I am in my 8 mos of being an RN in the ER. Prior to this I was a cardiac step-down nurse. More things I have observed:
1.) Patient arguing with me about an 18 gauge IV being too "big" while he is in the ER for a bullet in his thigh.
2.) Patient missing her dialysis because of a special close out sale in a store was a pissed off that dialysis would not reschedule her for a later time.
3.) Patient came into the ER for back pain that has been going on for 10 days yet took no pain relievers nor called her private doctor (and she did have one). Then she complained she waiting for over an hour in the ER.
4.) Felt chest discomfort all day but had a BBQ party to attend first.
5.) A couple brings in their 7 week old baby to the ER - the mother is the patient.
6.) The patient's private aid telling me the patient needs to urinate so I need to get to the bedside. I gave the aid the bed pan and some wipes. The same aid asked me to get her a lunch tray.
7.) Incontinent people refusing to acknowledge they are incontinent.
8.) CHF patient eating chinese food take out, after taking off her BiPap
9.) Patient in so much pain, 20/10 pain level, as she chats on her cell phone
10.) I promise, you will not die from not eating for several hours.
I used to work in an ER where the nice patients were the exception. The times I'd think to myself "Wow, that guy was really nice" were the exception. And no, it is not because this is the worst day of their life. These were hangnails and stubbed toes.
Now I work in an environment that is the opposite. By and large, the patients are really nice. "That guy was a real jerk" is now the exception.
The one thing that bugs me sometimes, though, is how our ER is used as a clinic for folks who have a PCP but just don't want to wait for an appointment to deal with their issue. But at least they're nice about it, so...
Can I ask what kind of environment you work in now? I 100% identify with your post. I had a patient the other day who was just so nice and behaved so "normally" that I said to my colleague "isn't it nice when people are just normal?!" then the craziness of that statement hit me and I realized that sadly, I've become so accustomed to people behaving rudely/bizarrely/inappropriately etc. that "normal" is now "abnormal". Thankfully I'm in school, working on my masters, and paving my path out the ED door!! There is a light at the end of the tunnel!! (get through one more day...get through one more day...)
I think in general many people are selfish, entitled, and just don't give a crap. Like above people mentioned, there are exceptions to some of these complaints, but I hear ya. As for the nurse who has been a nurse for 10 years, I am surprised. You are in an extremely small minority of who don't call BS for what it is. OP was spot on in her post, people come for and complain of the most ridiculous things!
As a patient(who goes to the ER a grand total of 2 times,both against my will),I'm sorry for the abuse you have to suffer daily.
What would be the solution to avoid it? Just less of "the costumer's always right" mentality??
It's not that the patient is wrong, sometimes patients seem to think that their sprained ankle is the only thing in the universe and have no common sense to say hey maybe there might be someone dying two beds down
R!XTER
167 Posts
Can I ask what kind of environment you work in now? I 100% identify with your post. I had a patient the other day who was just so nice and behaved so "normally" that I said to my colleague "isn't it nice when people are just normal?!" then the craziness of that statement hit me and I realized that sadly, I've become so accustomed to people behaving rudely/bizarrely/inappropriately etc. that "normal" is now "abnormal". Thankfully I'm in school, working on my masters, and paving my path out the ED door!! There is a light at the end of the tunnel!! (get through one more day...get through one more day...)