welcome to the hilton...please dont forget to tip your waitress

flashpoint · Mar 22, 2004

I don't expect patients or their families to be on their best behavior when we are seeing them at their worst. I do, however, expect people to use a little common sense. When I worked the floors, I had people follow me into another patient's room to ask for something like kleenex, I had people asking me to change their son's diapers when neither the son or the parent was the patient, I had people walk into our breakroom and take our food and our newspapers, etc. When I am at work, my main priority is seeing to the need of the patient...needs are different than wants...the patient who needs his IV started or EKG done takes priority over the patient who wants a soda or a dish of ice cream. I do expect patients and their family to be somewhat selfish with my time, but I also expect them to understand that they may have to wait for things once in a while.

Dialyzin' Dar · Mar 23, 2004

A Backscratcher with paper tape (wrap the curved end to prevent 'scroccidents'). Saw a quadriplegic use a back scratcher to get rid of itching anywhere using this (he bit on the end).

:chuckle "Scroccidents!" That's too much!

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Mar 23, 2004

I don't expect patients or their families to be on their best behavior when we are seeing them at their worst. I do, however, expect people to use a little common sense. When I worked the floors, I had people follow me into another patient's room to ask for something like kleenex, I had people asking me to change their son's diapers when neither the son or the parent was the patient, I had people walk into our breakroom and take our food and our newspapers, etc. When I am at work, my main priority is seeing to the need of the patient...needs are different than wants...the patient who needs his IV started or EKG done takes priority over the patient who wants a soda or a dish of ice cream. I do expect patients and their family to be somewhat selfish with my time, but I also expect them to understand that they may have to wait for things once in a while.

Didnt they already write a book called

"Great Expectations" :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

trudlebug · Oct 24, 2004

I had an eye opening experience the other day where I work. Ended up as a patient after my shift ended Thursday morning. I had to have an emergency appy, and spent 2 days looking at things from the other side. I was very surprised when a "customer service" representative that came in everyday to ask how things were going. Since I work nights, I had no idea that they actually pay someone to go from room to room and poll the patients on the "service". AND there is a sign in the bathroom that stated "check-out time is 11:00 am, please check with the nurses station before you leave". :uhoh3: (these signs are not on the unit where I work BTW)

Jo Dirt · Oct 24, 2004

Needy people are so draining to be around. I'm not going to kiss anyone's rear anymore, when they start wanting this or that or for me to change a friend's baby's diapers (for goodness sake!) I'm going to tell them that this is a hospital for sick people not a maid service. Then of course I will be w witch in their eyes but I won't lose 30 seconds sleep over it.

Some people have a lot of nerve.

seeley · Oct 24, 2004

I'd love to see a customer service rep. visiting our PACU every day. We have patients boarding in there every day...2-3 days for the same patients last week. 5 boarders overnight was the most but the PACU is cramped and without any auditory privacy. We only have curtains to pull between the spaces. One of the reasons I left the last hospital was this insistance by hospital administration to do the elective cases each day even though the PACU there was running every day with up to 11 boarders a day in a 15 bed PACU. Insanity reigned each day. Sure didn't see any customer representatives anywhere. Only upper management when the ORs would go on temporary hold because we were 'full' for the time being. Then management would start asking how fast could we recover those who were transferable and had a place to go eventually. Not a good scene for the patients, staff, families...same thing seems to be happening where I am now for the last several years...a smaller hospital but same style of management is coming into play. Never cancel cases.

24+ year "B.S." N. :uhoh3:

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Oct 25, 2004

I love these posts!!!! I am still cracking up and nodding my head "oh been there done that...did it again today!" LOL!!!!!!!!!

(I work in Assisted living) One of my recent favs was a man who had...according to him "major sugery"..yep ingrown toenail surgery...ummmmm huh. And it did this remarkable thing...it bled leaving this crusty red substance on his toe! HE FREAKED!!!!

He had his caregiver radio me, and I was on a well deserved and 2 hour late dinner break (it was at 2100), and told me I better get up there right away. I asked if it was an emergency and the caregiver told me no. So I said I had 20 minutes and would see the resident after that. So the caregiver told him I would be 20 minutes..and he FLIPPED OUT! He got on his little power scooter, demanding my presence, and started going from room to room, going RIGHT in them looking for me! "I am going to find that da** nurse!".

Well..I get a rather paniced call from the caregiver and I blaze up there, flames shooting out of my nose and eyes! I was furious! But I saw him leaving a room and all the sudden..calm fell over me...a very scary calm..LOL!

"Mr. so in so...I hear you have a situation that needs my immediate attention, wait! What are you doing out of your room? I mean, to call a nurse stat with this much dedication in finding her...well Chest Pain? Odd Head ache with numbness? Slurred speach? Troubles breathing?"

He said no, that he wanted me to look at his toe! And I replied, "and when I look at this toe, will I need extra gauze for severe bleeding? Is it cut severly? It is attached? Did you have a foot trauma? Do I need to call 9-11! Oh please tell me quickly, I have my cel phone if we need to call 9-11 right now!".

I think at this point it was setting in, mind you I was NOT sarcastic...totally utterly generally acting paniced and concerned! (should have won an emmy for that one!).

Needless to say, it was just he didn't like the way the toe looked and demanded I remove the dried blood. I told him that was not a good idea r/t infection risk and bleed risk. But he demanded again, so I did..sure enough...bleeding big time and he about fainted...I stood there with an "I told you so" look on my face!

"OH no, now what shall we do Mr. So in so...what can I do as your nurse to make you as happy and secure as I can???" He said "ummmmm nothing?". I said "yep! well except I can apply pressure to your toe...but now it is going to hurt because I have to press on your surgical site!"...lets say he never doubted me or anything I said ever again...and he certainly doesn't go crazy trying to find me anymore! In fact, he treats me very well now :).

Uhgggggggggg!!!!!!!!! (and no I didn't purposefully hurt the area with direct pressure...in fact, I applied as little as I could and it wasn't too bad!..yeah all I needed was him to get ticked because it hurt too much! LOL!).

But his neigbor saw this thing he did, now he did it twice...one time in the middle of me doing CPR!!!!!!!!! Oh now that one I was FAR from nice about and certainly let him know he was far from welcomed in that room, was endangering my patient, and I would be having the utmost in serious talks with the administration and him when I finished!!!!!!!! OH boy...lets say he won't do that again, and is impressed that even with him blocking paramedics and wasting my time, I continued to perform ONE MAN CPR and helped save a life!

Yeah, I think they think I paint my nails or gossip all day...I WISH!

trudlebug · Oct 25, 2004

I'd love to see a customer service rep. visiting our PACU every day. We have patients boarding in there every day...2-3 days for the same patients last week. 5 boarders overnight was the most but the PACU is cramped and without any auditory privacy. We only have curtains to pull between the spaces. One of the reasons I left the last hospital was this insistance by hospital administration to do the elective cases each day even though the PACU there was running every day with up to 11 boarders a day in a 15 bed PACU. Insanity reigned each day. Sure didn't see any customer representatives anywhere. Only upper management when the ORs would go on temporary hold because we were 'full' for the time being. Then management would start asking how fast could we recover those who were transferable and had a place to go eventually. Not a good scene for the patients, staff, families...same thing seems to be happening where I am now for the last several years...a smaller hospital but same style of management is coming into play. Never cancel cases.
24+ year "B.S." N.

Guess I wasn't clear on my concern. This customer service rep didn't DO anything, just wanted to know if everything was OK. I would rather see the money spent hiring someone to help the patients, rather than just to ask if it was OK. (like maybe getting me the TP when the housekeeper forgot it!!!! that was pretty embarrassing, having to pull the emergency light just for that :imbar ) (BTW that's just a joke, I don't expect someone to stand there and make sure each room has TP)

I think a few more aides/techs/assistants whatever would benefit the patients so much more. Someone who is actually there to "fluff and tuck", bring the water pitchers and all the other little things that cause patients to feel neglected. (again, within limits, people do have to do for themselves as much as possible in order to improve as many have said in other posts)

I don't know, I guess it's just the way I was brought up...actions speak louder than words, and in my case it just seemed like they wanted to talk about the problems rather than actually satisfy me...the "customer". I understand that they need to find out the problems to solve them, however this didn't solve mine and that made me feel more irritated than if they would have just had a card or questionnaire to fill out and mail back from home.

(still not sure what to think about the "check-out time" sign tho. Since they were not done with my d/c paperwork until 1130, will I have to pay for an extra day? :rolleyes: )

seeley · Oct 25, 2004

Totally agree with you. Customer reps. cover the hospital PR problems but don't solve the actual 'root' problems. Sad part is the hospitals know this I believe...it is less expensive to pay a customer rep. than fix the problems.

that bottom line again,

seeley :specs:

bam_bam · Oct 25, 2004

Had a good one a few weeks ago. Healthy postpartum mom decides to brush her teeth in bed. Doesn't feel like getting up to the sink to spit so she spits in her drinking water. Then walks to the nurses desk and says "I din't feel like getting up to spit so can you get me some new water?" :uhoh3: I promptly pointed her in the direction of the ice/water machine! Give me a break!!!

FranEMTnurse, CNA, LPN, EMT-I · Oct 25, 2004

I had an eye opening experience the other day where I work. Ended up as a patient after my shift ended Thursday morning. I had to have an emergency appy, and spent 2 days looking at things from the other side. I was very surprised when a "customer service" representative that came in everyday to ask how things were going. Since I work nights, I had no idea that they actually pay someone to go from room to room and poll the patients on the "service". AND there is a sign in the bathroom that stated "check-out time is 11:00 am, please check with the nurses station before you leave". (these signs are not on the unit where I work BTW)

:uhoh21:

:rolleyes:

SmilingBluEyes · Oct 25, 2004

She did not feel like getting up to brush her teeth but got UP to CONTAMINATE the ICE MACHINE/KITCHEN with her spit-in pitcher?????????????!!

Ummm freaking GROOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSs and senseless.