Your getting payed to to be here...

allnurses Guide · Jan 30, 2008

Yeah, I've learned that patients really don't care to hear about how lousy *YOUR* day has been... =) You're human, though.

Christie RN2006 · Jan 30, 2008

I was getting really grouchy one morning and said something I shouldn't have... my confused and cranky patient was complaining about everything especially the about the fact that she was NPO and on bedrest. Well I was at the end of my straw and I said "ok I will trade you, you go do my job and I will lay here in the bed for you" The funny thing was that it worked for a few minutes! Then she must have forgot what I said and started yelling about things again.

ohmeowzer RN, RN · Jan 30, 2008

yes many patients don't think of nurses as human. when they are in the hospital it's all about them. one day i was so exhausted by 1500 mind you i had 4 long hours left and no lunch or pee break or even a drink. i sat down to chart . a patient's family came up to me and said" thats all you nurses do is sit on your fat A---" mind you i never sat down once and was so tired i was praying that i would make it trough the shift" well , in between call light and charting, i bought a coke . i sat down to take a drink around 1700 and another family came up to me and another nurse and said " you two are gossiping on our dime, why don't you get off your butts and take care of the patients" i was shocked... i didn't know these people from adam ... nurses are not thought of as having feelings or even being human. it's sad... we are not considered professional and no one has any respect for us.

this has happened many times and i just ignore these people as much as possible...

ohmeowzer RN, RN · Jan 30, 2008

ne more thing.. i am very grateful for thr kind patients who make th ejob worthwhile.. i've been a nurse for 22 years and have been very grateful for kindness... i love you all and keep posting

CABG patch kid, BSN, RN · Jan 30, 2008

yes many patients don't think of nurses as human. when they are in the hospital it's all about them. one day i was so exhausted by 1500 mind you i had 4 long hours left and no lunch or pee break or even a drink. i sat down to chart . a patient's family came up to me and said" thats all you nurses do is sit on your fat A---" mind you i never sat down once and was so tired i was praying that i would make it trough the shift" well , in between call light and charting, i bought a coke . i sat down to take a drink around 1700 and another family came up to me and another nurse and said " you two are gossiping on our dime, why don't you get off your butts and take care of the patients" i was shocked... i didn't know these people from adam ... nurses are not thought of as having feelings or even being human. it's sad... we are not considered professional and no one has any respect for us.
this has happened many times and i just ignore these people as much as possible...

Wow I can't believe that someone had the audacity to say that to you. Just goes to show how little the public knows about what nurses really do, I think some people think we just float around all day and hold patients hands and do little else. I'm sorry you had to go through that, what do you even say when people do that kind of thing?

danissa, LPN, LVN · Jan 30, 2008

yes many patients don't think of nurses as human.
...But Kizzy, we're not.......we are SUPERHUMAN!!!:rotfl::rotfl::roll

Agnes Anne · Jan 30, 2008

More than that. It shows how little they know or care about comon curtesy. There are many ways to get your needs met. Verbally abusing pople is not the way.

EmmaG, RN · Jan 30, 2008

a patient's family came up to me and said" thats all you nurses do is sit on your fat A---" mind you i never sat down once and was so tired i was praying that i would make it trough the shift" well , in between call light and charting, i bought a coke . i sat down to take a drink around 1700 and another family came up to me and another nurse and said " you two are gossiping on our dime, why don't you get off your butts and take care of the patients"

Next time something like that happens, write down the phone number of the DON and hand it to them. Then enjoy your coke.

txRN07 · Jan 30, 2008

What drives me nuts is when patients come in with a stroke, and as a result they cannot swallow without aspirating, a dysphagiogram is done, and they fail miserably, they are made NPO and the family goes crazy, and acts like we are being mean. I have caught family members sneaking patients food and drink when they are running high fevers and have junky lungs! :banghead:

Blee O'Myacin, BSN, RN · Jan 30, 2008

So it's okay that you have not eaten. That's what my NPO patient told me about 3pm yesterday when he was complaining about not eating lunch. Mind you, he had a large breakfast at 8:30. Guess next time I won't tell a patient that I haven't had time to eat either.
I do hate test patients have to be NPO for. They get so cranky.

I'd avoid sharing details like that with patients. If he's complaining that he's hungry and doesn't want to be NPO, you can always get him the AMA papers.

Besides, it's important for you to eat. They pay you to be your best for the patients - even if it means taking two minutes to cram a sandwich down your throat. Anything short of a code in progress does not warrant walking around dizzy with low blood sugar and a full bladder!

Blee

EmmaG, RN · Jan 30, 2008

What drives me nuts is when patients come in with a stroke, and as a result they cannot swallow without aspirating, a dysphagiogram is done, and they fail miserably, they are made NPO and the family goes crazy, and acts like we are being mean. I have caught family members sneaking patients food and drink when they are running high fevers and have junky lungs!

Sometimes you just have to be blunt. I simply tell them that everything they are feeding the patient is going straight into their lungs, causing pneumonia and could kill them. Then I document what the idiots are doing.