Nurses as Patients: What was your best/worst experience as a patient?

catlynLPN · May 9, 2007

worst experience would have to be after my second laser cone. my then, husband d.h. was in the air force and had been on temporary assignment for six months, and then had a sudden change of station just about the time he got home. my laser cone was already scheduled, so i went ahead and had it done, and then moved 2000 miles (on my own since he had already flown to his new duty station) immediately afterward. i had to have my post-op check up in a new town with a new doctor. i was a bit late for my appointment -- it was a new town and i'd gotten lost -- but they assured me that it was no problem, they'd put me in a room and the doctor would be right with me. so i got undressed, pulled the sheet around me and got up on the table like a good little patient. i didn't really pay attention to the second door in the exam room until 45 minutes later, when it burst open from the waiting room. and then the fool held the door open while he turned around and announced to all and sundry "hey, there's someone in here."
i never went back to that doctor!
most of my experiences as a patient have been relatively positive. i can't think of one that sticks out as "the best", although i do appreciate the er nurses who took me into the back (past a overflowing waiting room) three years ago when i had my little bout of svt and thought i was having an mi. and then when i ruled out, they were still nice to me when i felt like an utter dork for going to the er for "nothing."

look, i'm old...i wear glasses but there's not much going to help me be able to read this small print. can you make it bigger, please?

Captain Tripps · May 9, 2007

My worst experience was after surgery. I was in PACU, drugged out of my mind and in some pretty severe pain despite the meds/anesthesia. Someone (I cant remember who) drew an ABG and left the RN to hold pressure on the draw. Me being ever helpful told the Nurse I would hold pressure for her. Since she knew me she thought that was OK. Did I mention I was drugged out of my mind? I am sure I held good pressure for at least 5 seconds and then I don't remember anything since one of the meds kicked in.

After a stint in ICU secondary to complications/reactions a full day had elapsed since I remembered anything. The first thing I noticed was pain in my arm, I looked down to see a bruise that ran from the most of my left hand and ran almost to the elbow. Apparently the Nurse had left to do something after I said I would hold pressure. I guess I bleed an impressive amount and was left with one nasty painful hemtoma.

I don't blame the nurse and I still think it was kind of funny. The complications were not related to the ABG incident by the way.

Best experience with a Nurse was in the ER and had nothing to do with medicine. :devil:

Peace,

Tripps

KJRN79 · May 9, 2007

Very sad, what was my best experience? Probably my L&D nurses, I dont' really remember any particular incident. And I've always been in awe of ER nurses, always felt well cared for in ER. Not that I've been there much.

Worst experience? Not really horrible, but I was a bit peeved. Going home on 3rd post op day TAH-BSO. My heplock site was itchy and bothering me. I asked the nurse to take it out. She said she could not until the very last minute. I asked why not and she said "in case we have to give you something as an emergency". I told her it was bothering me and she still said, "I'll take it out right before you leave" After I was dressed and in the wheelchair, I asked what hospital protocol was about the time heplocks/IVs could remain in and she said "three days, OH, LET ME TAKE YOURS OUT". Then she said "oh, are you a nurse?" Yes." "OH." Thank you.

Silliest experience....ages ago, had good OLD cholecystectomy, PCAs were brand new and I had just had my inservice on it. I worked postpartum at the time, and we didn't have any patients yet who used them. So, I go along, pushing the little button every 15 minutes ALL night or whatever it was...in the am, I had a student nurse. I pushed the little button and the machine went "whir-whir, whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...so I called the nurse, the student came in and I said, go get someone, call the anesthesiologist and get the crash cart, because I just overdosed on this morphine . Of course she believed me. The anesthesiologist came, the pharmacist was called and my "real" nurse was NOT amused. I felt like an idiot.

blueheaven · May 10, 2007

One of the worst experiences was when I had my youngest daughter (who is now 24) When I was moved to post partum the nurse "taking" care of me had long fingernails and kept digging them into my freshly incised belly button (tubal ligation at delivery) to check my fundus. After holding my temper and explaining to her not to do that x 2, I got angry! I asked her if she had ever had a baby.....no. Have you ever had an abdominal surgery?.....no In that case, I suggest you stop using your nails in my fresh incision before you go flying out the door. I ended up reporting her to the NM (who I knew very well) over that and another incident with my roommate that had her in tears and was totally uncalled for.

blueheaven · May 10, 2007

AHH yes, then there's the one where I was being prepped for a BE back in 1973. I was in high school and my mom (a RN) felt it best if she didn't tell me about all the tests they were going to be doing the next day. The LPN came in and gave me 2 oz of mineral oil followed with some kind of chaser. 2 hours later I am nauseated and I ring the call light and try to make it to the bathroom to throw up. I didn't make it. She came in and chewed me out for vomiting in the sink!!! How was I supposed to know? I didn't have an emesis basin or even a wash pan! When I asked the RN what tests I was having done, she said that she couldn't tell me because I was under 18....PULEEZE!

Weird thing was the next day after BE, IVP, etc. When it came time to sign the operative permit, the surgeon had me sign it as well as my parents. He wanted me to be informed as to what was going on.

When I was in nursing school, I got to see my favorite LPN again when I did clinicals. The rest of the staff on the surgical unit was great to me.

DDRN4me · May 10, 2007

Best experience: the nurse i had in OB when i delivered dd#1; its been 24 yrs and i still remember her name. I was 22 and SCARED; she was a 36 weeker and i delivered verrrry quickly; and this woman was so calm and reassuring;

worst was after my hyst (vag) they let me stay in pain and vomit all evening post op ; was afraid to use the pca cuz i didnt want to vomit from the demerol; and then at 3am when the nurse finally checked me (since 11pm shift change ) believe me i know cuz i never slept; she said oh, you hae a zofran order do you want some?? MD came in to d/c me the next am ; but said to stay till late pm for hydration. Called for llunch at about 2pm; the nurse said oh i thought you left!!!***????:angryfire

thankfullly never have had to go back there!!!

herecomestrouble · May 10, 2007

OH do I have stories to tell,I spent 6 months straight in the hosp and had some crazy things happen to me.One was the nurse who came in to suction my trach,put on sterile gloves then decided to clean my butt first after she was done she went to suction me.When I stopped her she politely told me that she was wearing sterile gloves,Never mind that she had used them to wipe my butt already she seemed to believe that once sterile always sterile.

Then I got a PICC line inserted and the night nurse came in to take my BP in the arm with the line.I was still partially paralyzed and couldn't move very good so I'm trying to tell her she can't use that arm(mouthing words since I was on a vent)she's arguing that it won't matter,I tried to roll over on that side so she couldn't get my arm but she pulled it out and did the BP.When she was done I could see blood in the line and asked her to flush it for me,She refused and by day shift the line was finished.

Then there were ABG's,all ABG's.they hurt like you know what!!I don't understand what they were doing anyway,I would wean all day,go back on the vent all night and they would draw the ABG in the morning to see how well I had done on the wean.It always seemed to me the test should be done at the end of the wean not after 8-10 hours on the vent.It doesn't mattere when they get done though those suckers HURT!!!

Of course I had many good experiences in there too,most of the nurses and aides were great.The one who got me my first meal in 4 months after I was finally cleared by ST.he was the best I loved the days he had me.The NM on the VRU was terrific,came in every morning and checked with each pt to see how their night was and if there was anything he needed to know about,came in asking"How are my nurses treating you?" and trust me if there was a complaint he handled it.

cardsRN · May 10, 2007

few good ones here: my midwife and the L&D nurse who helped me bring my son into this world. hard working women, extremely patient, skilled, and creative.

when i was hospitalized for an eye infection (leading later to blindness and then cornea transplant) i had to have eye gtts q1 hr around the clock. two night nurses in particular stick in my memory as being kind, funny people. the fellow on my case that admission was also very gentle and caring, actually.

the only health care gripes i have are about insurance companies and md's who waaaaay overbook their clinic.

Raeth · May 10, 2007

Worst experience? I broke my wrist when I was 8yrs old and fell off a horse. It was a pretty clean break. Still, I ended up in the hospital for 3 days! I was actually so drugged that I didn't wake up enough to eat until the third day. My father had to just take me out of the hospital because they just kept giving me meds. I don't want to quote an exact number, cause I would have to guess... it was extremely expensive though... and a huge portion of it was medication. I wish I could look and see what all they did now that I would understand some of it.

Best experience was the birth of my daughter. My wife had some really wonderful care. I really hope I get the same unit when I rotate through there in clinicals.

DoubleblessedRN, ADN, RN, EMT-B, EMT-P · May 10, 2007

My worst: I was 34 weeks pregnant with my twins when I ruptured. I was in a delivery room awaiting a c/s first thing in the am, because I had eaten 2 hrs prior to rupturing and the babies weren't in any distress. The nurse caring for me was a total bi***. Just her overall demeanor. While I was on the monitor, it would only detect BOTH heartbeats ONLY if I was laying in a 30 degree angle, and that made me feel faint and short of breath from decreased venous return and the fundus pressing against my diaphragm. She acted annoyed when I brought this to her attention and she did absolutely nothing to try to make me more comfortable. I was hospitalized there previously for preterm labor and all of the other nurses were wonderful. Had this nurse been the first nurse who treated me I would have never returned there. I was going to complain to the nurse manager but by then I had my babies and I was much more concerned about them than complaining...

Best: my daughter was extremely critical at seven weeks of age and almost died. She had just taken a turn for the worse and it was late at night. We had her twin brother with us, and there was nobody to take him at that hour. One of the CC transport nurses (who was an acquaintance of a friend of ours) gathered up a crib, blankets, formula and 2 sleeper chairs and let us stay in a conference room. She also stayed with us, offering hope and reassurance for a short while. She would hold our son while we visited our daughter. After our daughter was discharged, I wrote a nice letter to everone who had cared for her and specifically mentioned this nurse. I later learned that it was put in her personnel file.

EarthChild1130 · May 10, 2007

I haven't been in the hospital but twice and neither of them really stands out as 'THE BEST' LOL! The nurses, from what I can remember of each visit, were wonderful.

I can, however, remember my worst visit. I have had to go to the ER a few times during my life because, prior to being started on Topamax a few years ago, I would have migraines that would escalate to the point that I literally wanted to eat a bottle of whatever pain med was handy...I've been to the ER for these migraines maybe 4 times since I was 16. Anyhow, the last time was about 4 years ago...now I know that a LOT of people who come in and tell the staff that only a specific med works for them are regarded with some suspicion, but I told the triage RN that the last time I was in the ER I had been given Toradol and Benadryl which had worked wonderfully...she was VERY rude and huffy and treated me like a drug addict...once I got put in a room, another nurse came to start my IV...once she inserted the needle, and threaded off the catheter, she just let me bleed and bleed..and BLEED while she looked for some tape in a drawer...my BP was sky-high from pain and I thought she was gonna let me bleed to death before she found her tape...she wiped my arm off after she got it taped down, then walked to the garbage can and just kind of flicked her gloved hand at it and blood sprayed EVERYWHERE! THEN, once the doc ordered the meds (I forget what it was now but it wasn't Toradol or Benadryl), as soon as she pushed it I began to cough and hack...she said 'Look, you're gonna have to stop all that coughing.' I was just shocked and said 'Well I was fine till you gave me that stuff.' And she just rolled her eyes! Her behavior was appalling and we reported her!

beachmom · May 10, 2007

Worst - I was in the recovery room after a c-section. I guess the epidural anesthesia must have migrated upward because my tongue kept closing off my airway. I was afraid to sleep because I couldn't breathe. I was too out of it from the drugs to explain to the nurse what was going on. The nurse was sitting at a desk across the room reading a paperback. Every once in awhile the O2 alarm would beep, and the nurse would shove a mask on my face. That wasn't the problem, so I would pull it off so I could breathe better. She would come back and make disapproving noises and shove it back on.

Best - I had been in labor all night long (I have long labors) When I got to the hospital at noon, I was only 4 cm along. I asked for a shower. When I got in there, it was soooooooo nice. Instead of thinking of the pain in my belly, I concentrated on the relaxing warm water all over. The nurses would check on me, and I sent them away. When the doctor came and made me get out an hour later, I had dilated to 8. He popped the sac, I had one more contraction, and I was ready to push.