Feeling like a servant

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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.

Specializes in HIV, Psych, GI, Hepatology, Research.

and we have so much time on our hands to be a servant...not

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Specializes in HIV, Psych, GI, Hepatology, Research.
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:

Oh I like this idea VERY MUCH!

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Specializes in Public Health, TB.

To echo another thread, (in a sarcastic voice): Oh for shame, you cold unfeeling nurse. You should understand the fear and anxiety your patients and families are experiencing. By partnering together as a team, we can nurture and optimize their experience.

:***:

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I'm going to chime in with a different perspective. I do believe that nurses are servants. Physicians and other staff are servants as well. If you will go deep with me for a moment, especially believers, our purpose in this life is to serve a higher power. We serve that higher power by serving others. Right?

The connotation of servant however does not sit well with most of us. I understand that. I frequently feel exploited and misused by managers and staff alike even some so-called friends and family. I resent being exploited but I try not to respond negatively because it causes me more pain to be bitter than to do better.

No I don't like being exploited and misused but at the same time I think the people that are being condescending towards me are spiritually worse off than I.

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Specializes in Oncology.

I am not a servant. No nurse is a servant. I care for patients. I don't serve them. I don't serve ANYONE.

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I'm so glad I'm not the only one. Ugh...I guess it's the attitude that bothers me the most. Today was better. Days like yesterday make me want to throw in the towel. Hugs to all!!

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Its about entitlement. If a visitor of a patient feels entitled to a drink or snack, then they will sure not be getting anything from me. Only thing they will get is directions to the caf. If a visitor has been supportive and helpful I from time to time will offer a drink or snack.

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Specializes in Oncology.

I don't mind going out of my way for nice people and I don't mind getting food for sick people or even helping out a kind family member, but I am not obligated to "serve" anyone. And I won't be treated like a servant.

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Very often, I feel like a servant, but I don't mind... most of the time. I feel that I'm there to meet my patients' needs, and if I can meet the families' needs at the same time, that's great. When I interact with the patients, I'm so grateful that I can eat, sleep, pee, and poop----many of them can't, and many of them do rely on us to meet some of their most basic needs. Sometimes I'm grateful that I can do something for them in addition to just handing them meds and assessing them for our copious nursing notes. It's a way of giving of myself, and what an honor!

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I have found it easier to just do it. if not busy just get them their (visitor) drinks to shut themup. but if i am busy with suctioning a trach visitors should and will wait for chairs!!! ( see one of my early threads!) wish i would have told them off

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One thing I do is to establish myself as an authority figure. If I have a problem patient/resident I wear my scope around my neck as I enter their room. After I enter I immediately pop that thing in my ears, place it on the chest and tell the patient, "hush". I then pull out my little pad, write something down and then smile and carry on with whatever duties I'm in there for. It doesn't always work but, for the majority it does. Before I leave I always try to ask if there is anything else I can do for them while I'm there. I try to avoid asking if I can get them something because that plants the idea in their head that, "Ooh, maybe I do want a Coke". These two tactics seem to reduce a lot of the "Master, servant" attitude.

As a caveat, I don't look like a typical nurse. I would more resemble someone who's riding his Harley into Sturgis come August. And as I've stated before, it's not the real me but, I use it to my advantage.

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Specializes in PCCN.

geez I look like Frau Blucher but somehow that doesnt seem to help much :roflmao::roflmao:

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