Hola to all and welcome to December. Call it a socioeconomic, or demographics, patient population, or clientele, I am one of those who believes that education and socioenomics are the biggest factors in how patient and family members will behave, which is actually the biggest factor that makes or breaks my day.
After transitioning to the ER I am loving it. The days that I dislike the most, however, are when my patients are consisted of low socieoeconomics and education. I'm sure you have had experienced these folks; demanding, doesn't know how to ask properly, doesn't do anything for grandma or grandpa at home but now suddenly wants everything done and toenails polished, impatient, no acknowledgement of authority, entitled, unappreciative, etc etc. For example, I was getting report the other day and some family member came by nursing station to ask for help. Instead of proper "hello, my dad needs help, may we get an assistance?", she snapped "we need help and yal just sitting there" and I can say I observed these kinds of behavior consistent with low education/socieoeconomics. I mean, a kid doesn't even speak like that.
After numerous encounters with different people of race, socioeconomics, and education, it seems very clear to me that those with higher marks in those two factors are most well behaved, proper people who makes my day smoother and not so much regrettable; family members eager to help their own, always uses proper english such as "please" or "may I", uses full sentences, not demanding, not entitled, patient, etc, and I can speak with my conscience clear that these were people of higher socioeconomics and education consistently.
So those of you who worked from all spectrum of education and socioeconomics in clientele, do those factors ever make a better working place? My goal is to move my way towards the area with higher marks in those two. Tell me your honest experiences. Thank you
I appreciate the comment above from zmansc. As nurses, we have been taught to be sensitive to other cultures and provide care and service to those from all walks of life. Personally, I also was raised in a family where embracing other cultures, religions, and opinions was encouraged. I was taught that not everyone has the same belief system as me, and that is not just OK, but a great thing... In the example I stated, a family behaved outrageously because of their racism and prejudice toward the African American race. I reside in a region where segregation and Jim Crow laws were the norm even after Civil Rights legislation was passed. In my humble experience, having lived and worked in the South for 17 years, it is the less educated folks of lower socioeconomic status that continue to cling to racist, prejudicial beliefs. I do not have a problem with low social standing, but I believe that racism is evil. In my experience, it is the lower class "hillbilly" folks, especially in remote parts of my state, that are racist. I have never seen educated individuals behave as that particular family behaved... The mother actually believed that the local news media would be in agreement with her that the hospital should have segregated units!
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
I think you have received a lot of helpful opinions and words. That people don't agree with you is expected on a public forum where free exchange of ideas is not only encouraged, but expected. You do not get to tell or guide people "how to think". You can agree to disagree but respect all opinions and expect people to disagree with what you say. Or don't post opinions and anecdotes on public forums such as this.
wow thanks zmansc for that awesome account of your story. Although I never had that kind of experience before, I hope to see that one day which could alter my opinion. I admit that my experiences are biased, of course, that's why they are my experiences. can my views be biased? of course, everyone's views are biased to certain degree as other poster suggested, and since I can admit that, I believe that everyone else can also agree that my idea can be different than yours and yours can be different that mine, so we can all live along.
I don't mind different ideas or exchange of ideas at all, not at all. I enjoy them, I just want them expressed in thought-provocative, non-hateful way, like how zmansc wrote her post. To me, my opinion still stands because I never had an experience at work that convince me otherwise. it seems that general consensus on the forum suggests that my theory about socioeconomics and education of patient/family member is irrelevant. I don't think you're wrong, I just think differently since that doesn't apply to me.
And to answer someone else, yes I want to work in better area since I believe that could alleviate the working condition better? But I haven't had encountered enough of that spectrum of patient type due to my area, so who knows, they could be better or they could be worse. I will find out in future and know if I was right or wrong... for me.
No one said what you wrote is irrelevant. A lot of us said we disagree, in so many words, or feel differently.
And like SmilingBluEyes said, you don't get to "guide" how we think. I liked what zmansc had to say as well, but from where I'm sitting that is NOT the only well thought out, non hateful post here.
Do you live in a bubble? Where is this place of mostly higher education, manners and money, where the poor, rude and uneducated are strange enough to be an abberation? You said what we have experienced doesn't apply to you. Sadly, it probably doesn't. You don't sound open minded enough to realize that "low educated and low socioeconomic" family members/patients are just as valuable as the ones that have money/education.
OP, unless you (have time to) analyze the finances, educational history, and work history of all your patients ... is it possible that patients of "lower education" or "lower socioeconomic status" (whatever your threshold is for those categories) whose behavior is not outrageous are escaping your attention?
No one said what you wrote is irrelevant. A lot of us said we disagree, in so many words, or feel differently.
And like SmilingBluEyes said, you don't get to "guide" how we think. I liked what zmansc had to say as well, but from where I'm sitting that is NOT the only well thought out, non hateful post here.
Do you live in a bubble? Where is this place of mostly higher education, manners and money, where the poor, rude and uneducated are strange enough to be an abberation? You said what we have experienced doesn't apply to you. Sadly, it probably doesn't. You don't sound open minded enough to realize that "low educated and low socioeconomic" family members/patients are just as valuable as the ones that have money/education.
you just told me I don't get to "guide" how you think, but then turn around and criticize me if I live in a bubble because I have an opinion that is formed based on my experiences alone? Well, if it's a bubble, I guess it's the kind where most low socio/ed show certain consistent behavior and med/high socio/ed show certain consistent behavior. Yes, there are lots of posts that are well-written, but there are lots of divergent posts focusing solely on my opinion and criticizing it. There are somethings I am flexible about, and somethings I am not, and this one I am pretty set on it. Many like to focus on these "exceptions" but am I really talking about exceptions here, or the majority? anyways, my coworkers seem to concur with the concept since they worked in multiple areas, but I value your opinion and the other side of argument as well, even though I can't agree with it.... just like you can't agree with mine, but that doesn't make you wrong... or me wrong.
To the OP, might I suggest a position in say a private hospital in the area of say Boca Raton or Palm Beach, FL, during "The Season".
Your tune that higher socioeconomic groups behave better in the hospital will change very quickly.
I literally laughed out loud because this is so true.
There are ignorant people everywhere and in every economic class. Its ridiculous to try to peg one as worse than the other. What I can say is I actually have more empathy for my patients who are clearly less educated and have a decreased income. They might behave badly but a lot of times they have to for anyone to give a **** about them. I've seen nurses and doctors cater to the patients who clearly have wealth and ignore the patients who don't. Its just sad.
Confirmation bias, also called myside bias, is the tendency to search for, interpret, or remember information in a way that confirms one's beliefs or hypotheses.
Just an idea.
Also, if you think I was attacking you, you are wrong. I *was* attacking your hypothesis, on the grounds that it is biased anecdotal evidence.
How low is the lower socioeconomic and lower education that we are talking 'bout here? Must have a Masters? Must have Louis Vuitton, or is Coach okay? Must play golf? What kind of car? What if they take the bus?
I'm asking, because in my world, anyone can say please and thank you. And do. Or don't. But it has nothing to do with what they wear, what income they make or how many letters come after their last name.
To the OP, might I suggest a position in say a private hospital in the area of say Boca Raton or Palm Beach, FL, during "The Season".
Your tune that higher socioeconomic groups behave better in the hospital will change very quickly.
I grew up in this area, and all I can say is agreed x 1000!
I work in the Bronx now, and 95% of my patients are lovely and appreciative of their care (granted, I am a midwife, not an ED RN). I do regularly see patients who visit L&D triage or the regular ED for minor, primary care, non-urgent issues, which is frustrating. There is a lack of health literacy in this community that I think has led to abuse of EDs in general. I try to educate where I can. But I rarely, if ever, encounter patients who are as entitled or nasty as you describe, and I am in one of the poorest areas of the country.
Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.
Hola to all and welcome to December. Call it a socioeconomic, or demographics, patient population, or clientele, I am one of those who believes that education and socioenomics are the biggest factors in how patient and family members will behave, which is actually the biggest factor that makes or breaks my day.....snip...
Interestingly enough, I found when I was district nursing, if there was a patient who was going to make my day a challenge it was generally those in the higher socioeconomic layers. I recall one patient throwing an utter tantrum because I'd been held up for 30 minutes. What I couldnt tell them was that the reason I had been late because I was with a patient in end stage cancer who was requiring extensive input that day
Those in the lower socio economic group were usually incredibly grateful for the services they recieved and less likely to be nanky
fawnmarie, ASN
284 Posts
I appreciate the comment above from zmansc. As nurses, we have been taught to be sensitive to other cultures and provide care and service to those from all walks of life. Personally, I also was raised in a family where embracing other cultures, religions, and opinions was encouraged. I was taught that not everyone has the same belief system as me, and that is not just OK, but a great thing... In the example I stated, a family behaved outrageously because of their racism and prejudice toward the African American race. I reside in a region where segregation and Jim Crow laws were the norm even after Civil Rights legislation was passed. In my humble experience, having lived and worked in the South for 17 years, it is the less educated folks of lower socioeconomic status that continue to cling to racist, prejudicial beliefs. I do not have a problem with low social standing, but I believe that racism is evil. In my experience, it is the lower class "hillbilly" folks, especially in remote parts of my state, that are racist. I have never seen educated individuals behave as that particular family behaved... The mother actually believed that the local news media would be in agreement with her that the hospital should have segregated units!