Don't talk bad about your patients

Nurses Relations

Published

this is my day to rant :)

When I get report it is great to know, the age gender, IV site, why they are here, when they might be leaving, & if the labs are ok, etc. ok, BYE BYE, on to the next room please...

I don't need to know the patient is getting a certain pill because you think they are mean and crazy and they asked so many times so had to call the Dr. and that's the reason they are getting pill X. That's your job, suck it up. you might say "hey I know it's PRN but plz give/ or ask if he wants that sleeping pill by 8PM, he has already stated he feels he will want it." (I don't care how many times he asked you about it or how crazy you think he or she is. just state the basic facts.)

REFRAIN from the gossipy comments & your imitation of them.

Try to be a nice person, & give the facts. leave out the extra 8 minutes of what you think that patient put your through & how awful they are.

Every single patient I receive report on, is not a pain and they are not crazy. They just are ill and need tending to.

When you DO talk bad about the patients, I just think you are a total jerk.

Yes I know SOMETIMES patients are truly odd and upsetting.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

Personally, I love a good bat-poop crazy parent story...but I don't need a blow by blow on how mom is all cutesie cooing. If they are a whack job, bring it on and forewarn me. And so it during SBAR so we can move on.

Report isn't for venting, that's for your work buddies, supervisor or staff/team meetings if it's mutually agreed upon to use the time for that.

Specializes in Inpatient Oncology/Public Health.
This is one of the many reasons I like bedside report.

I honestly think many coworkers refuse to do bedside report because they don't want to miss out on any crap-talking about the patients.

Eh, we do bedside reporting and these comments still get made in a low voice in the hallway on the walk to the next room.

Could we in return, have patients not give us report on our previous co-workers?

Yes, I've been told that the nurse on the shift before me was younger than me, had a weird accent, took four minutes to answer the call bell, was stingy with the pain meds, and could I keep the crazy relatives away from the patient.

And that's when I'm going "Hi, I'm your nurse for this shift"

Specializes in Rehabilitation,Critical Care.

Psychosocial aspect of a pt is very important for me.

Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.

There's a way to give information without gossiping.

Information is factual.

If the patient said something that you think was rude, quote the patient. Leave your opinion out of it.

Use words that describe behaviors rather than judge behaviors. Eg, patient threw bread on the floor. That's descriptive and not judgmental.

I'm surprised.

I thought this was standard. I'm not a nurse yet, but this is how I was taught. I work in mental health. If one of our recovery guides called a patient/client a nutcase, etc, they would and should be fired.

It seems extremely unprofessional not to separate your own feelings from your observations of behavior.

What you do over margaritas is another story entirely.

I'm actually really disappointed.

Pssst, Invitale. Nurses are human beings.

I try to be as objective as possible, but sometimes I'm not.

Specializes in Inpatient Oncology/Public Health.

I surely judged nurses before I was a nurse. Same thing with judging parents before I was a parent. Gaining perspective is fun!

Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

A blow-by-blow account with no solutions is unhelpful and wastes time. Mentioning it and providing information about what works to diffuse situations is appreciated and helpful.

Specializes in Family practice, emergency.

I include in my report the patient's baseline at my encounter: pleasant and cooperative, fearful, guarded, etc. I find it pertinent, not gossipy. I agree, I don't need to know that the patient is awesome, but anything that will help me build rapport with the patient will make my day easier. Just my humble opinion.

Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

May it's because of my psych background but I am often called upon to deal with difficult patient's - for the most paft I enjoy the challange. I have a very thick skin and am pretty good about not letting people rent space in my head. Just two nights ago I was called to a room to start an IV because the two nurses who had tried were afraid the patient was going to hit them. I was a bit surprized because this patient had never shown any aggression with me. I took my IV kit and went to the room - the patient does not speak English and I only knew a few words of his native tongue. He had a relative by the bedside so I asked them to explain what I was doing ad whyand to translate step by step. The whole time he was yelling no no at me but he gave me his arm and I started the IV successfully. He had his other hand clenched in a fist during the procedure but never actually raised it in a threatening manner. When all was said and done and the IV running I thanked him in his native language and left the room. His daughter came out and apologized for his behavior to which I said thank you -but there was no need - he just had to yell at me while I was doing it.

Hppy

Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
I include in my report the patient's baseline at my encounter: pleasant and cooperative, fearful, guarded, etc. I find it pertinent, not gossipy. I agree, I don't need to know that the patient is awesome, but anything that will help me build rapport with the patient will make my day easier. Just my humble opinion.

I agree - and most times if I can go into a room somewhat prepared it's easier. I had a patient fire me last night. He actually told me to take my things and go home. On my break I went by the DON's office and jokingly told her I was going home because I had been fired by a patient. She laughed because he had apparently fired several people that day. This particular patient has a form of dementia (not Alzheimer's) and a quirky sense of humor. I cared for him for the rest of the night without incident.

Hppy

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