Fired By Patient Family

I had a very difficult weekend at work. Very high acuity patients. One of my patients' family members asked the doctor for me not to take care of the patient anymore. The doctor was really apologetic, agreed totally with me, but we agreed it would be best for me to switch assignments. I KNOW I didn't do anything wrong. I have gone over it with several other staff members and the doctor. I made the mistake of asking for family to come stay with the patient because he was increasingly anxious, impulsive, and erratic.

Have you ever been "fired" by a patient/family member?

[TYoungRNBSN]

Yeh, don't even worry about it. I didn't do anything wrong with a newly diagnosed terminal patient. He asked the other nurse if I could stay out of the room, he only wanted one nurse in there with him and his son. Mind you, the son was chatting up the nurse, and his dad was an imperious, very creepy individual who kept talking about how his balls and member were getting caught up on his IDC. The poor young RN I was working with didn't realise he kept c/o this so that she would have to re-adjust all his private parts. Poor soul....she will learn I suppose.

At least I didn't have to go in there. But later on I realised she hadn't given some of his meds (sigh).

As you get older, you realise some patients do have a preference for certain nurses, which is fine. Don't worry about anything unless they start to make formal complaints. Patients always have favourites, just like nurses do with patients.

And always keep a little notepad in your pocket if u care 4 difficult patients, in case they DO c/o anything. And believe me, they will cos they always do.

I am not working as a RN yet but have dealt with difficult patients as a nurse apprentice I love the note pad idea!