Hey, all, I have a situation that's been driving me nuts, maybe y'all can help me with it!
I work in the MICU, and I've been there about 6 months. I really enjoy what I do, and I do enjoy the people I work with. There's the same frustrations as everywhere else (low staff, high acuity pts, etc), but I really enjoy the experience overall.
Anyway, every now and then, I feel like some other nurses (very few) kind of give me an attitude if they feel I'm doing "too much" for my pts. Last night is a good example- woman with ESLD and ESRD, on CVVHD, mostly A&O on room air/occ NC (not common for us, most pts vented). We mostly sit right outside the rooms. Anyway, occasionally when she's startles awake, she is confused and will call my name. She just forgets about the call bell (little hepatic encephalopathy);on day shift she uses the callbell. She doesn't scream or shout, just calls my name. One of the other nurses says, "You can't let her call you like that! Tell her she must use the call bell or you won't come!" Honestly, I prefer her to call my name then try to crawl out of bed!
Also, I helped her brush her teeth, and another nurse stared @ me like I was an alien!! :uhoh21: I mean, she has to drink Lactulose and Bicitra- this is the least I felt I could to to help her. This pt is alert, and tired, and asked to do her bath in the morning, which was fine with me. So I was helping another nurse, because I had the time, and when I told her about it in passing ("oh, I'm going to do my bath in the morning, she asked and needs some rest.") I got a lecture! "You need to tell your pt that if she doesn't take her bath when it's offered, you may be too busy later! That pt is so annoying, she demands too much! You need to set some limits." The only thing this pt ever asks me for is a bedpan w/powder on it to make it more comfortable & to mix her Lactulose real well. I don't find this overly demanding!
Plz keep in mind while I'm doing this "extra" (not in my opinion) stuff for her, I'm still answering other pts alarms when other nurses are tied up, intervening on a pt who desated and had to be re-intubated, taking over midnight care of the nurse's other pt so she could stablilize the decompensating pt, helping turn and bathe other pts (we do not employ NA's)... etc. I'm not in my room giving my lady a manicure while the unit falls apart and then claim "I was too busy to help."!
Finally, one nurse finally grumbles something like, "I hope if I ever have her, she doesn't expect all this stuff from me!" What, a bedpan? Sleep? A toothbrush? Are they just upset that I'm setting a good example?? I don't know! I feel I'm a compentent nurse, and I feel this woman is just sick as anything and feels like poo and doesn't want to crap all over herself!
Seriously, guys, I feel good about the care I gave her (and my other pts), but then I feel bad about how those few nurses react to the "over" care I give!
Blah. That was long. Thanks for listening!
Peace,
Sharon
PS I did have some Gardenia lotion in my bag, so I put a little bit into a medicine cup to share with my pt because she's been here so long and I know she's tired of the hospital stuff, and I wanted her to have a little pampering. One of the other nurses complimented me on how my pt looked/smelled after her bath, and I was afraid to tell her what I did because I thought I'd get another lecture! What am I doing wrong?!?!
If I am ever in the hospital again I want you!!!! to be my nurse. I promise not to be overdemanding thinking you are my maid I promise!
also burn out is plausible, maybe to many overdemanding patients who are just using nusrses as personal assitants thinking they are the only patients you have. but also it could be just lack of empathy.
and yes they are berating you because you are showing them where they need to work on, that they are falling short of important nursing skills, people skills in this instant.
when I was in the hosptial a while ago, a few years in fact, the nurses there was super nice to me, another nurse that came in every two hours for pulse and blood pressure and temps wouldn't even talk to me, she just did her job without saying a word. I was unable to sleep, so I would of loved a hello or whatnot. even if briefly.
I think she was mad about something maybe working the night shift?
Sometimes if you feel so overwhelmed with your assignment and guilty about not being "super nurse" you make up excuses for why certain things shouldn't be expected of you (even though they really should). Short staffing is a big contributor to this attitude, imho.
I think you're doing a wonderful job. Will you please be my nurse if I ever need one?
I'd honestly like to slap your coworkers silly and I believe they have already answered your question. That is, they feel the need to control their time, they find the woman annoying, they hope she doesn't expect from them the nice things you do for her (which sound like they are within good limits). Plus, you are still helping with all the stuff going on in the unit when needed.
Pray that they will hush up or start emulating you.
As someone said above, don't brag or say how much you love your work, just do it. Your coworkers can't stomach a Mary Sunshine so don't tell all that you did, except to give report and then just tell it in a business-like way.
this is an old thread over a year old but, the points brought up are excellent.
the op was providing above standard nursing care which is what our patients need. though we may not feel like it at the time going that extra inch goes a long way in patient well being.
On occasion remarks have been made about my level of care that were not flattering to the person making the remark. As far as I'm concerned, if you don't hold high standards, or adequate standards for that matter, you should keep your opinions to yourself, as you are only drawing more negative attention to yourself. Personally, I do my job the way I want to anyway.
What perplexes me is when I've received a negative reaction from a supervisor. It has made me wonder where that person's head is. The person who did this really did have a strange outlook. I just kept on. As long as my patients don't complain about me, one way or the other, I don't care.
Family dynamics were completely screwed up. Patient's daughter was VERY demanding and "in your face".
Patient was a very recent stroke victim. 82 years old. Very limited movement in extremities. Unfortunately couldn't "speak much" except for "Mama" or "dada".
I remembered from nsg school that many times, stroke patients could hear/sense very well but were unable to communicate. That in their MINDS they were speaking words... but to us in the outside world all we heard was gibberish.
I found out during my first shift that she would calm down if some one held her hand and talked softly to her. Treated her like a person. Explained things to her clearly and reasonably. Maintained a soft, clear tone of voice when talking to her.
She didn't always understand what was told to her and she didn't always co-operate.
But she was much calmer and less agitated than earlier....
My first few days, I spent a lot of time just holding her hand while she "babbled".
Some of my "peers" made fun of me.
Some of my "peers" made fun of the fact that I spent that kind of personal attention on a patient. Their attitude was more along the lines of "you're wasting your time. Holding her hand isn't going to make a difference".
I didn't appreciate being the butt of jokes but I shrugged it off. I could have pointed out the fact that I kept the patient calm, without having to return her to restraints... but then again, it's not about me!
The other day I spent 45 minutes with a patient who was constantly on the call llight. You know the one who rings right as soon as you leave. He just wanted some company. He was head injured and his working parents couldn't be there that day. He was on isolation otherwise I would have brought him out of the room to sit with me at the nurses station (HIPPA be danged). I helped him brush his teeth, I cleaned up his room, we talked and watched the Simpsons.
I was lucky to have that sort of time.
Fortunately unlike Roy's peers, the nurse whose patient it was thanked me profusely, as this was shift change. I noticed it did make a difference because he didn't call again for the rest of the shift I was there. Time well spent for both of us. (I was working 3-11charge nurse, but the staff nurse was just coming in at 7pm)
:pumpiron::beer:
:loveya::cheers:
hbncns35
177 Posts
Can we say EMPATHY Here??????????
Let's try COMPASSION!!!!!!!!
This is not too far fetched to expect out of our Nursing Staff.....
Unfortunately we do not teach How to be connected to another Human Being in Nursing School.......
If we had, We wouldn't be running into this problem...
You are only doing what you do best - the others sound like they are lacking in some much needed people skills..................
If we stop giving, then what have we got???
Good to hear you are going the "extra" mile......................HB