Feeling like a servant

Nurses Relations

Published

Do you guys ever feel like the families and sometimes patients treat you like u are the waitress? Or like they are ur only patient? It really irritated me today.

beeker

411 Posts

All the time. But that is the mentality the hospital wants them to have. We are there for customer service, never mind caring for our patients. Customer service scores seem to be way more important the patient care these days and it is a sad state of affairs.

M/B-RN

77 Posts

Yes, I'm constantly fetching snacks and water even though the majority of my patients are ambulatory.

Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

Me to Pt: Anything else I can get for you before I leave

Pt gf who is not sick at all: I need a sprite

Me: Vending machines are in the hall

Her:.......

The look on her face was like I killed her puppy. If you are not the pt, you rarely get anything from me. The cafeteria is open til midnight and the vending machine is 24/7

Fiona59

8,343 Posts

I once witnessed a senior call an NA the "serving girl". There was nearly a riot on the floor that day. Management told her to suck it up because "he's elderly and knows no better". She went to the union, who organized a little presentation/chat to the seniors group on respect in the workplace being a two way street.

Specializes in PCCN.

why yes, you didnt know that we are waiters/waitresses with a medical degree on the side??????

Caffeine_IV

1,198 Posts

Specializes in LTC, med/surg, hospice.

Well many people feel we are maids and servers that also happen to dispense medications.

My pet peeve is family that brings in outside food yet expects us to furnish drinks.

mappers

437 Posts

Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele/Onc.

I had a visitor say once, "We should get the nurses to give massages." I looked at her and said, "I think the nurses need the massages. Sorry, I'm not trained for that."

loriangel14, RN

6,931 Posts

Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

I draw the line at that behaviour. I make it clear that I am not their waitress. If they are capable of doing for themselves then that's what they will do. If there goal is do get better and go home then they will get up and their own stuff.Especially the ones that are up independently all the time and suddenly decide they need to to fetch for them.

Specializes in PCCN.

umm what do you do when management expects you to provide these things?

I mean, when you have to end your "encounter" with " Is there anything else I can get you?" what do you expect them to say - " Oh. no , that's ok, I can see you are busy" HAHAHA. No they will say "you can get me ........."fill in the blank.

Sugarcoma, RN

410 Posts

Specializes in Trauma/Tele/Surgery/SICU.

I would like a t-shirt which says the following: RN=Registered Nurse NOT refreshments and narcotics!

Vishwamitr

156 Posts

Specializes in Psychiatry.

Once I received a great compliment when a patient's family commented, "Nurses are the only professionals who 'serve' sincerely and with a genuine smile although they are in a non-tipping position." Perhaps, nurses should get 1% of their hospital bill as gratuity.:blink:

+ Add a Comment