Famous person as patient?

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Have you ever had a famous person as a patient in hospital or clinic? You need not say the reason for their visit for sake of confidentiality, if they are still living. Did they expect or receive special or unique attention?

Were they humble or pretentious?

Specializes in ER.
2 hours ago, K+MgSO4 said:

I had a patient who toldme she was the Queen of England.....

I had a dream that I took care of the Queen of England. She was very polite, and I got her IV on the first try thank God!

Then one of our socially challenged, frequent flyers was brought into the room and started making a loud scene. It was embarrassing. Couldn't they at least give the Queen of England a little VIP service?

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On 4/14/2020 at 8:36 AM, Mywords1 said:

Who was it?

I just saw you listed your "specialty" as Nursing Ethics. How the heck can you ask "who?" when it's a HIPAA violation? ? ?

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Pediatric Float, PICU, NICU.
1 minute ago, Mergirlc said:

I just saw you listed your "specialty" as Nursing Ethics. How the heck can you ask "who?" when it's a HIPAA violation? ? ?

Oh, THAT is amazing!! I didn't even catch it ?

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Specializes in Surgical, quality,management.
1 hour ago, Emergent said:

I had a dream that I took care of the Queen of England. She was very polite, and I got her IV on the first try thank God!

Then one of our socially challenged, frequent flyers was brought into the room and started making a loud scene. It was embarrassing. Couldn't they at least give the Queen of England a little VIP service?

Bahahahaha

Poor lady was florridly psychotic. I may of been a bit naughty and said that I was Irish and did not answer to the queen as head of state, now roll over depot time!

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.
20 hours ago, WestCoastSunRN said:

My theory on this: the VIPs can afford to be nice. They have the resources to make sure they get what they need and even what they want. The have-nots have had a much different life journey, one that makes them more vulnerable to us, as caregivers and providers. Vulnerability can be scary. Fear often expresses itself in undesirable behavior.

That can explain some of it. Many of them are downright rude. It's the mentality that "I am the patient now and you have to everything for me" Several pts that have been NCAs and EVS, dietary-are horrible. Homeless can be quite ugly as well. I am not saying all but any stretch, but if I actually calculated #s. I bet dollars to donuts that it would show that.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Women's Health, LTC.

I once, briefly, took care of a very famous actress from the 60's & 70's. Her spouse was also famous. This was in southern California.

She was extremely nice and did not expect any special treatment. It was a very short (5 hours) outpatient visit.

I will say she was stunningly beautiful, more than on TV.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

It's such a HIPAA shame that posters here can't talk about the NICE, appreciative famous pts.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I believe that are nice people and jerks at every "level" of society. Some people assume that the jerk who is wealthy or famous is someone a jerk because of that wealth/fame. Maybe that guy is just a jerk -- and would be a jerk no matter what his station in life was.

Many people seem less tolerant of the needs or vulnerabilities of the rich/famous because they expect perfection from them -- and anyone less than perfect doesn't seem to be "worthy" of that fame/money.

If they are patients, they are our patients -- usually in a difficult, painful, vulnerable, perhaps embarrassing situation -- and it is our job to help them.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

Yes I have, and no VIP treatment. Granted I work in a hospital that has decidedly less frills than the famous hospital in my state ?

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Specializes in Community health.

My patient in nursing school clinicals was not “famous.” I had never heard of her, and you wouldn’t recognize her name either. But she was a big player in her corner of the entertainment industry. I met her near the end of her life, when she had moderate Alzheimer’s.
When I was taking report, the outgoing nurse said “She used to work in show business. But I don’t need to tell you that. When you go in there, it’ll be obvious.” I soon saw what she meant— the patient had gorgeous dangly earrings, bright red lipstick and nail polish, and a very dramatic air. Her son had told her that the hospital was, in fact, a five-star hotel. So she kept complimenting the food (hers was puréed) as “divine” and “superb” She also told one of the nurses “You could have a career if you did something about your nose.”
She was amazing. It was an honor to care for her.

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Specializes in Urgent Care, Oncology.

I took care of a high level elected government official. My employer made sure to cut the person to the front of the line and all the other patients saw it. I thought it was in poor taste.

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I’m a hospice and home health nurse in a city with many celebrities and I’ve had patients ranging from fairly well known to notable in their field, as well as family members of celebrities. I can’t think of any of them who were rude or snobbish. Actually the opposite, often very humble and appreciative.

I’ve had plenty of rude and entitled patients and/or families over the years, though, don’t get me wrong ?

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