Family members?

Turd.Ferguson · Dec 8, 2005

Hahahaha! Shame on you for threatening little children with shots! :nono: :rotfl:

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Dec 8, 2005

It's so true. I mean I am not a nurse, but I know I have heard it a million times (the threatening children with the nurse giving you a shot)

You are right, it's not cute.

I know when I was little my mom would tell me the same thing. I would be like oh yeah? Let me see the needle

GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN · Dec 8, 2005

That is cruel to threaten children w/ needles. Then the kids are terrified of healthcare workers and put up a huge fuss when its time to go to the dr.'s office or dentist or terrified of being hospitalized. Of course, the parents get mad at the tantrums... Even they are the ones who taught the kid to fear us! :angryfire

Altra, BSN, RN · Dec 8, 2005

OK this question may relate more to peds than anything, but have any of you had this experience where a family member tries to make you out to the patient to be the "bad old meanie nurse"??? It gets on my NERVES!!
...
Anyway... just wanted to vent. I am sure you all have experienced things kinda like this too, maybe? :uhoh21:

Yep, it's happened to me ... and that's part of the reason I can't get comfortable w/peds nursing. I love children & enjoy them ... but I most definitely do NOT enjoy taking care of sick little ones.

I recently had the parents of a pt. complain to the nursing supervisor about me. I really don't want to go into the details, but trust me, it was a very minor situation waaay overblown by a mom who doesn't know how to cope. Yeah ... I, who am sometimes teased by my co-workers because I'm "so nice" and can't help smiling at every child I come within 10 feet of, suddenly thought I'd get my kicks by beating up on a toddler .... right. :stone

At the other end of the scale, I had an elderly patient in the ER whose adult daughter yelled, "WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO HER NOW?" at anyone who approached.

I always try to look for an opening in the conversation to educate, but sometimes you just gotta do what ya gotta do and leave it at that.

perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN · Dec 9, 2005

I always try to look for an opening in the conversation to educate, but sometimes you just gotta do what ya gotta do and leave it at that.

Yup, you're very right on that one :) Thanks for sharing... I agree, things can get way overblown quite easily.

Thanks everyone... helps to know I'm not alone. and Jess maybe some of the older kids are smart like you were!

take care, good night.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Dec 9, 2005

Well, I've got news for you! Adult visitors of adult patients do this also. Especially, if it's their mom or dad who is being belligerant or uncooperative. I just ignore it and try to remain gracious around the visitor. My mom was always threatening us when we were kids and out in public, most of them never carried out, so I guess I've been de-sensitized to that kind of stuff.

perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN · Dec 9, 2005

Oh, I figured peds wasn't alone in this... that's just the population I work with, so that's where my examples are from... but I can imagine it must be similar in other areas, just from clinical exposure.

There are many, many family members perfectly easy to get along with, but the doozies sure happen along as well :) and in virtually all cases I don't blame them for being upset, it's a stressful situation. just REALLY grates on my nerves sometimes the way things can be done/said. guess I need to "get over it". and I need to remember, at least I get to go home after 12 hours, I guess... they don't have that option.

AtlantaRN, RN · Dec 15, 2005

THAT is why I don't do peds, unless i'm pulled....I remember clinical rotation in school, on the peds unit, mommy and daddy told a 3 yr old that tonsillectomy "won't hurt...and you won't get any shots", yeah RIGHT, LIE to your child...

Well she DID get a shot, and then the mommy and daddy didn't want their child to have a "student"nurse anymore...spray valium for the parents, I say...

linda

MajorDomo · Dec 16, 2005

Parents can be your best friend or worst enemy, kind of like haveing a nurse or doc as a patient. When I worked peds, i developed "a look" that I gave the parents if what they said was inappropriate, worked about half the time. If they were waaay out of line, then I had someone look after the kid while I privately talked to the parent in a developmentally correct manner.

Other tricks: treatment rooms-only do painful stuff in them and explain to the kiddie that their hospital room is a safe place - nothing painful happans there.

Good nurse and bad nurse. All painful procedures are done by a nurse who is not the primary nurse, that way the primary nurse can establish a theraputic relationship with the patient.

The worst part with parents is when they expect a nurse to get an IV on the first try, as they are looking over your shoulder, saying rather loudly "only one try" over and over again, then suddenly really loud "What are you doing now!!!" the moment you get a flash and will not move out of the way as they are between you and the rest of the IV supplies.

ItsyBitsySpider, BSN, RN · Dec 16, 2005

Parents saying this is a pet peeve of mine too. The last few times I heard a parent say this I've told them, "Mommy (or Daddy), we don't give shots as punishment." It has worked everytime. I thought about saying, no I am not going to give you a shot, but working in the ER that would be lying alot of the time.

perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN · Dec 16, 2005

Parents can be your best friend or worst enemy, kind of like haveing a nurse or doc as a patient.

That is very, very true!!! Some parents are incredible (most of them actually); then a few... yikes! :) I would venture a guess that it can be that way with other family members too in other areas of nursing.