A patients story

Published

Specializes in PICU.

I was just wondering how many of you out there feel your heart tear everytime you hear a patient tell you that they just had the worst expereince of thier life with another nurse. Now, I don't mean that maybe they had to wait a little while for the bathroom kind of stuff. I had a patient today who was 85yrs old admitted to ER for N/V/D x 5d. When she was transferred to my cubicle A+Ox3 she was almost in tears. As soon as I walked to the bedside the first thing she said to me was "Oh..Im so sorry, I had another watery BM in my diaper, I feel sorry for anyone who comes near me. Im so embarraed. I hate to bother you but can you please help me?" Sure, I said...and went to get the supplies to change her. Upon beginning to change her I noticed she had on 2 diapers (grrr...who puts 2 diapers on a patient??????), her bottom was red and excoriated extending from the rectum out to the cheeks of the buttcks. As I cleaned her behind she was crying under her breath in pain. After I cleaned her and applied a newly ordered ointment I asked her...are you able to stand at the bedside? Yes she said. Well I said...do you think you'd be able to get from the bed to a commode at the bedside? Well...yes she said. So, it was settled. I said to her I would really like to leave this diaper off to allow your skin to breath. I don't mind helping you to the commode if you think you can manage. She was so pleased with the request and so thankful. She began to tell me about how much of a nightmare the night was for her. She said the nurse who was caring for her basically threw the cleaning pads on the bed and told her to clean herself, she had to beg for some help. Sobbing as she described her horrific night I was able to comfort her and settle her in her bed protected by some blue pads and a commode beside her.

Another patient later on, a 30 old male, also told me some horrific stories about his recent night in hospital. He refused to be admitted again becuase of it. At the end of my shift he thanked me for being so kind to him and asked could I please let him know when I would be back because he wanted to bring in a gift. I told him that was not nessacary and I was just doing my job as always. He to was sobbing and insited. Still I refused the gift and said if you really want to do something next time you are by you can drop off some donuts for the girls or something.

The thing is, I mean I know I have only been a nurse a little over a year but I get so angry and frusterated inside when I see or hear about patients being treated without the kind of respect and dignity that all human beings deserve. No matter how hard your day is I feel like it can only make it even harder if you treat your patients badly and they are upset. Its like the old saying "you attract more bee's with honey than you do with vinegar" I mean your not going to be able to console all differences, but I find that 97% of the time a little kindness and a calm tone in your voice goes a long long way. Even with those patients others may label as "difficult". Most times if you spend a few extra minutes to figure out what the major issues are you can usually help in some way that ultimately shows respect, preserves dignity, takes less time, and creates less headaches in the long run.

I don't know...I jsut feel like nursing is more than just a job and we are there to promote the health and healing of others...so much of what is being taught by theorists such as Watson and Porifice really makes sence to me. I would expect no less for my own loved ones and feel like why should anyone expect anyless. Sometimes I feel like when you get to that point in your career you need to find a new profession becuase you are no longer a part of the solution you are part of the problem. Patients shouldn't have to praise us for doing a a good job, or caring for them or being kind to them. It's our jobs, the life we have choosen to live.

What do you think?

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Specializes in Operating Room.

I work on a geri-psych floor, your first story hit home. I have had my share of pts. that I literally have to reassure them that I don't mind coming in and helping them out.

I'm working as an SNA... which means I get treated poorly by everyone so I know what its like to be on the bottom of the food chain so to speak. I've seen that we have some CNA's who are busting their butts to help these pts. Unfortunately I've also seen the ones who will stand in the corner and gossip about their lives while a pt. is screaming for 10 mins that they need to go to the BR, then get mad when the pt. wets themself or worse. I switched shifts because the evening staff visibly cares about the pts. I love the CNAs and RNs I'm working with now, and if you're a full time CNA, God bless you... without you the hospitals you work at wouldnt function

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Specializes in PICU.

I am actually an RN...we don't have CNA's in our Emerg here. I wish we did. Our patients would much happier I'm sure. But CNA, LPN, RN...we are all nurses....and our patients are all human. I agree..patient care first...socialize second. Oh...and when you can hear a patien calling...nurse...nurse...nurse...and everyone hears but no one stops to help. Frusterating.....

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

I'm a CNA and I vouch for the whole "bottom of the food chain" line....However, when you come in and try to poision my attitude at the start of the shift with "oh, the family and patient are so demanding!...." I refuse to hear it, especially at the start of shift and in hall where anyone could overhear.

I generally go into a room to get vitals, and cheerily explain "Good evening, my name is....and I'll be your tech/CNA this evening. Sorry to interrupt your dinner, but I've got to get some readings on you really quick and then I'll get out of your hair. (Once done with VS and organizing items in room) Ok, that's all for now, do you or anyone else need anything at the moment? Ok if you do, feel free to give me a ring...." And I always hear so many comments about what a good job I do. However, it really doesn't reflect from management, from my check, or anywhere else....I got a cost of living increase and a meets expectations on my eval because I don't volunteer or serve in the hospital in any non-job functions.....go figure. But, in the long run, I don't care. I work to make myself feel better, pay my bills, and serve my patients....as long as you don't think my nametag says Hilton on it....

Ranting, I know. However, my patients come first and you try to cop an attitude with me, it doesn't fly.....

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Hopefully a little compassion will undo some of the damage. If you have ever taken care of someone who is hostile at first meeting, their families write down everything you do, and do not seem to respond to any kindness except with suspicion- that is a patient who has had bad experiences.

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The thing I try to remember is that I will treat my patient as if it is my mother/father. Because they are someone's family et I know how I want my family treated.

Leslie

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Specializes in geriatrics,med/surg,vents.

OH that just burns me up,this wknd I was passing meds and I can hear a pt calling for help,CNA sitting right outside pt's room reading a paper.I asked her what the pt wanted and she said"She says she wants the bedpan but she's incontinent"I went got her on the bedpan and she had a BM,straightened her up and told the CNA to empty the pan as I was busy and she was not(she was still reading the paper)She didn't take it too well but :trout:

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Specializes in Emergency.
I am actually an RN...we don't have CNA's in our Emerg here. I wish we did. Our patients would much happier I'm sure. But CNA, LPN, RN...we are all nurses....and our patients are all human. I agree..patient care first...socialize second. Oh...and when you can hear a patien calling...nurse...nurse...nurse...and everyone hears but no one stops to help. Frusterating.....

RN, LVN, CNA - all part of the TEAM that takes care of patients, but not all are nurses.

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Specializes in Nursing Home ,Dementia Care,Neurology..

One of my pet hates are carers who put on incontinence pads and think "that's it" A lot of residents can remain dry with a bit of help to access the toilet and help with their clothes.They can't ,however ,manage to undo a continence garment so therefore they wet or soil themselves.Many are so upset by this and a little help and thought would preserve their dignity.

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Yeah we have a few techs we have to chase down to get anything done. Half the time I just grab my own vitals or whatever it is that I need. I'm not going to go into another pt's room and pull the tech out to do something for me (unless they are just talking or bothering the pts - we do have a few who do that!). But I do get tired of having to search for them to find out about my pt's vitals, etc because they didn't bother to write them down, then they get huffy that they have to dig out the paper they wrote them on. And if I hear a call light going off and see a tech look at it and walk away, I get ticked. If I'm not doing anything, I'll answer them myself, but if I'm say, giving pain meds, I can't just stop what I'm doing to go see what's going on. I hate doing it, but I've had to say, "Can you please go see what 15 wants?" I should not have to do that. And some of our nurses are just as bad. Telling someone that "I don't have time to keep cleaning you up. If you can't hit the urinal, we're putting a diaper on you" is not acceptable in my book. Especially not for an A&Ox3, relatively young pt who is just getting lots and lots of lasix and is too weak to get out of bed. I have lots of stories, but fortunately, I haven't heard anything too bad for a while!

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