Comments from the peanut gallery....

Specialties Emergency

Published

Specializes in Emergency.

Gotta love the comments from the families...

pt is 80something female brought in by family (all live together) for diff breathing/sob. pt is satting 100% on ra (put her on lowflow o2 nc anyway), other vs also normal, talking in complete sentences, lungs clear, no labor in breathing but has a cardiac & asthma hx. So, line & labs are called for and I hear....

son: "she's a hard stick boy, you better get it the first time."

mmm, that helped. :uhoh3: It was pretty much like that for the rest of their stay, snide comments and complaints about the temperature of the room, availability of food, etc. And oh yeah, they're here about every other week. NOTE: while she actually is a hard stick, the pt herself is pleasant.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

Usually the pt isn't the problem. The famlies are usually the insane ones.

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Specializes in Telemetry/Med Surg.
Usually the pt isn't the problem. The famlies are usually the insane ones.

that's for sure!!!

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Specializes in er,cvicu,icu.

When I hear this I always want to say"Or what? Are YOU going to do it?"

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Specializes in Trauma/ED.

I just don't understand some people, don't they know we are professionals who are there to HELP them and their family members. Instead of picking us apart lets work as a team to get their family members better or at least reassure the crazy family that they are OK. This same scenario happens all the time everywhere...get a grip families!

I've had similar things said to me and I just stop look at them and say "Excuse me?" Usually they get a little nicer and say, "Well last time it took them 5 tries."

Been a few times where family had to be escorted out by security...

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God help me, I hope I'm not one of those people....but sometimes I probably have been. My mother is 93 and is of a generation where the Dr is always right, and since she also confuses the volunteers with Dr.'s at the hospital....she's sure all medical people are always right. My sister passed away almost 2 years ago of breast cancer, and much of the care she got was excellent, but again she wasn't one to complain, and so I sometimes saw her poorly treated....so I have often advocated for them, and sometimes, on two hours sleep, and enough stress to send a wind up toy around the world twice, I'm sure I've some times said some stupid and rude things.....I'm sorry.

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Specializes in Obs.
Usually the pt isn't the problem. The famlies are usually the insane ones.

:yeahthat:

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

I do the "Excuse me?" thing too. Usually families straighten up after that. If I have to stick a patient for blood, I make the family go to the waiting room. I hate audiences. I've also done "If you don't stop yelling at your family member, who is sedated/vented, to wake up or open their eyes, you are going to have to leave". I've also said to a GSW patient's sister "Stop babying your brother, he's 18 years old with perfectly working arms and can drink his water without your help."

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

I've also said, "Or .... what?" If they continue badgering, then it's time to stop until they've heeded my *suggestion* to head to the waiting room to take a break.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

Did I tell you all about the time I was reported because I took a piece of tape off a patient and the family thought I was being "rough"? It was the same GSW patient from my previous post, shot twice in one year. A real winner of society. They can act all hard in the streets and play with guns but once they get shot, it's "act-like-a-baby" time. Their stupidity is our job security.

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Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

I love it when these young gang bangers start calling for momma. Momma can't help you now.

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Maybe there is more behind their lives than we know. Who's to judge? People don't become like that for no reason.

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