Do hospital patients get better care if they're nice

Nurses General Nursing

Published

...A lone doctor listening to some highly experienced and capable nurses, reflecting on their work:

"If the patient's nice, it's a lot easier to want to go back in that room with them. Their reputation travels at the nurses station. But if they're mean, well, it's not as easy to go back in there, so I might not stop by as often."

http://www.medicallessons.net/2011/05/on-the-value-of-being-nice-when-youre-a-patient-in-the-hospital/

I haven't started nursing school yet but I can speak as a patient - I've had the exact opposite experience. I've had a few long hospital stays and I felt because I was polite, nice and not demanding that I was practically forgotten. I even got labeled by one nurse as her "easy patient" - I can appreciate that must be a welcome relief on a shift but don't just ignore me. I had a standing order for Tylenol prn and one night I waited over 6 hours with a pounding headache to get it. If I had been nasty and whiny, hitting my call light repeatedly would it have happened faster? Maybe those of you who actually do the job have insight, is there something about that situation I don't know?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I haven't started nursing school yet but I can speak as a patient - I've had the exact opposite experience. I've had a few long hospital stays and I felt because I was polite, nice and not demanding that I was practically forgotten. I even got labeled by one nurse as her "easy patient" - I can appreciate that must be a welcome relief on a shift but don't just ignore me. I had a standing order for Tylenol prn and one night I waited over 6 hours with a pounding headache to get it. If I had been nasty and whiny, hitting my call light repeatedly would it have happened faster? Maybe those of you who actually do the job have insight, is there something about that situation I don't know?

Yes.

Some jerk-rod down the hall was sucking up all of your nurse's time.

J/K

Your nurse may have had an unstable pt to worry about or something time consuming that needed to be done now.

Being a "nice" pt doesn't mean you should suffer, though. If your nurse didn't bring it in 6 hrs, she may well have gotten super busy and honestly forgot. It's okay to remind her.

If you had been nasty? No, I don't think you would have gotten it sooner.

Not because the nurse was "punishing" you for being nasty, but because the other conditions would still apply: an unstable pt, a time consuming procedure... or honest forgetfulness.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in MS, ED.
I haven't started nursing school yet but I can speak as a patient - I've had the exact opposite experience. I've had a few long hospital stays and I felt because I was polite, nice and not demanding that I was practically forgotten. I even got labeled by one nurse as her "easy patient" - I can appreciate that must be a welcome relief on a shift but don't just ignore me. I had a standing order for Tylenol prn and one night I waited over 6 hours with a pounding headache to get it. If I had been nasty and whiny, hitting my call light repeatedly would it have happened faster? Maybe those of you who actually do the job have insight, is there something about that situation I don't know?

I'm sorry you had that experience; I have too, and you're right that it's not fair to you. Not knowing what kind of floor you were admitted to or how ill you were, I can only say that shifts - even 'easy' ones where you have a good team and stable patients - can go quickly off-kilter with one code, (needn't be your patient), a sinking admission or two (or more) patients ping-ponging you between their rooms for needs/requests. I can also add that the stable, walky-talky patient may be assumed to be okay if they don't say otherwise; not to mention, not all requests told to others actually reach the nurse! I have walked into a room to give ten pm meds only to be told that the patient asked the CNA an hour ago for (whatever); an unfortunate miscommunication as no one had ever told me. It's not whiny to ask for what you need; in the future, I'd suggest that you wait a half hour or so if things seem busy and ring again. When I'm very busy, I will pop in to let the patient know that I will be in in ____ minutes or will ask another nurse to cover me, should things be that bad.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

That's unacceptable. The only thing I can think of is that you didn't have an order and the nurse was scared to call the MD at night for a tylenol order (which is WRONG). The next thing, did you ask for it? I've come across patients who got mad at me because I didn't come to offer them their prn medication.

If you had an order and asked for it and didn't get it within a reasonable time frame (say 20mins) then you needed to get on the call bell and stay on it till you got your medication.

I haven't started nursing school yet but I can speak as a patient - I've had the exact opposite experience. I've had a few long hospital stays and I felt because I was polite, nice and not demanding that I was practically forgotten. I even got labeled by one nurse as her "easy patient" - I can appreciate that must be a welcome relief on a shift but don't just ignore me. I had a standing order for Tylenol prn and one night I waited over 6 hours with a pounding headache to get it. If I had been nasty and whiny, hitting my call light repeatedly would it have happened faster? Maybe those of you who actually do the job have insight, is there something about that situation I don't know?
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Telemetry, OB, NICU.

This must be true. Human nature. Not that a mean patient wouldn't get good care, but they wouldn't get more than what nurse HAS TO do for patient's benefit.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg.

I agree with lolaviex. Squeaky wheel gets the oil. If she had been on her call light q15 minutes asking the nurse about the med, I would bet my paycheck that she would have gotten it sooner. In psych, this is certainly the case. The cooperative pts get overlooked, while the ones that act out demand more attention. It's very unfortunate, and I try to make a conscious effort to attend to the cooperative pts...if/when I have time after managing the ones acting out. :rolleyes:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical Surgical Orthopedic.
I haven't started nursing school yet but I can speak as a patient - I've had the exact opposite experience. I've had a few long hospital stays and I felt because I was polite, nice and not demanding that I was practically forgotten. I even got labeled by one nurse as her "easy patient" - I can appreciate that must be a welcome relief on a shift but don't just ignore me. I had a standing order for Tylenol prn and one night I waited over 6 hours with a pounding headache to get it. If I had been nasty and whiny, hitting my call light repeatedly would it have happened faster? Maybe those of you who actually do the job have insight, is there something about that situation I don't know?

Politeness is nice, but waiting six hours for tylenol is unreasonably passive....especially if you felt "ignored" by the nurse because of it. That's almost as annoying as the person who calls to "remind" you about something they asked for three minutes ago.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I guess I should add that I didn't sit there for 6 hours with a pitiful look on my face. I spoke to my CNA twice, my nurse once, and when I hit the call light someone answered at the desk and said they'd get my nurse but I never saw her. I could hear they were busy, I knew my meds weren't as critical as someone elses perhaps. But I did learn my lesson, the next day I asked for the Tylenol around 2pm before my headache even started (I get night time hospital headaches.)

Something else of interest is that I start nursing school in Fall and that is one of our teaching hospitals. I didn't want to walk in in August and they all say - "Oh no, its that gawd-awful patient who wouldn't stop ******** about tylenol" LOL ;)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

One thing that may be compromised with rude/nasty/troublemaking patients and even family members is continuity of care. Our hospital spreads these assigments out so if I cared for this rude/nasty/troublemaking patient yesterday, I will not be assigned to this patient today. So although I give my best care to everyone I am caring for, I will not be this person's nurse tomorrow so continuity of care is lacking in this case.

It is sad because if only these people knew that we are all on the same team, trying to get this person well. We actually give excellent care but we do have 5 patients to care for and cannot be in 5 places at once. I have literally had a patient complain that I didn't bring her ice water although I was running a code on the other side of the curtain. Ugh, what can I say?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

You get more bees with honey than lemons! If you are going to chew me out or toss insults at me the moment I walk inot the room.....I'll probably avoid hanging out in your room.

Obnoxious patients get good care.......they are treated with respect and are given the standard of care........but there are those patients you just love to be around and yes...they do get that little extra.....

Just human nature

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Telemetry.
I guess I should add that I didn't sit there for 6 hours with a pitiful look on my face. I spoke to my CNA twice, my nurse once, and when I hit the call light someone answered at the desk and said they'd get my nurse but I never saw her. I could hear they were busy, I knew my meds weren't as critical as someone elses perhaps. But I did learn my lesson, the next day I asked for the Tylenol around 2pm before my headache even started (I get night time hospital headaches.)

Something else of interest is that I start nursing school in Fall and that is one of our teaching hospitals. I didn't want to walk in in August and they all say - "Oh no, its that gawd-awful patient who wouldn't stop ******** about tylenol" LOL ;)

It's possible that the person that was suppose to inform your nurse didn't tell them. It happenes to me all of the time. A CNA may say an hour after the fact,"Oh, i forgot so and so needs tylenol." After a reasonable time (15mins) it is ok to ask for the medication again. We do get busy and forget. We don't want our patients to suffer.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in M/S, ICU, ICP.

all my patients get the same standard of care, but in reality a person who is basically nice doesn't start acting like godzilla's revenge when they get sick. i find usually knowing the people outside the hospital has shown people who are rather nasty, bossy, and think they are entitled only become bigger pains-in-the-butt when they are sick. the ones that are usually nice, kind, and giving may be quieter and all in pain, but their personality is the same.

i believe that generally people who are sick tend very much to show their "true colors" and their basic personality is the same. having said that, patients who have hypoxia or a stroke or a medical issue that alters behavior have no control, nor even knowledge about their behavior and i can understand that easily. that is not what i am talking about.

but imho, people are showing their basic true selves whether sick or well. someone who is basically good hearted and is a patient you want to make extra trips for or hurry to get them what they need. patients who are just basically hateful and demanding, you "do your job" and nothing more, except maybe thank god you don't have to live with them!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment