I wash my hands of the whole thing!

Nurses General Nursing

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I need to vent, so please bear with me. My s/o is in a local hospital and I've been living there most of the week.

I really do feel for the RNs and LPNs on duty ... lately on a "good" shift the ratio is 1:9 on the general med/surg floor. The unit has lost 5 nurses in a short period of time and rehires are slow in coming. It's a corporate-owned facility whose stock is plummeting and where C-suite and other administrators get bonuses when the hospital spends less money. Staff are not necessarily treated all that well.

But why is it that most of the nurses on the floor -- at least the ones caring for my loved one -- feel the need to treat him rudely? I saw the RN n duty last night enter the room and not even introduce herself. She didn't even say hello ... just got down to business. No badge, no anything. She then got upset when I asked her who she was.

Today, the nurse (not sure whether RN or LPN) took three hours to deliver a pain medication ... after promising it "right away." I would understand if she had a critical patient ... but I found her jawboning at the nurses station with some of her coworkers. Later the same day, she walked past a lit call light three times ... then plopped herself down to b/s some more. She only came to the room when I actually went up to the station.

Why does this happen? I'm becoming very discouraged and disgusted.

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Specializes in Post Anesthesia.

It sounds like the institution has made it clear that the quality of patient care isn't thier priority. If mediocre care is the goal then it's easy to live up to it. If excellence is encouraged despite the cost then everyone strives to meet that goal. I wish more hospitals would realise what they are saying to thier staff when they make "corporate" decisions that compromise patient care.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.

oops, misinterperted . sry

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Specializes in Critical Care, Progressive Care.
If mediocre care is the goal then it's easy to live up to it. If excellence is encouraged despite the cost then everyone strives to meet that goal.

How sad and how true!

Every individual is responsible for his/her actions and inactions. But when and culture of excellence is created then excellence tends to be delivered more often than not. This is a basic principle of management.

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wow - obviously this nurse has lost her focus if she's letting someone wait hours for a pain med.

I would say you should ask to speak to the charge RN if you're waiting that long....

as for the rudeness and no badge/not introducing self - that's so basic I can't imagine anyone at my facility ever doing that.....I would think a letter to the facility after discharge might help you voice your concerns

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Sometimes people forget things (being human), ask again if you don't get something in a timely fashion. I wouldn't wait 3 hours and then complain about it.

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Specializes in Med Surg, LTC, Home Health.

You have had some bad luck with nurses....The best thing to do with a sorry nurse is request a new one. That will embarrass the nurse and hopefully teach him/her a lesson and help them change for the better.

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).

Agree with the above posters. Be sure to take down specific names of both the good and bad staff members for when you go to fill out the patient satisfaction survey...Maybe they'll take the hint.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I am sorry your s/o is hospitalized. I do think that you have reasons to be angry. One thing I wish to say for the person who did not introduce themselves. It is a fundamental thing in nursing school to introduce yourself and say what you are there to do. I try and do this all the time.

What I am wondering though, is the conduct of this nurse. You mentioned that the quite a few of them were just sitting around jawwing to each other, not answering bells. Was this woman busy, or was she one of the ones goofing off? I ask this because I have seen situations where most of the staff are lazy, and then there is one that is killing themselves, running and trying to care for their patients. If she was busy, then, maybe she rushed in and wanted to do what she had to do, and when you asked (and rightfully so-you should ask who she is), she may have snapped because she was either embarassed for such a inconsiderate oversight, or that she was concentrating on one of the million tasks that she cannot count on others to do. I am not saying that her action was acceptable...I am just trying to throw another perspective.

There should be a patient relations department to report to as well. Keep names or descriptions of nurses, their tour of duty, write down what you witnessed and address them if there are no results from the nursing supervisor or charge nurse.

Mainly, I hope that your s/o gets better, soon. And, no way is it acceptable to let a person wait for three hours to administer pain medications.

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Specializes in Staff nurse.
Sometimes people forget things (being human), ask again if you don't get something in a timely fashion. I wouldn't wait 3 hours and then complain about it.

Could it be the pain med couldn't be given for another 3 hours? I have pts. who ask for pain meds right after they have been given.

BUT, that does not excuse rudeness of that nurse! If I have a pt. who can't have a pain med for a couple of hours, I will personally go back to the room and explain that...and see if we can do something non-pharmacutically to eleviate the pain some, positioning, ice, warmth, destress environment, etc. If that fails, I can always call the doc for something for breakthrough pain.

Sorry your friend had to go thru that, I would complain to management in writing.

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Thanks to everyone who offered some insight. Fortunately, most of the nurses -- RNs and LPNs -- I come in contact with are great.

The situation still hasn't improved, however last night a nurse practitioner got treatment moving. I'm still waiting to hear from the attending and surgeon. Since the other day, I'm happy to report the rest of the staff has been great. I made sure I spoke with the unit director about my concerns, but I also told her about the staff who were amazing -- both with my significant other and other patients.

Just to clarify ... The pain med was available every 4 hours at the time; however, eight hours had lapsed since his last dose ... by the time the dose was given, it was 11 hours. The three-hour wait came despite 3 requests for help within that time frame. And the nurse I found was one of the ones gossiping at the nurses station. Most of her co-workers were running their butts off.

I totally understand the need to care for the most critical patients first. I also can imagine a 1:9 ratio has to be awful. My significant other isn't the kind to call unless he absolutely needs something. I can't even get him to take Tylenol for a headache at home. He asked for something to help with a severe migraine ... and told the RN what he needed.

Please understand I'm not one of "those" family members who will tell the clinicians how to do their jobs.

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It sounds like the institution has made it clear that the quality of patient care isn't thier priority. If mediocre care is the goal then it's easy to live up to it. If excellence is encouraged despite the cost then everyone strives to meet that goal. I wish more hospitals would realise what they are saying to thier staff when they make "corporate" decisions that compromise patient care.

I never understood why corporations do this. This is the same company that runs ads saying it prides itself on patient satisfaction and customer service. I couldn't care less about "customer service." All I ask is this: Please do your best to help me when I'm sick and vulnerable. Please treat me with respect. I don't expect you to bring me a warm cookie and milk ... I get it's a hospital, not a hotel.

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