Enough is Enough

Published

Specializes in Telemetry, Med-Surg, ED, Psych.

I have HAD IT with customer service and press-gayney. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Lately at work , I do the basics and make a nice introduction but anything else I refuse (the backrubs promised in the brochure, the menu seletion, the encouragement of 24 hour visiting). All i want to do is do my job, and go home. This Customer is alway right and Healthy Patients are Happy Patients has burned me out to the point of tears. I snapped at my boss a few weeks ago when she told me of a complaint that I was not Happy enough - I said "Who on EARTH is happy and manic with energy at 4am?"

Patients are PATIENTS! They are not our guests! This is not a hotel. Personally, I would rather the hospital be old school style - that would be encouragement enough for early ambulation post surgery and even quicker d/c.

I have had enough of this customer service mentality - staff deserve better.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Amen to that sister.. I have been saying that for years... Gotta love the "customer Service" angle of these hospitals. We as staff will always be in the wrong. I have worked at some hospitals that even had staff on other floors BAKING chocolate chip cookies on the floor to give it a home feel. I am a nurse, I save lives. Not baking cookies at midnight so that the pts will feel more at home.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

These are some of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard.

Thank heavens I work in Canada.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC.
amen to that sister.. i have been saying that for years... gotta love the "customer service" angle of these hospitals. we as staff will always be in the wrong. i have worked at some hospitals that even had staff on other floors baking chocolate chip cookies on the floor to give it a home feel. i am a nurse, i save lives. not baking cookies at midnight so that the pts will feel more at home.

ha! i would have been fired for serving black bricks for cookies..i can't cook worth a hoot and just exactly where on the priority list would i place these cookies? nowhere, i would have stuck em in the oven, walked off to do my actual nursing duties, forgot about em, and caught the place on fire..lol

Up Vote Up Vote ×

This type of thing happens because our fellow Americans are spoiled. We have an entire generation that was raised on the idea that "everyone is a winner" and so they always deserve to get what they want. They have also been taught, if they don't get it, just whine and complain and the people in charge will give it to them.

All the more reason that as soon as possible after getting my NP (unless by some highly unlikely chance things change for the better), I will be practicing outside of this country.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I appreciate common courtesy and respect and being treated as an individual-that could be defined as "customer service". If that was truly the definition I would be for it!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych , Peds ,Nicu.
I appreciate common courtesy and respect and being treated as an individual-that could be defined as "customer service". If that was truly the definition I would be for it!

I agree with that.

But the mentality / background of many administrators is business ( many hospitality industry ) , unfortunately theyseem to forget we are in the healthcare business , where our customers are ILL , they have no experience of how to treat sick people , so they address , what they know ie. hospitality and don't worry about the small stuff , you know ILLNESS!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics, Med-Surg..

Skilled professional nurses should not be baking cookies and hospitals are not hotels. American nurses deserve better.

As a patient, I would want skilled staff that will help me get well and d/c'd asap.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg.

I see nothing wrong with trying to humanize the hospital experience for patients, because from a patient's point of view it can be stressful and dehumanizing in many ways. Because we say "a patient is a patient" we sometimes forget they are a human beings.

We now have servers serving meals, taking their orders, and coming by with a coffee cart. At first I thought "this is rediculous, this is a hospital, not a hotel"....but then it's such a huge hit with the patients, and I like happy patients, I've come around to the dark side. But no, I will not give back rubs....unless you're a total care and I'm doing a bed bath anyway.

I think in many ways "customer service" is overkill, but some of us needed a wake up call in how we treat "patients".....not just nurses, because nurses have always been patient focused, but the entire experience from beginning to end.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

They would be awfully sorry the day I am assigned to do anything more than boil water...the darned place would be burned down so quick that no one...staff or patients would have a place to rest their heads. :D

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I see nothing wrong with trying to humanize the hospital experience for patients, because from a patient's point of view it can be stressful and dehumanizing in many ways. Because we say "a patient is a patient" we sometimes forget they are a human beings.

We now have servers serving meals, taking their orders, and coming by with a coffee cart. At first I thought "this is rediculous, this is a hospital, not a hotel"....but then it's such a huge hit with the patients, and I like happy patients, I've come around to the dark side. But no, I will not give back rubs....unless you're a total care and I'm doing a bed bath anyway.

I think in many ways "customer service" is overkill, but some of us needed a wake up call in how we treat "patients".....not just nurses, because nurses have always been patient focused, but the entire experience from beginning to end.

I think that's great, Tweety, because your hospital has people to do this. The problem arises when admins expect nursing staff to do all the customer service things, like your example, wearing silly buttons, and doing things that have no relation to actually caring for the patient's illness/injury. Whent "customer service" is expected to be the priority over patient care, that's when nurses are getting upset.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
ha! i would have been fired for serving black bricks for cookies..i can't cook worth a hoot and just exactly where on the priority list would i place these cookies? nowhere, i would have stuck em in the oven, walked off to do my actual nursing duties, forgot about em, and caught the place on fire..lol
i don't think i'd even take the time to stick them in the oven, though i'd probably be eating the dough, if i had a minute or two.

i said "who on earth is happy and manic with energy at 4am?"

this is a good comeback and sooo true!!

i think this thread should be a sticky.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion