So TIRED OF IT

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I'm so over it. I'm so over dealing with ahole patients who are so entitled and disrespectful to staff and think that they are in some damn hotel with room service. I'm so over management choosing to side WITH these patients and not backing up staff. I am tired of the ridiculous pay, the crazy assignments, over-the-top patients, the cliques, and how hospital-based care is now some big business and how I am a glorified pill-pushing waitress. I'm tired of patients cursing at me, lying, manipulating and everything.

I'm tired of not feeling supported by management. I don't feel like I can talk to my manager. I am no-nonsense and I don't tolerate absolute disrespect or cursing from completely alert and oriented young people. Yet the manager thinks *I* am the problem and states I should take a class in how to deal with difficult patients....but seems to forget that these patients have a tendency to fire MULTIPLE nurses and even entire hospitals/nursing homes.

No. Nurses aren't the problem. PATIENTS and SOCIETY are the problem. Don't get me wrong. Not every patient or their family is bad...but the ones who are rotten ruin everything. And they are becoming more frequent.

Am I the only one who thinks nurses shouldn't have to put up with nonsense? We should be allowed to say that being cursed out or told to shut up by "with it" patients is unacceptable. Would you go over your manager's head to the Director of Nursing to have this addressed?

I am ready to escape the bedside. I am done with adult med/surg (which I do on a contingent basis). Any other contingent jobs out there that are decent paying and not at the bedside? I am done with acute care for adults...it keeps getting worse and worse.

Daisy4RN

2,221 Posts

Specializes in Travel, Home Health, Med-Surg.

You are 100% correct. It is patients and society and it only gets worse, and the whole customer satisfaction kicked it up to unacceptable levels. I just read an article that stated half of all millennial RN's are planning on obtaining higher degrees. There will be nobody willing to be a bedside RN and with good reason.

guest769224

1,698 Posts

You are right, on so many levels.

This explains why so many RN's have turned toward the APRN option. Until hospitals fix this issue (if ever), RN turnover will continue to accelerate. The golden specialties are where to escape many of these issues; OR, PACU, Cath lab, etc. (no families, patient's usually sedated).

Totally feel for you though, some days it's completely exhausting and bothersome.

ap_NRN

9 Posts

I feel you, ThePrincessBride. Love the username by the way. Just the other day I was discussing this issue with some coworkers. An alert and oriented visitor was using the patient's shower in their room and when confronted *nicely* about it, he screamed, attempted to throw me into the nearest door (I saw it coming so I dodged thankfully), then violently kicked a portable computer into a wall. He was escorted out of the building. A week later I came back and he was in the room AGAIN. I'm like :eek:. Management's response? "We talked to him and they threatened to leave AMA, so he promised not to do it again if we didn't anger him and we shook on it."

Ok, super cool :banghead:

Did I mention that he also liked to LURK around the nutrition center downstairs at night, like a CREEP, and every female that witnessed his violent fit (he's a large, 6+ foot tall dude) is no longer comfortable going downstairs for lunch on night shift OR to our poorly lit parking lot to grab something. I got the usual "he promises to be better" crap when I mentioned female fear with him there. From EVERYONE.

I've been doing this for 10 years, and I'm a millennial. I'm tired of being treated like total trash. If I wanted to be paid like **** and treated like a punching bag I would go back to my prenursing job at McDonald's when I was in my teens... I'm pushing hard for an NP and then I'M **** OUT.

I'm not looking in the rearview mirror. Sorry for all the cusswords, I'm as tired of it as you are. You're not alone.

Bye, Felicia:roflmao:

All of the above are part of the reason I left bedside for telephonic case management. The emphasis on "customer service" and "Press Ganey scores" and other "make a hospitalization like staying at a fine hotel" initiatives created this monstrous behavior. Patients and family are constantly bombarded with that knowledge, and have become entitled to royal customer service. They want pillow fluffing rather than good medical management of their health. Healthcare management's profits are tied to these ideas and they stand ready to throw any and all employees under the bus to maintain those satisfaction scores. This is supposed to improve health care but all it does is increase the death spiral of our current health care system.

Emergent, RN

4,242 Posts

Specializes in ER.

I agree, this is a societal problem. The slippery slope has turned into a landslide. Our population has lost core values of respect and courtesy. Every loser out there is ready to sue or threaten to take their business elsewhere. And hospitals feed that mentality by catering to the customers, then surveying them about their hospital experience.

Back in the 60's when I was a little girl, there were strict rules and visiting hours. There was no advertisements allowed for either lawyers or drugs. Public officials and celebrities couldn't get on Twitter for any off the cuff trash talking either. There was a lot more respect and decorum all around.

Unfortunately, I do no believe any reform can "unring" the bell at this point. It may happen when management looks up and realizes there are simply not enough people willing to put the time into getting an education only to be treated like **** by both mgrs and "customers" .

cleback

1,381 Posts

Yikes sorry... I would hate that kind of management too.

I don't have any suggestions though, sorry, except escape all jobs that provide human services. My husband works with computers and seems very happy.

Wheels28

132 Posts

Just a patient- How sad nurses are being treated like this. I have cerebral palsy and use a wheelchair and I have always been respectful towards staff. The only thing I ever thought I was "entitled" to was good care and friendly staff.

It's a shame most people don't feel that way, it's also sad that reimbursement is based mostly on customer service and not the care provided. I have found by being nice and respectful, staff is willing to do extra stuff if they have the time. Anytime my family visited me they were respectful as well. Being respectful and kind cost nothing and is easy to do, it's a shame people don't hand it out too often. Always remember you have patients who respect and appreciate the work you do!

Kallie3006, ADN

389 Posts

Specializes in Surgical, Home Infusions, HVU, PCU, Neuro.

I never understood why the patients and or families that come in and expect us to lay the golden brick road down for them, knowing dang good and well Dorthy's slippers have been stolen, Toto is scared and no one can locate the brains, heart and courage leaving us to deal with people thinking they are entitled, never knowing what it is like to respect and be respected. I have no idea why I brought up the Wizard of Oz, but surely it can be applied lol

guest974915

275 Posts

These are EXACTLY my sentiments. I, too have noticed a real downturn in society the last several years and civility toward others has just about become a thing of the past! I personally notice this having worked in surgery for many years and with too many doctors to count. I am sooooooooo tired of the surly attitudes, the sarcastic and unbelievably rude comments that these privileged a@#holes routinely make and we are made to swallow down. And, don't even get me started on the toxic cliques in the hospitals-all 'big me, little you'!. My dream is to leave the hospitals for a less abusive, lower stress job, but after 25 years, like so many others, I've painted myself in a corner.

smf0903

845 Posts

That's a bunch of bologna and management needs to grow a set. We still get ahole patients and family, but our managers are good at backing us up. We've had people arrested right out of the ED or called to a room for patients. They don't-for the most part-put up with that garbage. And that's how it should be.

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