Anonymous Complaints - Have you ever received one?

Published

I am curious about the frequency of this trend?

Have you ever received an anonymous complaint against you?

How was it received by your employer?

Written with no signature?

email?

Telephone?

1-800 patient hot line?

1-800 Ethics hot line?

In General, what was the allegation?

Medication Error?

Charting Issues?

Patient Care?

Sexual Harassment?

Discrimination?

Ethics?

Are you male or female?

How many years practicing before complaint? And how many since?

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not against me personally but the hospital that i worked for sent a questionaire home wit the paitents in which they were to report the goods/bads part of the visit

on on sheet that was returned there was a remark that the aids would come in and take v/s w/o a smile or exchanging a word

we also use to get opinions [none favorable] about the food and the noise in the halls about the early wake up hour

it is good to give patients some of giving a hospital a grade card so to speak, some things can be changed, somethings cannot

if it is something that you cannot change [such as am noise] you can prepare them for it with an admission brochure explainging that make things have to be done early for tests, surgeries, v/s, etc

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i think hospital's are giving patients TOO much weight to the point that it is interferring with the hospital staff's ability to do their job. So what if an aide doesn't come in with a smile at 12am to take your vitals signs, would you? I know I can't fake a smile when I don't feel like working and it's 4am and I'm tired. I think if you give people enough time then they will think of negatives. My hospital is VERY "customer service" oriented. IT SUCKS (ASK me no more questions, tell me no more lies). :-)

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Specializes in psych. rehab nursing, float pool.

Two Words

Press Gainey

It appears to give patient the freedom to voice any complaints, some will give compliments, but most often the ones who spend time writing in the blanks have complaints

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:) i always come in at 4 am with a quiet smile? if your going to wake someone up why not make it as painless as possible. but there is such thing as to cheerful at 4 am ;)

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

I've never had any sort of patient complaint as far as I know. I worry about breaking my perfect record with some people though... :rolleyes:

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Specializes in ICU.
i think hospital's are giving patients TOO much weight to the point that it is interferring with the hospital staff's ability to do their job. So what if an aide doesn't come in with a smile at 12am to take your vitals signs, would you? I know I can't fake a smile when I don't feel like working and it's 4am and I'm tired. I think if you give people enough time then they will think of negatives. My hospital is VERY "customer service" oriented. IT SUCKS (ASK me no more questions, tell me no more lies). :-)

OH man! I don't think I'd want to be your patient. It is our job to be nice and smile, even when we don't want to. We care for patients, their physical AND MENTAL aspects. Go in there with a frown, don't even speak a word, take their v/s, invade their personal space.. that is umm.... rude, no matter how you put it.

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Specializes in CVICU, Burns, Trauma, BMT, Infection control.
i think hospital's are giving patients TOO much weight to the point that it is interferring with the hospital staff's ability to do their job. So what if an aide doesn't come in with a smile at 12am to take your vitals signs, would you? I know I can't fake a smile when I don't feel like working and it's 4am and I'm tired. I think if you give people enough time then they will think of negatives. My hospital is VERY "customer service" oriented. IT SUCKS (ASK me no more questions, tell me no more lies). :-)

You mean their medical issues are interfering with their SPA treatment? :angryfire Don't get me started. Phew,cleansing breath....

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Specializes in CVICU, Burns, Trauma, BMT, Infection control.

I never have a problem waking someone gently and with a smile no matter how tired I am,I respect that the pts are tired and stressed and need their rest. The ones who get my goat are the ones(usually family but sometimes pts) who can see that you are in an urgent hurry to obviously take care of someone who is not doing well. I mean the crash cart can be outside the door and everything and they'll waylay you to ask why Grandma doesn't have her broth. I've actually been struck dumb by some of these people which is probably good for them.I'm afraid that I don't have nice gently smile for these folks and they'd better get out of the way.

Even what's better is when they get put out and go to the charge because I didn't stop what I was doing usually by then we're transferring the pt to the unit. Customer service my ####.

I always do what is best and needed by my pt first before any amenities.

Give me an ICU anytime.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Transplant, Education.
You mean their medical issues are interfering with their SPA treatment? :angryfire Don't get me started. Phew,cleansing breath....

I had that kind of a night, too, BelleKat.

I work 3-11pm on a rehab unit...7pm, my s/p ex lap, hemoperitoneum pt tells the aide "I want the nurse to empty my JP drain". Aide comes to get me, I'm in the middle of something else, and I let her know to tell the pt I will be right with her as soon as I am done. 7:10, I get to the room & there is not even 25 cc in the damn drain (it put out 200 for me last night), so I say to pt "Well, there really isn't very much in there, so I'm going to wait until after 8, when I make my rounds." Pt whines "Won't you just empty it since you're here." I stand my ground, and tell her I will be back a bit after 8 to give her her nightly meds, and we will see what the drain has got in it then.

Fast forward to 8:15pm, I knock on the door & enter pt's room with her HS meds.

"Ugh, I JUST fell asleep, WHY did you wake me up?"

"Sorry to wake you, but I have your medication and need to check on your drain."

"Well tell the night nurse NOT to wake me."

I thought I was a rehab nurse, not a maid at the Hilton...maybe I'm wrong?

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Many of the patients, family members, and visitors in my area are so bold that an anonymous complaint wouldn't appease them, so they'll simply complain to the staff member directly. If they've got something to say, they'll say it to your face.

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Specializes in ICU.

I once received a letter from management stating that a short fat blonde nurse had been rude to a patient.

The patient had not named the nurse, but management thought I fitted the description. I was absolutely furious.

So, they sent me the complaint and asked for a response; they got one. I sent the whole lot back with a little note stating I was not the only nurse on the ward answering to that description and furthermore did not recall the patient concerned.

The next letter from management said that I was to attend a customer service course.

Funny now, but it wasn't then.

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