Is it just me, or are nurses pushy?

Nurses General Nursing

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Despite being a nursing student, I've don't have complete confidence in the medical establishment and always question any treatment I receive and, as someone in their right mind, would expect to be asked if I want a treatment. Yet I notice during clinicals that nurses often don't ask or even explain what they're doing. They just sort of barge into a room and start doing procedures and making assumptions about what the patient wants. This is disturbing to me and I think that some patients may not even be aware that they have a right to know what's going on and to refuse any treatment. Do nurses do this because it makes their job easier or because patients really just want to leave all that to the nurses' and doctors' judgment?

You know I have been reading this thread from the beginning also. I am a fairly new nurse, but have tons of life experience--raised the family, worked other jobs, etc.

the question I want to ask the original poster is what are you putting off doing to spend so much time debating on this site? When I was in school I had too much to do to misuse the time I did have. You have been given some excellent replies and advice from seasoned, practicing nurses, but you insist on debating. If nursing is something you continue in, you will come to the place where you understand that being a patient advocate does mean inserting, poking prodding, cajoling-- FOR THE PATIENT'S BENEFIT. We are critical thinking trained professionals. This is something else you will come to appreciate. You learn to not blindly follow orders. None of the other care providers no asmuch info on our patients as we do: labs, diagnostic tests, assessment, etc. That enables us to provide the care needed within the particular setting. You also seem to have overlooked the wide diversity of settings in the nursing field.

Another question that has come to my mind after reading your posts, Do you have a family member or close friend whose treatment plan was perhaps unsuccessful?

Nursing practice is learning, constantly learning. That's what makes it such an exciting career choice. The majority of practiciing nurses, if not all, want their patients to improve, heal, get better, go home.

good luck to you.

Last week I helped hold a retarded woman down and stick an NG tube down her nose. It is the exact kind of thing I have issues with, but it appeared to be necessary. It actually wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. She was combative and upset but I spend time talking to her and trying to help her through it and she seemed okay afterward.

I definitely see how you need to tailor how assertive you have to be depending on the patient. My classmate started out saying, "We're going to put this tube down your nose, okay?" and the patient started screaming. So I said, "We really need to put this tube in your nose and into your tummy so you can get the food you need. Look at me and my friend will do it really fast and get it over with." And that seemed to work better.

But not everyone is mentally retarded...

It was upsetting for me but I dealt with. Afterward my classmate said, "That was fun," without a trace of sarcasm. I guess she'll be the better nurse...

You know I have been reading this thread from the beginning also. I am a fairly new nurse, but have tons of life experience--raised the family, worked other jobs, etc.

the question I want to ask the original poster is what are you putting off doing to spend so much time debating on this site? When I was in school I had too much to do to misuse the time I did have. You have been given some excellent replies and advice from seasoned, practicing nurses, but you insist on debating. If nursing is something you continue in, you will come to the place where you understand that being a patient advocate does mean inserting, poking prodding, cajoling-- FOR THE PATIENT'S BENEFIT. We are critical thinking trained professionals. This is something else you will come to appreciate. You learn to not blindly follow orders. None of the other care providers no asmuch info on our patients as we do: labs, diagnostic tests, assessment, etc. That enables us to provide the care needed within the particular setting. You also seem to have overlooked the wide diversity of settings in the nursing field.

Another question that has come to my mind after reading your posts, Do you have a family member or close friend whose treatment plan was perhaps unsuccessful?

Nursing practice is learning, constantly learning. That's what makes it such an exciting career choice. The majority of practiciing nurses, if not all, want their patients to improve, heal, get better, go home.

good luck to you.

I think debating is useful. It helps me to gathering information and opinions and form questions and think about things. I do not consider that a waste of time. I have two kids who are well looked after and a 4.0 average and a previous degree in philosophy. I'm smart enough so that this doesn't actually take up a lot of time for me (my brain can multi-task -- I'm also thinking about what to fix for dinner right now and wondering if it is okay to have an MRI immediately post-PCI). What I want to know is why are wasting your time reading or posting here if you think it's not worthwhile. (Tofu stir fry. The lastest studies say yes).

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
It was upsetting for me but I dealt with. Afterward my classmate said, "That was fun," without a trace of sarcasm. I guess she'll be the better nurse...

If you think this is the type of nursing we are advocating on this thread, then you've really missed the point. But I hope you're being sarcastic.

I hate, hate, hate, putting down NG's. It's probably the most hurtful distressing thing we do. Probably 25 or more percent refuse. To call if "fun" is a bit sick and twisted. Patients need a lot of education and TLC during NGT insertion. It's especially hard when the patient is confused, underage, or mentally challenged and doesn't understand, and you have to have restrain them afterwards.

I have a problem with it too. I feel like I'm committing assault and battery every time I have to put one down.

I have a problem with nurses like the student you describe. The kind that walks up to a patient "here...I have some pills for you to take", rather than go over them one-by-one so they understand and can refuse. Or "I'm going to put a tube down your nose.......".

I think we have to find a balance between tough love for the patient, knowing when to back up and give them some leeway, and when (with family input) to put an NGT down while they are being combative.

I was going to make tofu stir fry tonight, but am going out to eat instead.

It is extremely refreshing that you have such enthusiam and innocence, however you need to grow a thicker skin if you don't drive yourself over the edge. Healing isn't always a pretty process, and some things we do may be construed as "mean" or cold but, as many others have said, the vast majority of us do it because we do care.

Specializes in Critical Care.
If you think this is the type of nursing we are advocating on this thread, then you've really missed the point. But I hope you're being sarcastic.

I hate, hate, hate, putting down NG's. It's probably the most hurtful distressing thing we do. Probably 25 or more percent refuse. To call if "fun" is a bit sick and twisted. Patients need a lot of education and TLC during NGT insertion. It's especially hard when the patient is confused, underage, or mentally challenged and doesn't understand, and you have to have restrain them afterwards.

I have a problem with it too. I feel like I'm committing assault and battery every time I have to put one down.

I have a problem with nurses like the student you describe. The kind that walks up to a patient "here...I have some pills for you to take", rather than go over them one-by-one so they understand and can refuse. Or "I'm going to put a tube down your nose.......".

But really, I can't ever quite resist whispering to myself, "up your nose with a rubber hose' everytime I put one in. . .

~faith,

Timothy.

But really, I can't ever quite resist whispering to myself, "up your nose with a rubber hose' everytime I put one in. . .

~faith,

Timothy.

*snort*

*wiping root beer off monitor screen*

Okay, I'm going back to my housework now......

Last week I helped hold a retarded woman down and stick an NG tube down her nose. It is the exact kind of thing I have issues with, but it appeared to be necessary. It actually wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. She was combative and upset but I spend time talking to her and trying to help her through it and she seemed okay afterward.

I definitely see how you need to tailor how assertive you have to be depending on the patient. My classmate started out saying, "We're going to put this tube down your nose, okay?" and the patient started screaming. So I said, "We really need to put this tube in your nose and into your tummy so you can get the food you need. Look at me and my friend will do it really fast and get it over with." And that seemed to work better.

But not everyone is mentally retarded...

It was upsetting for me but I dealt with. Afterward my classmate said, "That was fun," without a trace of sarcasm. I guess she'll be the better nurse...

No Baby, You will be the better nurse at this point unless she developes some empathy. That is one of the battles that we must fight as nurses in our selves. I really think that you understand what is being promoted here. From what you say, You are seeing the fact that situations will arise when you have to just act for the patients welfare because in all situations you MUST keep your GOAL in mind. That is the patients welfare.

You also consider their emotional well being part of their welfare and you should and so you at the time make the decision whether it is better for THEM (not you) that you spend those next minutes doing or explaining so that you can do with them in a good frame of mind.

Does that sentence make any sense to you...I'm not sure If I explained well. It sounds jumbled to me, but You have to make nursing decisions and sometimes you have to make them very quickly. You will learn to do quicker evals. on what is needed at the time, I know YOU will because you question it all. You should...We all should!

And for anyone of us to tell her that it is wrong for her to debate or question these things....Shame on you. Ego's need to go bye-bye!

Question everything that gives you doubt, make sure you truly understand what you are doing and why and be sure that you agree with it or at least see the reason for it, This is how we become the strong intellegent nurses that we are expecting our patients to depend on. I don't ever want a nurse that does something that she feels is wrong or doubts just because she was told to do it. And if that takes a few extra minutes to do that it is because you are focusing on the patients welfare....now that being said, there are times that their welfare depends on you acting and not talking.

I personally would want someone like you in charge of my care because I could depend on you to make the best decision at the time taking my whole being into consideration. I know that because I see you questioning in every one of your posts what is the best thing for your patient. The delima is to balance our empathy with our responsibility and we cannot even attempt to do this without questioning and debating. Don't stop this, even when you are considered a troublemaker, your patients depend on it.

Specializes in Day Surgery/Infusion/ED.
But really, I can't ever quite resist whispering to myself, "up your nose with a rubber hose' everytime I put one in. . .

~faith,

Timothy.

OMG. That was the best reply, ever!

Specializes in Nursing assistant.

Just started working in a hospital, and I really don't see the nurses there as pushy. I have seen some real mean stuff in LTC. Makes me sad.

But at the hospital, I have been so impressed with their approach to the patients.

I do think it requires a bit of assertiveness to approach some of the procedures and treatments the pt. need. For instance, someone who has just had surgery will naturally be a bit hesitant to move, or cough or anything that provokes pain. But a good nurse will help the patient push past that as best he/she can for the benefit of the patient. A spoon full of sugar helps, but the medicine needs to go down nonetheless.

Explaining why helps alot....

I am a NA, and sometimes the patient will express their frustration with the nurses to me. Sometimes just telling them, "she is a very conscientious nurse and she is very vigilent about doing the best things for your recovery, if you have any questions I am sure she would be glad to answer them for you..." this said with a sense of "I understand how frustrating it has been to go through this surgery"....and usually, the patient is just reassured you understand.

I think that once you enter a hospital to be treated, there are things that you are going to have to put up with that may not seem "necessary". If your RN/LPN has 7-8 paitents and your CNA has double that number and you are a little old lady getting tons of IV fluid pushed into your body and are incontinent of urine and are barely mobile, you may need a foley simply because to not put one in increases the risk of skin breakdown. There is no way that a nurse or CNA can be with the patient enough to help them to the bathroom every 20 minutes so a depends pad would have to be put on. That is going to keep constant urine against fragile skin and increase the risk of breakdown. In this situation (which really probably isn't that uncommon) a foley catheter, while not absolutely necessary, is a better choice in the long run for the patient. A lot of nursing/medical care could be different if there were more ideal situations in hospitals. I say this as just a student myself, but I'm starting to understand that things are done sometimes to avoid possible/probable situations from occuring, it may also be convenient for the doc/nurse, but that probably isn't the main reason why something is done. I had one patient yesterday and was running for 8 hours straight and she still managed to find something to be mad at the RN about. (no meds were late, she got her PRN's within 10 minutes each time, got different foods when she wanted them etc...) Now she basically had a private "nurse" all day long (me) along with a supervising RN and my clinical instructor all checking on her. Now imgaine if I had 4 other patients as demanding as her and a couple of patients who needed total assist to get up and toilet every 20 minutes. There would a lot of accidents and embarrassment and a lot more risk of skin break down among other things. Sometimes the bigger picture has to be looked at.

well i doubt most are pushy, in the customer service sense...although I did have an incident after my c section . I slightly out of it (as a pt) and this nurse came in , did not annouce herself or anything , told me that i needed a shot and stuck me .

just like that! i was annoyed and told other nurses later and they all said "she is crazy like that" hmmmmmmmmmmmm

i was like "excuse me , why did you just stick that in me , i have no idea what it is and if if even want it!" she was very rude and said some hubaloo.... i did not think she was professional at all . very loud and annoying .

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