Unprofessional to mention you have other patients?

Nurses General Nursing

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Someone mentioned in another thread that it's unprofessional to mention that you have other patients.

I disagree. There is definitely a tactful way to let a patient know that you have an urgent matter with one of your patients, but will get that extra pillow as soon as you can. I find people very understanding when I communicate in a friendly and informative manner.

When I introduce myself to patients, I mention that if I am not in their room, I will be in my other patient's room or at the nursing station. Use the call bell if you need me. I don't think that is unprofessional, just giving basic information.

Specializes in HIV.

This PC hospital scripting is ridiculous. Of course I have other patients. Of course I'll get you the water you are acting like you may die without if it isn't presented to you in 5 seconds. However, if there is an urgent issue in another room, I will definitely let you know about it and let you know that I will be delayed in getting you the water, or you can simply press the "water" button on your call light, which will go to the PCA who is hopefully not as busy as I am. When you discharge, I'll give you an itemized receipt with a line for a tip, while I'm at it.

While I do agree with you, some people will always think their needs should be priority. A while back I had a young abd pain pt who was griping and literally started crying because I didn't start her second liter of NS when she wanted it. I tried to explain I was checking in a new ambulance and she gave me the whole "you don't even care about me" sob story and "my problems are important too". Ugh. 🙄

Specializes in HIV.
...and that's when the hammer of management comes swinging down at me full force.

I kindly let my management know that it is beyond my ability to satisfy these whacky people, and they need to speak with them, themselves. Childish.

Specializes in ED, psych.

I just had this happen ... with my own parents.

My mom was rushed to the ED after experiencing stroke-like symptoms during chemo. The same hospital where I work. The ED staff did a fantastic job meeting her needs, following stroke protocol etc etc.

I walk in (wearing the hospital scrubs), meet the doctor who is explaining that they're waiting on one more test and then mom can take off. The nurse is a new grad, like me.

This nurse has 6 other patients. On a Friday night at a major city hospital. My mom was stable, drinking a ginger ale and resting comfortably.

But according to both my mom and dad, they were waiting for 3 whole hours! The horror!

My mom hit the call bell for everything before I got there: "when am I getting my results," "my socks are too tight," "I asked to go to the bathroom 5 minutes ago!" My dad was wandering the halls looking for her nurse, in the meantime.

I was never so damn angry at them. You're stable! You received good news! My dad even saw my nurse racing to a code. And it was all "me me me." They didn't care, and they had this nurse reduced to tears.

I saw red. Yeah, you're stressed ... I get it, mom and dad. But would you order ME around like that? Because I'm wearing the same uniform!

They knocked it off ... after an apology to the nurse.

So, in some cases: a firm "I have other patients that I need to see, but if you ring that call bell, someone will be with you as soon as they can possibly be" I think is needed.

My parents were childish. Nothing would have made them happy. So treat them like a child: to the point. They probably will poorly score their experience anyway.

I usually avoid stating that I have other patients, but I do say the same in a different way. I might say "Give me just a few minutes to give these medications and then I will be back with your fresh ice water." Or whichever pertains to the specific situation.

My dad even saw my nurse racing to a code. And it was all "me me me." They didn't care, and they had this nurse reduced to tears

This actually reminds me of a recent story and it makes me snort every time I think of it. Recently had a small fire at the facility where I work. We were literally evacuating the unit where the fire was located through this hallway where another patient kept putting on her call light. I went in to make sure she was okay and just to reassure her that FD was on the way if she was concerned about the alarms. She says" I need a pain pill."

I said "ma'am, there is an emergency at the moment, We are evacuating patients because of a small fire. You are safe here, but we are evacuating the adjacent unit. As soon as everybody is safe, I will make your nurse aware that you need a pain pill."

Her response? "But I have OSTEOARTHRITIS and I've been asking for a WHILE."

*facepalm*

Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

I have told grumpy patients if they didn't stop being mean I was going to room them with another patient of min being grumpy so they can have group therapy. True story. But honestly I am far from a professional nurse when it comes to my patients. :| They seem to love me anyway.

Specializes in Hospital medicine; NP precepting; staff education.
I not only tell them that I have others patients, I tell them they are 1 of my 28 patients. Most of the time, people better understand the situation when you give them sound and timely information. However, I did have one older lady say, " I don't care, my husband is the most important person to me and he needs his medication right now." To which I replied, "So the person I'm tending to right now, in respiratory distress, can wait. After all, oxygen isn't important unless you're not getting any and he's not someone else's husband, father or grand father". She apologized when I give her husband his medication 15 minutes later.

These patient ratios will never change unless we make people aware of them. I encourage people to call CMS and their congress critter about these numbers.

I have said to one unhappy customer a passive aggressive statement that basically was this:

I'm so sorry you had to wait for your discharge from the emergency room for arthritis. I know how distressing your pain was for you. But thank God YOU get to go home because while you were waiting someone else couldn't breathe, and they're going to icu.

Wow. And that is what is exactly what is wrong with a big part of society today. Everyone thinks they have to be first and foremost, and to hell with everyone else. If your loved one wants to take a walk and the pt in the next room is coding, sorry the walk will have to wait. And I would have no problem telling the family of the pt who wanted to take a walk "I am sorry, but I am in the middle of an emergency right now. I will assist you in walking once the emergency has been resolved." At that point, I could care less about the precious patient survey. Period.

I just had this happen ... with my own parents.

My mom was rushed to the ED after experiencing stroke-like symptoms during chemo. The same hospital where I work. The ED staff did a fantastic job meeting her needs, following stroke protocol etc etc.

I walk in (wearing the hospital scrubs), meet the doctor who is explaining that they're waiting on one more test and then mom can take off. The nurse is a new grad, like me.

This nurse has 6 other patients. On a Friday night at a major city hospital. My mom was stable, drinking a ginger ale and resting comfortably.

But according to both my mom and dad, they were waiting for 3 whole hours! The horror!

My mom hit the call bell for everything before I got there: "when am I getting my results," "my socks are too tight," "I asked to go to the bathroom 5 minutes ago!" My dad was wandering the halls looking for her nurse, in the meantime.

I was never so damn angry at them. You're stable! You received good news! My dad even saw my nurse racing to a code. And it was all "me me me." They didn't care, and they had this nurse reduced to tears.

I saw red. Yeah, you're stressed ... I get it, mom and dad. But would you order ME around like that? Because I'm wearing the same uniform!

They knocked it off ... after an apology to the nurse.

So, in some cases: a firm "I have other patients that I need to see, but if you ring that call bell, someone will be with you as soon as they can possibly be" I think is needed.

My parents were childish. Nothing would have made them happy. So treat them like a child: to the point. They probably will poorly score their experience anyway.

Your parents were scared. Also, they are not nurses I am assuming, so don't expect them to understand just because you are a nurse.

What was there nurse crying about?

If I was told that they don't care about other people, I'm afraid I would have to respond that I don't have that luxury and thus have to prioritize who needs me the most at any given time.

Which is understandabale and reasonable to us sitting here reading it on AN.

But expecting ordinary folk, who are worried about their loved ones, to be able to grasp it, receive it, accept it, laud it, or feel better about the whole thing - you might as well spit into the wind.

I'm just telling you the emotions of having a loved one in the ER or in the hospital. Especially knowing -

and we know because we are nurses - how facilities staff bare bones style these days.

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