Patients always needing something no matter what.

[OliveVinesRN]

Hello everyone!!! I hope this New Year has been a kind one to you all thus far.

Well, here i go again on one of my rants about the ever so intriguing world of nursing. Here's my pet peeve of the day:

Is is just me, or does it seem to you all that everytime you go into a patient's room to pass meds, do procedures, or simply check on the patient, they always have to ask you to bring them something.

I know for me, it never fails. If I go in there to just look in on my patient they always will stop you before you get out of the door and say, "Oh, nurse, could you get me some coffee," or "May I have something for pain?" or "Turn the lights off, will you". And it drives me crazy.

Now don't get me wrong, I have no problem doing anything for my patients. But it seems that patients look at nurses as nothing more than handmaids to wait on their every beckon and call. For example, I had this man to ring his call bell just to tell me that he wanted to sit up on the side of the bed. I wanted so badly to tell him, "Well, what are you waiting for?". This is because I know that this man is very capable of moving himself because I've seen him do it when he has a male nurse caring for him. But whenever a female steps in, the patients all of sudden become invalids.

I feel that too much of my time is taken up running up and down the halls getting water and coffee. I mean, as much as family members like to stay all day in night in these patients rooms, it would seem that they would get up off of their lazy bums and get these patients something every now and then. It wouldn't hurt them to do this. Oh no, they won't do this. But they can tell you and I how to do our jobs, can't they? (LOL!!).

I have gotten to the point that I actually like being pulled to the critical care units in the hospital because we have telemetry there and you don't have to go into the rooms quite as much as you do on the medical floor because the telemetry is evident.

Do you all feel the same way? Do you all feel that patients are too darn demanding and don't respect us as care providers but see us as handmaids instead? Male nurses, do you feel that patients tend to not bother you as much as your female colleagues? I welcome all input.

Peace and love, y'all!!!!

[SmilingBluEyes]

I avoid t his as much as possible by:

Bringing them the "usual" needs----blankets, clean linen, water, extra pillows etc, when I first enter the room to do vitals, assessments, or medicate them.

And then when they ring (we have an intercom) we ask "when I come is there anything I can bring you while I am there? This helps reduce numerous trips for "this or that".

Also making sure their pain meds are given ON SCHEDULE and the room is a comfy temp helps. The more comfortable they are, the less they seem to call. So is being as prompt as possible when they call, a huge help. I know, we all get busy and can't jump at every callbell, but I try to at least "check in" and let them know I will be there asap, when I take care of what I am doing at the time.....

Sure we have those "queens and kings" who demand everything under the sun, all the time. But that seems to be a personality thing......the ones who are simply scared, nervous, insecure, cold, in pain, well, we can do something about them. Or, at least, try.

[gr8rnpjt, RN]

Hello everyone!!! I hope this New Year has been a kind one to you all thus far.

Well, here i go again on one of my rants about the ever so intriguing world of nursing. Here's my pet peeve of the day:

Is is just me, or does it seem to you all that everytime you go into a patient's room to pass meds, do procedures, or simply check on the patient, they always have to ask you to bring them something.

I know for me, it never fails. If I go in there to just look in on my patient they always will stop you before you get out of the door and say, "Oh, nurse, could you get me some coffee," or "May I have something for pain?" or "Turn the lights off, will you". And it drives me crazy.

Now don't get me wrong, I have no problem doing anything for my patients. But it seems that patients look at nurses as nothing more than handmaids to wait on their every beckon and call. For example, I had this man to ring his call bell just to tell me that he wanted to sit up on the side of the bed. I wanted so badly to tell him, "Well, what are you waiting for?". This is because I know that this man is very capable of moving himself because I've seen him do it when he has a male nurse caring for him. But whenever a female steps in, the patients all of sudden become invalids.

I feel that too much of my time is taken up running up and down the halls getting water and coffee. I mean, as much as family members like to stay all day in night in these patients rooms, it would seem that they would get up off of their lazy bums and get these patients something every now and then. It wouldn't hurt them to do this. Oh no, they won't do this. But they can tell you and I how to do our jobs, can't they? (LOL!!).

I have gotten to the point that I actually like being pulled to the critical care units in the hospital because we have telemetry there and you don't have to go into the rooms quite as much as you do on the medical floor because the telemetry is evident.

Do you all feel the same way? Do you all feel that patients are too darn demanding and don't respect us as care providers but see us as handmaids instead? Male nurses, do you feel that patients tend to not bother you as much as your female colleagues? I welcome all input.

Peace and love, y'all!!!!

Sorry, maybe I am missing something. Or maybe I have been away from bedside nursing too long. But isn't this a part of normal patient care? If we don't hear our pt's needs, how are we to determine what they are?

The best way for me to know what my patient needed was to have him/her ask me. If he asks for coffee, then his appetite must be good. Or he must be feeling better because he is attempting to get back in to some type of routine.

I don't know. I really don't see what is wrong with that. This may be your job, but your patient is in because he or she is ill. What more can I do to make him/her happy? I want to hear what he/she needs. Then I know I am doing my job.

[supermo]

I know for me, it never fails. If I go in there to just look in on my patient they always will stop you before you get out of the door and say, "Oh, nurse, could you get me some coffee," or "May I have something for pain?" or "Turn the lights off, will you". And it drives me crazy.

Do you all feel the same way? Do you all feel that patients are too darn demanding and don't respect us as care providers but see us as handmaids instead?

I'm not a nurse, so I have only the patient's perspective. Trust me, I have a lot of experience in this area.

This kinda hit a nerve because I have, on more than one occasion, been made to feel like I was a burden to my nurse. I thought I was being considerate when I waited until the nurse came in to ask for something instead of using the call bell.

Sorry to bother you! So I should continue to writhe in pain? And I should climb out of the bed, walk across the room in an ill-fitting, indecent garment, and turn off my own light?

>>Disclaimer- There ARE horrid little patients that would drive Mother Teresa to drink, those are not who I speak of.

I know that nurses are overworked (why in the world am I in nursing school?! ), and I know that as a whole they care very deeply about their patients, but I have been made to feel like I was not a person but a case. It is very sad that the proper perspective is sometimes lost. The nurse may have 9 patients with 36 different problems, but I, as a patient, only see my own problems and probably have a high level of anxiety just due to being in a hospital. Each patient is an individual, not a case.

Don't get me wrong, I have had several fantastic nurses, but I have also had nurses that I feel need to adjust their perspectives or retire from nursing.

If you make your patients feel this way, I feel for them.

super mo

[Katnip, RN]

One thing I always do...if a patient is capable of sitting up themselves or whatever it is, I tell them it's best that they do it themselves, the more they do themselves the faster the recovery.

Of course I only use that when it's true.

Pain meds, blankets, are a different story. They need their meds, and they usually don't have access to blankets or coffee, or whatever. But I draw the line at changing the tv channel when they have the remote in their hands. I just explain how it works.

Sometimes, too people in the hospital are just lonely.

[TazziRN, RN]

I understand what you mean about needing female help with sitting up but I take that opportunity to do an unobtrusive hands-on assess....skin temp, integrity, etc. The other stuff is a part of patient care. Think about it from the patient's view: they're in bed, in a room either alone or with one other patient, and if they find reasons to get another face in there, so what? They can't (or don't know they can) get their own coffee. And they probably didn't know you were going to come in and look at them. And is it really a hassle for you to turn off the light as you're going past the light switch?

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

If you make your patients feel this way, I feel for them.

super mo

Please don't take it personally or be so judgemental, the nurse was only venting. I'm sure she/he's an excellent nurse.

I see both sides. I try when I'm in the room to use the "Is there any thing else I can do or get you? I have the time?" and get all my ducks in a row and be organized, anticipate their needs, assess for pain, etc. etc. .

Sometimes, like right before lunch, I'd just like to go in and make sure their alive and breathing well, but am always sidetracked by what they need and I'm tired and hungry and it's frustrating fetching coffee, straws, etc. and "just one more thing I forgot...".

However, a patient should never be made to feel like they are a burden.

[TazziRN, RN]

"This kinda hit a nerve because I have, on more than one occasion, been made to feel like I was a burden to my nurse. I thought I was being considerate when I waited until the nurse came in to ask for something instead of using the call bell.

Sorry to bother you! So I should continue to writhe in pain? And I should climb out of the bed, walk across the room in an ill-fitting, indecent garment, and turn off my own light?

>>Disclaimer- There ARE horrid little patients that would drive Mother Teresa to drink, those are not who I speak of.

I know that nurses are overworked (why in the world am I in nursing school?! ), and I know that as a whole they care very deeply about their patients, but I have been made to feel like I was not a person but a case. It is very sad that the proper perspective is sometimes lost. The nurse may have 9 patients with 36 different problems, but I, as a patient, only see my own problems and probably have a high level of anxiety just due to being in a hospital. Each patient is an individual, not a case.

Don't get me wrong, I have had several fantastic nurses, but I have also had nurses that I feel need to adjust their perspectives or retire from nursing.

If you make your patients feel this way, I feel for them.

super mo"

YES!!! This is something along what I was trying to say.

[zacarias, ASN, RN]

Bringing them the "usual" needs----blankets, clean linen, water, extra pillows etc, when I first enter the room to do vitals, assessments, or medicate them.

You bring these in all at once? Deb, how many arms do you have??

[TazziRN, RN]

You bring these in all at once? Deb, how many arms do you have??

Didn't you know? Nurses are like octopuses.....we grow extra limbs!:chuckle

[justavolunteer]

I'm not a nurse, I'm "justavolunteer". I get requests like this when I pass water, fill glove boxes, hang bedside bags, etc. On one hand, it can be a hassle because I'm supposed to wear gloves to exchange bedside bags, take out trash & laundry, etc. If a pt. wants, say, a box of tissues, I have to take off my gloves, wash my hands, then go get what they need. However, I think how it would be if I were the pt. myself (having actually been one). That helps keep it in perspective.

Somedays there is a lot of this. I tell the nurses that I've been so busy doing things that I haven't got anything done. They know exactly what I mean!

Having said that, there ARE pts. who put on the light for every little thing ("push the button to raise my bed") when they could do things for themselves. The staff usually figures them out pretty quickly. The time between call light pressed and someone actually coming tends to gradually lengthen for these pts.

[HyperRNRachel]

Didn't you know? Nurses are like octopuses.....we grow extra limbs!:chuckle

Not only do we grow extra arms, we also gain speed. I now run my own labs down three floors and run back to the unit three floors because it is faster than taking the elevators! It is o.k. though, I am now losing my nursing school weight gain.

Has anyone ever contemplated the benefit of roller-skates?