I work OP oncology, and many of our patients do not like to wait. I can understand - anger from the cancer diagnosis and frustration with having to spend so much time in the hospital. However, I always warn patients ahead of time and give them a ballpark estimate of how long their visit will be.
This elderly man came in today for 3 units of RBC's and plts. He comes in frequently and is always a crank. I had him about 2 months ago and was greeted with, "well you are already an hour ahead of the nurse the other day," and then proceeded to ask me what I do with the blood after I draw it and wanted me to tell the lab to hurry it up. When he came in at 4:30pm, we had not yet received his orders (he came directly from the MD office). I finally got orders and got a type & screen and ordered his blood. I told him that the type & screen would take around an hour to run. I called the blood bank after an hour and was told that he had an antibody and would need further testing. So I told him this and that it would be another 30 to 45 minutes. He kept coming out to the desk and asking where I was and if anyone had heard about the blood yet (at least every 10 minutes). I finally got the call and sent a req to the blood bank. Now, it took them a 30 minutes to send me the plts and he was yelling at me. When I told him that I had sent for and it was out of my hands, he stated "well then what good are you," and told me nurses or worthless. I kept my cool! I hung his platelets at 6:00pm and of course he had a PICC so it took almost an hour for them to infuse. I didn't leave work until 8:45pm - I had some charting to do and I needed to finish revising a policy. I walked by his room and he yelled out, "nurse, where the hell is my blood?" I kindly said, "I finished taking care of you at 7:00pm so I'm not sure." His response was, "well it's 8:30, why are you still here?" I didn't say anything and just walked out.
C'mon! I usually only take a 15 or 20 minute break during my 12 hour shift so that my patients and coworkers do not suffer (and many of my coworkers do the same thing). Neverming the fact that I rarely leave before 8pm when working 7a to 7p. I just wish we didn't have to be professional so that I could speak my mind. And furthmore, draw your own damn blood and deal with blood bank if you think I'm worthless. Oh and when the doctor tries to kill you - try saving your own ass!
Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
I feel your pain. It is the same in the ER. Patients come in with a sniffle and expect to be bumped to the front of the line. Sure, I'll stop doing compressions on this guy in VTach so I can wipe your nose and fix your socks!
I had a recovery patient screaming for more ice as I was holding an airway on another (female) patient next to him. This patient was awake, alert, and an ***hole.
"I NEED IIIIIIICCCCCEEEEE!!!!" He would scream out.
I ignored him for the most part because I was too focused on the other patient's airway. He was just an obnoxious idiot who thought screaming out loud was going to get things done faster.
Initially, I spoke to him and said, "Please give me a few minutes, I have a slight emergency." Finally, after listening to him for about a minute (the unit was crazy, and OR was coming out bam, bam, bam...crazy!). I just gave him such a glaring look and said in a very, very monotone, but calm voice--"I hope you realize if I let this man's jaw down to get you ice, he will die. God help you if he gives up the ghost because before that ghost leaves this recovery room I will give him your address and I promise you he will haunt you for the rest of your life."
It is so hard to work with people who just disregard the good we are trying to do for them. Good for you for venting it here and not on the patient's head!
Thank you so much for being a nursing super star!!
I agree with the other posters. Doesn't matter who he is or how sick he is, common courtesy should be the rule, not the exception.
I tell people who treat me like this that their behavior is unacceptable and I will not tolerate it. If they keep it up, I call a manager/supervisor to deal with them. I don't get paid enough to deal with that crap. Usually, by the time the supervisor walks over, there is no more problem. I have even had a few apologize.
This was an outpatient appointment. You would be frustrated if you had to spend 8 hours in a clinic? I'm not excusing the rudeness. I am thinking there may possibly be a better solution than having people hang out in clinic for 8 hours at a time.
I had a recovery patient screaming for more ice as I was holding an airway on another (female) patient next to him. This patient was awake, alert, and an ***hole.
"I NEED IIIIIIICCCCCEEEEE!!!!" He would scream out.
I ignored him for the most part because I was too focused on the other patient's airway. He was just an obnoxious idiot who thought screaming out loud was going to get things done faster.
Initially, I spoke to him and said, "Please give me a few minutes, I have a slight emergency." Finally, after listening to him for about a minute (the unit was crazy, and OR was coming out bam, bam, bam...crazy!). I just gave him such a glaring look and said in a very, very monotone, but calm voice--"I hope you realize if I let this man's jaw down to get you ice, he will die. God help you if he gives up the ghost because before that ghost leaves this recovery room I will give him your address and I promise you he will haunt you for the rest of your life."
He promptly shut up.
OMG- that would SO be a perfect episode for "Nurse Jackie".
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
this was an outpatient appointment. you would be frustrated if you had to spend 8 hours in a clinic? i'm not excusing the rudeness. i am thinking there may possibly be a better solution than having people hang out in clinic for 8 hours at a time.
anyone would be frustrated, but frustration is no excuse for behaving like the south end of a northbound mule -- and this guy started out in that mode. as far as solutions . . . first, this is a vent thread. it is for venting. second, solutions probably are above the ops paygrade.
Specializes in Cardiology, Oncology, Hospice,IV Therapy.
Does he come in often enough that his type and cross would still be good if he kept his blood band on? Or can he get his type and cross done one day at the lab and then come in the next day for his blood and platelets? I feel your pain cause I worked in a very similar place. One day this man was waiting for his chemo to be delivered and I was running up and down the hall like a crazy person cause I was so busy and this man saw how busy I was. He had the nerve to say to me"I haven't seen you in a while, were you busy eating?". Meanwhile I had been crazed for over 12 hours without a lunch break and just wanted to sit down and cry.
ok this is life saving or pallativetreatment its either goning to make this gut life longer or negate some negative sysptoms so the pt is choosing to have the treatment.
He knows the drill for his own saftey cross matching takes longer.
However 8 hours is a long time out local specialist cancer hosptial after they do blood drows it gives pt handsets like in some resturants you can go to the hosptal cafe/gardens and when they are ready for you they beep you. this gives them time to get the reuslt and pharmacy/nurses t mix and check the chemotherapy.
i feel the same for dialiysis pt etc it is boring and annoying to lose that time but its keeping them alive.
don't the unit manager have plans to deal with pt frustation its hard to nurse when beingf distracted by such a pt.
PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN
2,211 Posts
I had a recovery patient screaming for more ice as I was holding an airway on another (female) patient next to him. This patient was awake, alert, and an ***hole.
"I NEED IIIIIIICCCCCEEEEE!!!!" He would scream out.
I ignored him for the most part because I was too focused on the other patient's airway. He was just an obnoxious idiot who thought screaming out loud was going to get things done faster.
Initially, I spoke to him and said, "Please give me a few minutes, I have a slight emergency." Finally, after listening to him for about a minute (the unit was crazy, and OR was coming out bam, bam, bam...crazy!). I just gave him such a glaring look and said in a very, very monotone, but calm voice--"I hope you realize if I let this man's jaw down to get you ice, he will die. God help you if he gives up the ghost because before that ghost leaves this recovery room I will give him your address and I promise you he will haunt you for the rest of your life."
He promptly shut up.