Do many nurses resent their patients?

Nurses General Nursing

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Some nurses here sound like they get really annoyed with a lot of their patients. Do some of you feel that you really get tired of working with the public? I'm hearing a lot of resentment in some of these threads.

Personally, I get more frustrated and annoyed with nursing and hospital management. The patients are the fun and interesting part of the job, even when they are a PITA. I just find them facinating. I like finding out about them. Some of them are such oddballs, where else would you get to meet such colorful characters? I rarely meet a patient that I don't like, for some reason.

Specializes in LTC, office.

Resent is a harsh word. I have certainly been annoyed and frustrated with select individual patients. We are human, we can't help that. But I very much like and enjoy the vast majority of my patients. Those few who frustrate me I do my best not to show it.

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I guess I really don't get treated like dirt, even by the less likable patients. They seem to appreciate what I do for them. Maybe it's the community I live in?

I agree jls - for the most part I was able to find something to like about most patients. I used to consider it a challenge to find the best way to deal with individuals.

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Some nurses here sound like they get really annoyed with a lot of their patients. Do some of you feel that you really get tired of working with the public? I'm hearing a lot of resentment in some of these threads.

Personally, I get more frustrated and annoyed with nursing and hospital management. The patients are the fun and interesting part of the job, even when they are a PITA. I just find them facinating. I like finding out about them. Some of them are such oddballs, where else would you get to meet such colorful characters? I rarely meet a patient that I don't like, for some reason.

I agree. My patients are rarely the issue; there have been a few I've wanted to throttle, but for the most part I don't have a problem with them. Visitors and hospital administration/management are another beast altogether...
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Specializes in Pediatrics, Med-Surg, Cardiology.

I do enjoy my patients and for the most part, I don't take it personally if a patient screams or parents are very demanding because I guess I just come to work to work. I have worked with pediatrics and parents can be very doting, irate, suspicious, and overprotective, but that is because it is their precious child so they have a right to be concerned and/or want to be taken care of properly. Taking patient issues so serious/personally that one gets pissed off at them is a disservice to oneself and the patient and ultimately can lead to burnout. I mean, when patients come to the hospital, a lot of their independece is taken away from them so they try to exert some type of control...a normal human nature behavior. I try not to blame the patients because some are drug users and do like their pain meds on time..so what!? As far as I am concerned, the nurse should put themselves in patients shoes and understand that they need to be taken seriously. I see so many nurses who talk to patients and family members in a condescending tone because of noncompliance, offensive odors, etc......but this just just opens the door to teach the patient, clean the patient, etc. I even see nurses that go toe-to-toe and argue with patients as if they are Gods and know best and to me, that is just not the way to deal with patients/your job.

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Some nurses here sound like they get really annoyed with a lot of their patients. Do some of you feel that you really get tired of working with the public? I'm hearing a lot of resentment in some of these threads.

Personally, I get more frustrated and annoyed with nursing and hospital management. The patients are the fun and interesting part of the job, even when they are a PITA. I just find them facinating. I like finding out about them. Some of them are such oddballs, where else would you get to meet such colorful characters? I rarely meet a patient that I don't like, for some reason.

I don't know if I resent some of them. There are some that I don't care for. Some of them are manipulative and tell lies. Some act like they can't reach two inches to get something and will call you to get it. But they were able to get that fork to their mouth, and they are able to reach the call light, arent' they. I don't like those traits in anybody, not just patients. I feel like society has forgotten how to treat one another. And when I am taking care of my patients, I don't like it when they antagonize me. We nurses do not deserve to be treated in an ugly way by patients. So, I fee that is where some resentment may come from at times.

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What is a PITA? I couldn't find what it stood for. Numerous of people had said that their pt was a PITA?

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What is a PITA? I couldn't find what it stood for. Numerous of people had said that their pt was a PITA?

Pain in the posterior parts.

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Never really resented my patients for being demented or brain damaged, but I cant say the same for some of the managment Ive worked with.;)

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Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.
It must be where you live. I guess if we all lived in "Neverland" like you, the world would be a wonderful, magical place!

:roll

That's the first thing I looked at, too... looked straight up there to "location" and saw "neverland". Yup.. makes sense! :lol2:

Ahhh.. we're all jealous now ! :D

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.
jnette said:
That's the first thing I looked at, too... looked straight up there to "location" and saw "neverland". Yup.. makes sense! :lol2:

Ahhh.. we're all jealous now ! :D

I'm not certain, but I think 'Neverland' is outside of the realm of 'One Day Closer to Eternity' :lol2:

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Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.
jlsRN said:
I'm not certain, but I think 'Neverland' is outside of the realm of 'One Day Closer to Eternity' :lol2:

Don't know... could get to eternity quicker by passing thru "neverland". :uhoh21:

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it seems i adore those pts who everyone else avoids.

the ruder, the more combative, the better.

it must be the sicko inside of me.

but i truly enjoy them.

and trying to inject im valium while they're thrashing, can be even more fun.

i had a lol biting my finger last noc.

she was literally gnawing on it.

the nsg assistants were "omg, leslie!!! don't let her do that!"

but it wasn't bad at all, since she wasn't wearing her teeth.

also, last noc, i got report it took 6 staff to assist a gentleman to bed:

and that he smacked an assistant.

well, as i was rounding last noc, i just HAD to shake him on the shoulder and say, "hey john!!! it's wonderful to see you!!!" w/a big-a$$ grin on my face.

he looked at me as if I was crazy.

love 'em.

juuuuust love 'em.

leslie

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