Advice - I'll need a meal tray too

Specialties Emergency

Published

I'm a newer nurse in ED. I love my job so much. So far I have a high tolerance for BS... however, there's something that really bothers me and I need advice on what to say to the patient without sounding like a jerk... This situation happens at least once a shift, sometimes more... and typically it's with our frequent flyer friends.

Most recent occurrence that almost made me be a big B-word:

Pt comes into the ED c/o chest pain

Me: "What brings you to the ER today?" :D :nurse:

Pt: *walking, speaking full complete sentences, NAD, EKG normal in triage, etc* "I have 10/10 chest pain and it's been going on since like this morning. I'll need 2 warm blankets, the TV channel list because the channels are all messed up here, a cup of water and a separate cup of ice... and might as well get me a meal tray going for me and my boyfriend too because I know these chest pain work-ups take a long time...and it's 5:30 and we've been in the waiting room for about 45 minutes so we missed dinner."

The warm blankets - no problem... The TV channel list - sure!... The meal tray - NOT IN YOUR LIFE WILL I GET YOU A MEAL TRAY! THIS ISN'T A DAMN RESTAURANT!! AND DON'T EVEN THINK I WILL GET YOUR BOYFRIEND A MEAL TRAY! HE CAN GO GET FOOD FOR HIS GROWN-MAN SELF! THERE'S A CAFE UPSTAIRS! AND DON'T TELL ME HOW YOU TAKE YOUR WATER; 2 SEPARATE CUPS FOR ICE AND WATER! PLEASE! :madface:

I must suffer from some suppressed anger from early childhood about meal trays or something, but when a patients tells me to get them food, I just get so mad. Luckily I still have self-control, so I give the pt the policy about how they can't have anything to eat or drink until everything is resulted, MD approves, etc... But sometimes the patient's can't take that for an answer and they think I'm being a jerk for not ordering them "room service" even though "They always get a meal tray for me and my boyfriend when we come in this place." :banghead:

My question is: How do I nicely tell a patient that this isn't a hotel or restaurant when telling me I need to order them food? And how can I stop getting so MAD when people ask me for a meal tray?!! It's so weird how this irks me so bad! :confused:

I will NOT give you money for the snack machines.

Oh yeah...

This is Psych talking here, so please forgive my intrusion, but we do share some things in common.

Must be that these things are universal across the far reaches of the nursing world.

It has been more than once, that I have had both pt's and families ask for pop... and then hint around that I should go buy it from the machine for them!

It's obvious and they look disappointed when the offer wasn't made, so I know I'm right.

Do you know I had a family ask me for pop while I held clumps of poop in each hand?

Long story. True story.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
Just wait for the smart-aleck who says, "Fourth Meal -- Taco Bell said so!"

Hahahaha!! That's actually what I said to the doc when we walked away from the room. I am that smart-aleck. :D He said if a patient could handle eating Taco Hell, they would be getting their discharge papers with a swiftness.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Omg, that was so stinkin' hilarious! I'm a student now but was an ER scribe for a long time. I've heard EVERY ONE of those statements. And believe it or not, I'm going to be in ER nursing. The comedy is never ending...the dilaudid one cracked me up too. "Hi, I broke my fingernail tonight and nothing works for me except dilaudid." Bahahahaha....

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The meal tray thing always drives me crazy. Especially when people get discharged and then ask if they can have a sandwich and soda for the drive home. Uhhh no, I don't think so.

The other thing that drives me crazy is the bathroom. I don't know what it is but for some reason whenever people get to the hospital suddenly they can't go to the bathroom or clean themselves up on their own. Obviously there are some who really can't, but there are others who can definitely take care of it on their own. I always ask them "So.... how do you go to the bathroom at home?" It's funny because 99% of the time it takes them a few seconds to respond because they are trying to think of something!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It's called "Hospital Induced Paralysis". Onset is sudden, and coincides with crossing the hospital threshold. It's not limited to the patient, either. Often, any family members within the vicinity also contract this condition.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency, Haematology/Oncology.

My usual response to the mealtray / coffee / tea question (if it's a pt. who is abusing the system and malingering for free food and somewhere to sleep, taking valuable resources away from deserving sick people) is ABSOLUTELY NOT, and then I walk away, they usually do too.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I can't agree with you all more, I understand that healthcare is now day a business but I think they are taking it to the extreme and is all the weight falling on top of the nurses, cuz nobody else is there with the pt 12 hrs straight. So lets say you want to be they way they want you to be:

You go to the back, you are getting the cup of water, the cup of ice, calling the food service for the food that all would take lets say a good 5 min right do we all agree on that YES!

At the same time you are doing all this look what's happening 2 rooms down the block:

Your ICU hold is waking up a little bit enough to grab the Tube pulling it out his throat (by now you go the ice) tube out the patient started to decompensated (you already have the water) Sats are dropping 78% (you are now getting a hold of the kitchen for the food) pt is dead! (you got to the room gave her the blankets they did not say thanks, off course) well end of the story

Now you as a nurse end up in court probably losing your licence, but hey look at the good side miss Pinky has a full stomach!

That's why my friend remember this, a hospital can fired you for not feeding this type of patient but never let them fired you because of the patient that pull out the vent tube Ok. Prioritize it is what it is!!!! people in other countries spend days without eating and many of them are even healthier than us. Save life don't pay attention to all that BS if you have the time, feed them if not like i said it is what it is. Good luck

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am with you on this. Nobody gets fed unless they are being held for an extensive period of time. They are lucky if I go back and get them a saltine cracker because "i can't take my pill on an empty stomach." Candy and pop machines are out in waiting. Just because you came for free healthcare doesn't mean this is a soup kitchen as well.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency Medicine.

Not much lingering in our ER these days...

Chest-pain 10/10 you say? Great.

Here sit down while I plug you with this large bore IV

draw labs, get an EKG, the chest X-ray and some ASA.

No time to get anything else other than the blanket on my

way back from the med room with the NTG.

We opened a cath-lab. Ever since the chest pain people are strictly NPO

because they are going to get cathed about the time I'm done with the

3rd NTG.

Funny thing about building a cath-lab. The equipment is expensive so you

HAVE to use it right? They might get a meal but it will be after they wake

up in tele, not from me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER/Trauma.

I don't feed families. Period.

"I'm sorry but meals here are for patients only."

It used to really chap my hide - especially because I'd be running my butt off with no lunch break etc...

Used to.

Not anymore.

Because I have ZERO problems telling people what the facts are.

Especially to those who expect and demand (and are rude and vulgar while at it) the sky while being inconsiderate to the needs to others.

cheers,

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ED.

I mark down obesity or morbid obesity on my patient's chart if they present as such. It never makes sense to me how we are supposed to promote good health and then my hospital buys Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, Sierra Mist, and Healthy Choice TV dinners and expects me to feed it to my patients. Counterproductive, but I guess it is job security.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I had a lady who refused everything but came in c/o of palpitations. Refused IV, refused all test, and refused all medication. But the first thing out of her mouth was demanding me for food. I refused her food, and she threw a fit. The doctor told me whenever she was ready to walk out, he had the papers for her to sign! haha A horrible day just turned into a great day!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment