes come into being. Perhaps these nurses have dealt with people defrauding the system on a regular basis, and unfortunately, extended this stereotype to your friend.

Yes, and this fraud involves more than just patients. Often they are only getting the peanuts of the big, fraud elephant in the room. But the patients seem to be judged the hardest for it.

But carry on. Just wanted to mention that. I don't want to detract from the original subject.

Batman25 · May 6, 2011

I doubt it was actual nurses either. Most clinics rarely have them anymore and if they do it certainly wouldn't be a bunch of them. Often they have one. Doesn't however make it professional or kind regardless of the title.

The CNM seeing her versus the doctor is fairly standard. I'm sure the doc didn't want to see her and the CNM smoothed that over. I can't blame her on that because she isn't going to malign the doc to a patient. I've seen NP and PA even with private insurance at my PCP and once in ER. If you really want to see the doc you can speak up and demand that. He might have come then and if he didn't you leave if it is a big issue for you. Sounds like the NP was compassionate and qualified so that is great news. Glad the exam went well.

She can make a complaint if she feels seriously about the issue. Nothing wrong with making her feelings known on that matter.

trebugRN · May 6, 2011

people are *rarely* deliberately jerks to patients but they do have opinions (whether or not they are appropriate, they exist and are not going to go away). should they have talked about it out of earshot? sure. is it a debilitating insult? hardly.

true.

from wooh:

quite honestly, i think she's understandably being overly sensitive to whatever is going on around her because she's embarrassed to be receiving public assistance. and here's why:

first off, i'm doubting this was "nursing staff." in a clinic, it's rarely actual nurses, much less a group of them joking together.

next, how does she know it was her insurance they were talking about? just because she could hear it outside the door? at the various offices that i've been to, there's all sorts of things going on outside the door to the exam rooms. and i've heard jokes made about all sorts of insurance. "will this be covered?" "of course, it's insert-really-good-private-company, they'll cover blahdyblah-off-the-wall-thing-blah!" "will this be covered?" "with crappy-private-company? they won't even cover a bandaid on a gushing head wound."

they repeatedly asked her if she had insurance?

when i'm at the hospital and a home nebulizer is ordered, i'm excited when the patient has medicaid, because our respiratory therapists can dispense it themselves. it's a pain when it's "good" insurance because then i have to change things in the computer, contact case management, wait on them to set up home health, wait on delivery.

she's in a crappy situation right now. and probably understandably sensitive about receiving public assistance. losing your job is a huge blow to the ego, and receiving help is a huge blow to the ego. i can't blame her for feeling like the whole world is out to get her. but before i'd advise her to start "reporting" people, i'd have to seriously consider if she's taking things she's hearing out of context and putting them into her own feelings of the world crashing down on her.

so much in woot's post was exactly what i thougth again and again as i read the op and as i read all the responses.

some things to consider, that's all.

i think the rest has been said enough times.

lillymom · May 7, 2011

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sorry but even this sounds judgemental to me. i was not being judgemental as my post clearly stated i get this info from others that work in the ob/gyn field, i was just explaining thier point of view. how do you know the case surrounding these people? maybe their jobs do pay well but they are the sole breadwinners in their home and can no longer afford to pay the insurance due to pregnancy? i also don't belive that people who can't afford to support themselves should not have kids, period, because how are they supposed to support thier kids? that is a huge responisbility and there are too many people who don't take it seriously. that is judgemental but i care more for the children than i do for the parent. making judgements like this is the problem. thinking like this, is the problem. you do not know what is going on in someones life and why they make the choices they do. you are on the outside trying to look in. im sorry, maybe im more open minded than others. everyone who knows me says i am very open minded, too much so, and look at all view points. im not there to judge a person on how they got insurance or why, im there to take care of the patient. i dont give a rats behind if theyre on medicaid or tricare. many people who cant afford insurance may never have been successful and wish they could, and may be working toward it. i also don't care what someone's insurance is and they all get equal care from me. yes there are people who work the system, but you cant tell just by looking at someone. im sorry, but i dont like this behavior at all. unless that person comes out and say, "im taking advantage of the governments money," than i dont know what the heck is going on in their personal life - and i dont care. if you are able to drive a new lexus and carry a channel then you are able to pay your insurance. all you have to do is sell your lexus and instead of paying a hefty car payment you could pay for insurance instead of having someone else's hard earned money to pay for it. my job has nothing to do with that. maybe this grinds my gears because i remember i was using wic in the store once, the cashier made a nasty comment to me. i said, "you know what lady, i have nursing degree, i had to quit my job because the military shipped my husband to iraq and while my husband is fighting for your freedom, i can barely afford to feed my kids!!" she shut her pie hole than. she judge me based on one thing, a wic check. i needed help than, and only utilized it when i needed it. my husband is home and safe now, and we no longer need any assistance, but life throws you curve balls sometimes and thats that. i am sorry people were passing judgement on you. i have family members who openly work the system and do not work because they are above working. i understand some people need it but there are some people who obviously do work the system because there are things that they can do that is within their power to change thier situation but they choose not to. i don't blame people for what they can't help but i do for what they can. i would also like to thank you and your husband for the sacrifices you both have made to serve your country.

Mulan · May 7, 2011

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Sorry but even this sounds judgemental to me. How do you know the case surrounding these people? Maybe their jobs do pay well but they are the sole breadwinners in their home and can no longer afford to pay the insurance due to pregnancy? Making judgements like this is the problem. Thinking like this, is the problem. You do not know what is going on in someones life and why they make the choices they do. You are on the outside trying to look in. Im sorry, maybe Im more open minded than others. Im not there to judge a person on how they got insurance or why, Im there to take care of the patient. I dont give a rats behind if theyre on Medicaid or Tricare. Many people who cant afford insurance may never have been successful and wish they could, and may be working toward it. Yes there are people who work the system, but you cant tell just by looking at someone. Im sorry, but I dont like this behavior at all. Unless that person comes out and say, "Im taking advantage of the governments money," than I dont know what the heck is going on in their personal life - and I dont care. My job has nothing to do with that. Maybe this grinds my gears because I remember I was using WIC in the store once, the cashier made a nasty comment to me. I said, "You know what lady, I have nursing degree, I had to quit my job because the military shipped my husband to Iraq and while my husband is fighting for your freedom, I can barely afford to feed my kids!!" She shut her pie hole than. She judge me based on one thing, a WIC check. I needed help than, and only utilized it when I needed it. My husband is home and safe now, and we no longer need any assistance, but life throws you curve balls sometimes and thats that.

What's wrong with Tricare?

manicmom · May 7, 2011

Since I just spoke to her again, I can say yes that I am/she is certain that the nurses would know that she could hear them as the nursing station was only about 6 feet away from the exam room she was in. Directly across from her exam room door, and they were speaking loudly. As far as it being deliberate... IDK and neither does she. It probably was not, if I had to say myself.(And I told her that) I've manged large medical facilities myself (administrative capacity, not nursing) and sometimes we DID vent about patients. BUT, the difference here is -- it was in PRIVATE, like my private office, not at a nursing station.

I am so sorry this happened! I am really not exonerating the nursing staff! I am still saying it should be reported...I was just saying that the nursing staff (as viewed by nurses) that it may have been a mistake in their part of a bad day. If they were that close, than...Let the heads roll!!!!

I was not trying to excuse the behavior, regardless...They need to know!

allnurses Guide · May 7, 2011

Those people weren't talking in derogatory terms about insurance. They were openly mocking the people who have that type of insurance. They were at best, insensitive. To me it doesn't matter that much if they weren't licensed.

If they weren't rude to her face, would it be OK for a group of clinic employees to laugh and joke about fat people, disabled people, people of xyz ethnic group - really- does anything go if they didn't look her in the eye and say "YOU are like that!?"

I can't believe anyone would excuse this by saying, "there is a lot of fraud in the medi-caid system, you know." Yes, and . . .? Why would it matter at all in this situation?

DPSGraduateNurse · May 7, 2011

You hear about it. You read about it. You are taught in school that nursing isn't a piece of cake and is hard work. Everyone agrees it's bothering and unprofessional. Yet, this type of behavior continues, and continues, and continues. ###IMJUSTSAYING

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · May 7, 2011

if you are able to drive a new lexus and carry a channel then you are able to pay your insurance. all you have to do is sell your lexus and instead of paying a hefty car payment you could pay for insurance instead of having someone else's hard earned money to pay for it.
one of my aunts adopted 2 kids from foster care.she got the first at 4 days old, and the second at 3 years.the adoptions took about 2 year to be finalized. in the meantime, the kids got wic and medicaid, because they were wards of the state.
my aunt had a good job, a new car (mazda) and owned a home. she had good insurance through her job, but she couldn't add her kids until the adoptions were finalize. when she went to the doctor's office, she was just another single black woman with 2 kids and a new car, using medicaid. when she went grocery shopping, she was just another single black woman 2 kids and a new car, using wic.
you really don't know what is going in people's lives. things aren't always what they seem.