What is your biggest nursing pet peeve?

mamabear · May 8, 2005

Having been taught in school to refer to hospital patients as "clients"!

Amen!! I graduated in 1982, back in the day when they were referred to as "patients". When my newer-to-nursing coworkers started that "client" drivel, I was honked big time. :angryfire It makes no sense whatsoever, and some of us posed the question: are we healthcare-dispensing waitresses, or something equally inane? :flamesonb

MistyDawnRN06, BSN, RN · May 8, 2005

Change of shift admissions - need I say more?

Lack of leadership from our leaders.

Hospital management. They need to spend time at the bedside!

Management that doesn't appreciate nurses/support staff. Do not cut nurses when the hosptial is in debt. Our salaries are not the problem! If you want customer service you need nurses at the bedside to provide it!

Underestimating a person's value or education. Just because a person is a clerk (secretary) or a tech, it doesn't mean that they're uneducated and stupid. That person just might have a Bachelors in Microbiology and Cell Science with a minor in Chemistry and be in Nursing School while working as both a clerk and a tech. (Sorry about the rant. I just hate being treated like I'm stupid. I don't know it all, and I am experiencing a huge learning curve, but I can talk circles around some of the people who won't even bother to look me in the eye when they're ordering me about!)

Residents at a teaching hospital. People aren't rodents. You need to see your patients and lay hands on them! You cannot treat a piece of paper! Also, to some of the new residents, just because you are now an MD does not mean that you are GOD. Your degree doesn't necessarily teach you common sense or even good judgement. I know you have a wonderful education. But you need to get the chip off your shoulder!

Laziness. YOU ARE HERE TO WORK!!

RUDE people - co-workers, families, patients, etc. (Okay, we all have bad days, but this should NOT be a lifestyle!)

Lack of cohesion. We should have each other's backs, people!!

:angryfire Infallable and ever courteous docs who always write clear, intelligent, and legible orders. NOT! :angryfire

Answering services. You're an MD, we're a hospital - JUST GIVE US YOUR PAGER ALREADY!

Liars. Own up to what you do!

Blame shifters. If you did something wrong, fess up! DO NOT shift the blame to someone else because YOU don't want to get in trouble.

Okay, as a nursing student:

1. I have to say one of my pet peeves is a nurse who obviously doesn't like students. If you don't want to teach me/precept me, please tell my instructor so that you don't ruin both of our days! I want to learn, not tip-toe around you!

2. Nurses and techs who won't allow me to work on their patients as a student. If you're too concerned about someone other than you touching your patient, again, please tell my instructor so that you don't ruin both of our days! I need to learn how to do hands-on things!

3. If you don't agree with the way I'm doing something, or if I'm not doing something right, TEACH ME, don't jump in or yell (unless I'm being dangerous, of course). Again, if you don't want to teach me/precept me, please tell my instructor so that you don't ruin both of our days!

( :balloons: I love, love, love both nurses and techs that are willing to take time to teach students. You don't know how valuable you are and how much you influence young nurse's attitudes about nursing!! :balloons: )

TTM01 · May 8, 2005

HAHHAHAA Yes I am super human, Super Caring that is. Yes, I don't know you and you don't know me. But I am tired of the RNS who truly don't like what they are doing. It is rather obvious and sad. I guess my years as a pyschology major helped me understand people much better than the average. But I will not dicredit my talent and abilities. I WILL make a great RN. I have a heart of gold and tough skin HONEY. So you don't scare me with your silly post. I guess I let this silly thread get under my skin. I will stay away now from the useless gossip that will never amount to much in my life....so thanks for letting me see that side. :) I'm learning about nursing everyday...this is the side I hate.

SUPER HUMAN TESSA~

Well, my my.....aren't you special? :chuckle I know that you don't mean to come off as a self righteous pollyanna type, but well....you sound like a self righteous pollyanna type. As far as nurses that "hate and despise assisting people", yes, they probably are burned out and need to consider something else. But Honey, I don't care how many wretched human beings you have seen in your "customer service" experience....NOTHING and I repeat NOTHING will prepare you for your experiences in nursing. Am I saying that it is OK to be bitter and cold hearted? Absolutely not. I love my job and I would never do anything else. But talk about pts and families? Um...absolutely. I can't even begin to go into what some of these people put you through. Only people who are NURSES can relate. It's not like volunteer work where you pass out magazines to the cute little patients and their sweet families and briefly chit-chat. I am sure you have read other posts where we horrible complaining nurses tell horror stories about families and patients. It's so easy to sit there in your little ivory tower and "tsk tsk" and judge. When I encounter these extremely difficult people, I try to plaster a smile on my face and take care care of the patient. I get in the "Zone". No matter what they are saying, I just smile and say "alrighty then". I work in the ER and people can get very rowdy there. You take unprovoked verbal assaults all the time. So when these people leave, do I vent to a co-worker friend out of earshot of pts/family? You bet your hiney, Tootsie. This posting board is kind of like that co-worker friend. And you'll do the same thing. You have to vent. You can't do it with the pts or family.....unless you are planning on Prozac. If you are still "tsk tsk'ing", you are either super clueless or super human....the only other person I know like that walked the Earth about 2,000 years ago.

Teachchildren123 · May 8, 2005

Hey! I truly wish I would work with you, we probably could change the world, well, you know... try.

Just to say that wherever you work is just the same as in Buffalo NY. It must be a hospital mentality!!!

Thanks for answering! :yeahthat:

Change of shift admissions - need I say more?
Lack of leadership from our leaders.
Hospital management. They need to spend time at the bedside!
Management that doesn't appreciate nurses/support staff. Do not cut nurses when the hosptial is in debt. Our salaries are not the problem! If you want customer service you need nurses at the bedside to provide it!
Underestimating a person's value or education. Just because a person is a clerk (secretary) or a tech, it doesn't mean that they're uneducated and stupid. That person just might have a Bachelors in Microbiology and Cell Science with a minor in Chemistry and be in Nursing School while working as both a clerk and a tech. (Sorry about the rant. I just hate being treated like I'm stupid. I don't know it all, and I am experiencing a huge learning curve, but I can talk circles around some of the people who won't even bother to look me in the eye when they're ordering me about!)
Residents at a teaching hospital. People aren't rodents. You need to see your patients and lay hands on them! You cannot treat a piece of paper! Also, to some of the new residents, just because you are now an MD does not mean that you are GOD. Your degree doesn't necessarily teach you common sense or even good judgement. I know you have a wonderful education. But you need to get the chip off your shoulder!
Laziness. YOU ARE HERE TO WORK!!
RUDE people - co-workers, families, patients, etc. (Okay, we all have bad days, but this should NOT be a lifestyle!)
Lack of cohesion. We should have each other's backs, people!!
:angryfire Infallable and ever courteous docs who always write clear, intelligent, and legible orders. NOT! :angryfire
Answering services. You're an MD, we're a hospital - JUST GIVE US YOUR PAGER ALREADY!
Liars. Own up to what you do!
Blame shifters. If you did something wrong, fess up! DO NOT shift the blame to someone else because YOU don't want to get in trouble.
Okay, as a nursing student:
1. I have to say one of my pet peeves is a nurse who obviously doesn't like students. If you don't want to teach me/precept me, please tell my instructor so that you don't ruin both of our days! I want to learn, not tip-toe around you!
2. Nurses and techs who won't allow me to work on their patients as a student. If you're too concerned about someone other than you touching your patient, again, please tell my instructor so that you don't ruin both of our days! I need to learn how to do hands-on things!
3. If you don't agree with the way I'm doing something, or if I'm not doing something right, TEACH ME, don't jump in or yell (unless I'm being dangerous, of course). Again, if you don't want to teach me/precept me, please tell my instructor so that you don't ruin both of our days!
( :balloons: I love, love, love both nurses and techs that are willing to take time to teach students. You don't know how valuable you are and how much you influence young nurse's attitudes about nursing!! :balloons: )

analiezel · May 9, 2005

coworkers, with long, dirty fingernails...

mmeow · May 9, 2005

1. Anyone who thinks that nurses are super humans or angelic creatures who don't and should never get pissed off at their work or their patients!

Heaven forbid a nurse not get along with or dislike one of his/her patients....

2. Anyone who thinks that ALL it takes to be a good nurse is to be caring, when competence, courage, humor, and realism are just as important !

3. Badges, buttons, bags, banners, that play on the public's emotions for propaganda and say "Love a nurse" ....... sorry but I didn't come into the profession to be loved lol what I really need for my job is to be respected "Respect a nurse"

Purrrrr :smokin:

LPN1974, LPN · May 9, 2005

1. Anyone who thinks that nurses are super humans or angelic creatures who don't and should never get pissed off at their work or their patients!
Heaven forbid a nurse not get along with or dislike one of his/her patients....
2. Anyone who thinks that ALL it takes to be a good nurse is to be caring, when competence, courage, humor, and realism are just as important !
3. Badges, buttons, bags, banners, that play on the public's emotions for propaganda and say "Love a nurse" ....... sorry but I didn't come into the profession to be loved lol what I really need for my job is to be respected "Respect a nurse"
Purrrrr

Well, you might have just hit on a money maker there, dear.......

You could come out with your own line of mugs, cups, sticky note pads, and ink pens/pencils with the slogan "Respect a Nurse".

I'd buy a mug from ya.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · May 10, 2005

Someoen at work HAS a mug that says "Respect a Nurse" with the word "love" crossed out. Have no idea where they bought it.

wrkoutgirl · May 10, 2005

:angryfire i know!! or they will say "where is the na?" this is the story of my life. i finish my shift later than everyone else every day, because i feel badly for the poor pts calling and calling and their nurse is busy talking on the phone and catching up gazip. :angryfire

nurse thatwill not answer a call light and just let it continue to beep, even if you look at them an say hey that is your room they say yeah i know s/he is always on the light i will get it in a little bit. which i will go answer, i usually just go answer them anyway but if that nurse is sitting there jabbering or even doing paper work , i guess i am old school but i still think pts come first!

Danielle4 · May 10, 2005

Strangers that find out you are a nurse and start asking medical questions AND expecting answers!

Ha ha! some of my lawyer friends say the same thing about people wanting legal advice.

My mom is a nurse and she had all the neighborhood kids at her door wanting them to treat them. :)

redwinggirlie · May 11, 2005

Oh! Another one! People who say their patient is "alert and orientated." It's oriented, people!

mamabear · May 11, 2005

How about admissions that come at shift change that the preceding shift knew about and didn't do JACK! :angryfire