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

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My best friend went to a facility today for the first time for an annual gynecological exam. She currently has one of those partially state funded health insurance plans as she was laid off a few months ago and was eligible for this program as she has children (single mom) and is living on unemployment. It was a very large clinic type setting and she only went there as she was advised by her gyn's office that her current gyn worked at this facility a few times per month. So, today while at the clinic she was waiting in the exam room and overheard several nurses (nursing station was outside her exam room) poking fun at her type of insurance. Stating "xyz insurance is the everything insurance" , "I bet you can buy food or a manicure with this insurance", "yes, I bet you can even pay your rent or take your kids to McDonalds with this insurance" on and on and on... then they :lol2::lol2::lol2: This went on for about ten minutes with several more derogatory remarks. Just as she was starting to dress and LEAVE this place, as she was so embarrassed, the CNM came in to do her exam. The CNM stated that she would be doing her exam as the dr had to rush out to an emergency. Which was a lie as my friend heard him in the hallway only seconds beforehand stating something about "not doing first time gyn appts". So, she had her exam, reluctantly, and the CNM was very nice to her. But she is SO upset right now and does not want to make a big stink about this but yet feels that the nurses outside her room were out of line and cruel. Do you think she should call the facility and ask to speak to the supervisor or DON?

Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.
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.

My sister is a fraud investigator for New York's Office of the Medicare Inspector General. In New York, the vast majority of Medicare fraud is done by businesses (especially DME companies) and providers (especially MDs and PT), not patients.

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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.

I did not say anything about kids. Kids should have everything they need to be healthy and from what I understand most of the kids in my area are on Medicaid. I am talking about grown adults who do not act like grown adults. Like I said this happens, and it happens in my extended family whether or not people want to admit it. These people take from others that actually deserve help. And once again to make it clear I personally do not care or even look at what insurance someone has when I take them back. I am just saying that there are adults who are working the system and some are very obvious.

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i don't care if she was a crack addict and the nurse saw a stem and some chore boy hanging out of her pocket - they were UNPROFESSIONAL and should most definitely be reported. this makes me SICK!

i don't care what kind of insurance anyone has (or doesn't have) they deserve to be treated with respect and dignity - especially when they are in such a vulnerable situation. it's embarrassing to the entire profession when people behave this way. karma is a witch - that's all i know.

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furthermore, i agree with the person who said to contact the CEO of the entire establishment! if she contacts anyone else TRUST ME they will do everything they can to keep it out of the hands and away from the ears of the person who needs to know it most. i'm sorry, but this isn't just a little "blowing off steam" that nurses do all the time when they think patients can't hear. this is downright disgusting and if i were in any position to do so - i'd fire the people who were involved and be ashamed that i ever let them slip through the cracks.

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My big mouth would have went out there and told those hags to buzz off. I hate when people are intentionally cruel...and for what reason?

Your friend should definitely file a grievance.

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This makes me so sad... as up until a few months ago she was making a nice salary and now to be 'possibly' degraded by being referred to as "a clinic patient" as if that means she is sub-human or something just sickens me!! God forbid it is any one of THEM one day as it could happen to any one of us in this economy! :(

Send a letter in a card to the unit, extolling the virtues of your friend and what her life was like before whatever happened (that could happen to anyone), changed her life....And then tell them what they did, what you heard, and how it made your friend (and you) feel..........Maybe give them a call if you feel the need. That may shock them into behaving and at least show and experience some chagrin for what they did.....

That's what I'd probably do, anyway (if I didn't go out there ad immediately address it when hearing it)...Much more satisfying AND it's meeting the issue headon w/out feeling as if you're reporting another problem to some faceless entity and never knowing if the person you reported it to, could ever convey how much it meant to you or your friend when addressing it to the nurses.....

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Specializes in PACU, OR.
Send a letter in a card to the unit, extolling the virtues of your friend and what her life was like before whatever happened (that could happen to anyone), changed her life....And then tell them what they did, what you heard, and how it made your friend (and you) feel..........Maybe give them a call if you feel the need. That may shock them into behaving and at least show and experience some chagrin for what they did.....

That's what I'd probably do, anyway (if I didn't go out there ad immediately address it when hearing it)...Much more satisfying AND it's meeting the issue headon w/out feeling as if you're reporting another problem to some faceless entity and never knowing if the person you reported it to, could ever convey how much it meant to you or your friend when addressing it to the nurses.....

You know, I like this suggestion. Good one, Majick:up:

Only thing is, will it make a real difference to the way these nurses/clerks/whatever conduct themselves? Where do they get off commenting on anyone's method of payment anyway? Whether it's paid by the insurance, the State or the patient herself, their salaries are paid by their company, so it's got absolutely nothing to do with them! And this really bothers me:

Stating "xyz insurance is the everything insurance" , "I bet you can buy food or a manicure with this insurance", "yes, I bet you can even pay your rent or take your kids to McDonalds with this insurance" on and on and on... then they :lol2::lol2::lol2: This went on for about ten minutes with several more derogatory remarks.

It reminds me of those catty schoolkids, a few of which are to be found in every classroom, who pass comments about the nerd, or the circumstances of the poor kid in the class; to me, it's spiteful and childish, and if it happened in a classroom, would be described as bullying. I do agree with you that it's much better if you go out and confront them immediately, but sadly, far too many people are too timid to do it.

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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.

And I can only imagine what was said since she was black, even if it wasn't to her face.

Let the flaming begin!!!:uhoh3:

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My sister is a fraud investigator for New York's Office of the Medicare Inspector General. In New York, the vast majority of Medicare fraud is done by businesses (especially DME companies) and providers (especially MDs and PT), not patients.

God bless you. I wish more people knew this.

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Okay, a few people on this thread said that the woman in the OP was probably self-conscience (sp) about being on public assistance since this was something new for her. Shouldn't the people who work at the clinic be aware of that as well? If you know a patient is self-conscience about something, why make them feel worse?

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Personally, I don't think their comments were that bad. It sounds to me they were simply pointing out that it covers pretty much everything. In my experience, hospitals give their employees crappy insurance, and it's possible they were just jealous that these people had everything covered.

On the MD refusing to do the exam, I don't think this had anything to do with her insurance, rather a loser doc who didn't want to bother with more complicated patients. What was the CNM supposed to say "I'm sorry, my doctor today is an a** so I will be doing your exam" lying was pretty much her only option.

I'm so sorry your friend is in such a tough spot with her unemployment, and I'm sure that's a huge blow to her pride, but it seems she might be a little overly sensitive due to this fact. If they had been making comments about the type of people who use that insurance rather than the insurance itself, I would be upset, but it seems they were simply talking about the plan.

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Specializes in Mental Health, Medical Research, Periop.
What's wrong with Tricare?

Nothing I have Tricare, lol. I was saying I dont care if they have Medicaid (govt paid insurance) or Tricare (self paid insurance) they will be receiving the same care from me. IDK how you think I was saying something was wrong with anything from my post. My point was, I dont care what kind of insurance anyone has. TAKE CARE OF EVERY PATIENT LIKE THEY WERE YOUR FAMILY! geez.

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