Dealing with people's negative comments about nurses.

Nurses General Nursing

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When I tell people that I am a nurse or because some people know I'm a nurse, why do they feel it is ok to launch

into a tirade about their or their parents/neighbor's/friends/friend of a friends negative experience with a nurse?

While I can understand the need to vent, all the negative comments are becoming, honestly tiresome and it puts

me in an akward position. I don't know the nurse personally they are complaining about. I don't know the policies

of the hospital they are complaining about.And I certainly wasn't there in person when the problem occured.

The last time this happened, I had had a week from hell at work. I finally snapped and lost my temper and launched into my own tirade about stupid patients and families.:angthts: How do other nurses handle this problem?

I know poor nursing care exists but for crying out loud I can't control other people's actions. Should I just smile and

say,"I'm sorry you had a bad experience, but you really need to complain to the nurse involved or their immediate

supervisor because complaining to me will get you nowhere"?

It's especially awkward when it's family. My father launched into a rant at our family gathering on Christmas day. He had gone to the ED for dental pain, and didn't like the way he had been treated, and was now ranting about it in a room full of people, including me, who he knows works in the same ED. I just clammed up and went into the other room, because I didn't want to make things any worse.

Yep, My husband's family does the same thing.:mad: I used to just clam up too and feel like crap

the rest of the day. Not anymore.

Yep, My husband's family does the same thing.:mad: I used to just clam up too and feel like crap

the rest of the day. Not anymore.

I will not add my two cents, because I don't particularly like to be made the target of everyone's biting remarks, as if I am the one who is personally responsible for their dissatisfaction.

Maybe I'm in the minority, but that has never happened to me. Whenever I say I'm a nurse, I get lots of comments that reflect a respect for the profession. Then from that time on, they tend to come to me with all of their symptoms...sometimes I wonder if they thought I said I was a world renown diagnostician like Dr. House. :)

"How kind of you to take an interest" with a blank look.

Specializes in Gerontology, nursing education.

My husband is a minister and my son is in seminary. Occasionally an acquaintance will launch into a tirade about how "useless" religion is or how all clergy are sex fiends and pedophiles. I try not to get irritated but sometimes it pushes my buttons. A high school classmate decided to push my buttons a few weeks ago and I was very hurt by his comments. They just seemed so...adolescent.

Usually, though, most people who don't know me well will tell me how they intend to go to church more often but they just can't fit it into their schedule. Most of the time, they aren't even members of my husband's church. :confused:

My husband is a minister and my son is in seminary. Occasionally an acquaintance will launch into a tirade about how "useless" religion is or how all clergy are sex fiends and pedophiles. I try not to get irritated but sometimes it pushes my buttons. A high school classmate decided to push my buttons a few weeks ago and I was very hurt by his comments. They just seemed so...adolescent.

Usually, though, most people who don't know me well will tell me how they intend to go to church more often but they just can't fit it into their schedule. Most of the time, they aren't even members of my husband's church. :confused:

Many professions besides nursing have to deal with hurtful and negative comments.

I feel your pain. Both my parents were school teachers so I'm sure they encountered

the same thing.

Specializes in Intermediate care.

my fiances brother in law (An engineer) asked me "why the hell do the nurses ask me my last name and birthday 20 times a day? You would think someone would be smart enough to put that on my chart"

I told him if he want's to figure out why we do that just tell them the wrong date of birth and wrong last name next time they do it.

my fiances brother in law (An engineer) asked me "why the hell do the nurses ask me my last name and birthday 20 times a day? You would think someone would be smart enough to put that on my chart"

I told him if he want's to figure out why we do that just tell them the wrong date of birth and wrong last name next time they do it.

And I would ask him if he was smart enough, why didn't he ask the nurses why they did that if it got

that annoying,Sheeesh!

Specializes in Psychiatry.

I'm a hospice nurse, and I really clench my teeth when someone (not my patients or their families), refers to me as an "angel of death." As if I the one that gives the "dreaded" morphine that "hastens" death. UGH

Seriously..??

Specializes in Intermediate care.
And I would ask him if he was smart enough, why didn't he ask the nurses why they did that if it got

that annoying,Sheeesh!

It's because Engineers don't want to admit they don't know the answer to something. "They know all"

my fiance is an engineer too and he thinks he knows everything about the medical field and what goes on in hospitals because he watches House :lol2:

Tell them "That reminds me of a story of this horrible experience......." and then fill in a story about a bad experience with someone from their profession.

They will get the hint. ;)

i love this! i would say, "aren't you a teacher? well, let me tell you, i had this HORRIBLE teacher one time in second grade. want to hear about it?"

like this poster said - they will get the hint.

Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Give them a paper and pen and tell them you need all the details, and you'll pass it on to the attorney general who will contact them.

Then they start to blather and squirm and you say I'll be right back with a notary for your signature.

Slip, slide away...........

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