Getting hit on at work?

[ToughLover]

I've had some funny experiences getting hit on by patient's families/friends in the past few months and wanted to share and hear your stories too! The most recent one that spawned this thread was last night, I had about a 2 minute conversation with a cowoker's patient's friend and this morning I had a friend request from him on Facebook. Hadn't told him my name or anything but somehow he found me with is totally creeperish. Another one happened a few months ago where my patient's son slept in her room overnight (which isn't allowed but they insisted so I let him stay to help suction her) and every time I came in the room all night long he'd wake up and try to talk to me about one thing or the other and was asking all these questions about if I was dating someone and eventually asked me if he could take me out to breakfast. I said no because...that's wierd. The other one was in my first few weeks of working here and my patient's son immediately latched on to me as soon as I came on shift and was saying all this crazy stuff to his dad like "this is the girl i'm gonna marry" and "look how beautiful she is, she's the one!". He even made me turn around by asking a question and tried to take a picture of me. Mind you, this was all after I'd already made it clear that I was not interested or available. It made for an extremely uncomfortable night. Anyways, I just wanted to share...post up some of your awkward stories!

[annister]

:lol2::lol2:

Hey, it's hard to have veins this sexy. I stay off of facebook just to get away from all the admirers.

[Orange Tree]

It's even worse when you have two casanovas in a semi-private room and they encourage each other. I'm so glad I'm past my super-hot, drop-dead-gorgeous years.....almost.

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

I was hit on at work by this good looking male nurse. We have been married 24 yrs this month.

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

were you wearing the hooters nurse outfit?? j/k

As a guy it is wierd, I get hit on all the time by female nurse coworkers and patients(usually older ones). I just ignore it and act like I dont know whats happening... typical guy thing, just keep rolling along with the conversation.

Heyyy...I'm a gal and pretending to be oblivious is my favorite way to deal with getting hit on (and wolf whistles on the street).

[cebuana_nurse]

It does happen and I agree to take it as a compliment. Smile, be professional and walk away. With FB, thank God, I don't have friend requests from patient's families. I usually ignore them.

I had a post surgical pt where his brother was visiting him. When I came in the room, he was like, "Bro, I feel like I'm getting sick seeing how lucky you are to have this beautiful nurse." I smiled. He was asking my name saying if he could request me as a nurse. Too bad, I'm an OB nurse just floating at the med-surgical floors.

[cb_rn]

I usually dont get hit on by patient's families but sometimes I get hit on by by medical students or MDs.I was hit on on facebook once (but this was not work-related) and I guess I took it it as compliment, girl dont stress take it as compliment that you still got it going on!!! LOL:) All the best!

Ps. I feel sorry for the pretty nurses working in a mental hospital though,once during my clinicals I was following a gorgeous Indian nurse and she got hit on by a sociopath.

I find your response a little bit flippant. I started working mental health at age 18, stayed there almost 8 years. Yes, I got hit on. Most everyone did. However, the fact that they were psychiatric patients or that we were unusually attractive staff (kidding ) had little to do with it.

Its not just pretty nurses that get hit on.

Sometimes patients think they develop romantic feelings for their caregivers due to the fact that we show care and compassion. Often its not even a real "pass", its an older gentleman trying to deny his illness by pinching the young nurse on the fanny or in psych it could be a patient trying to get attention by saying something outlandish and inappropriate. Patients often perceive themselves as being in powerless positions and making suggestive comments is one way they try to tilt the power balance more to their side. Don't make the mistake of thinking any wolf whistle, suggestive comment, or come on is all about the unadulterated animal sex appeal of the recipient. Understanding the probable motivation of the come on helps to dictate the response that will help stop the situation. Often if it is genuine interest, a gentle let down by the nurse is appropriate and often solves the situation. If it is due to the patient's self image, addressing those issues can help identify other outlets to help the patient deal with self image. A persistent family member could just be trying to deal with the stress of having a sick loved one. If its a cry for attention, state its inappropriate and then ignore. If its about the power balance, provide nursing interventions to help the patient feel more like he or she is the driver in her care.

Dismissing all come ons as simple responses to sex appeal is a mistake and a missed opportunity for a nurse to identify possible issues and need for interventions with a patient.

It doesn't matter who you get hit on by, sociopath or man down the street (who may be a sociopath, you never know).

[mama_d, BSN, RN]

LOL @ Argo and hiddencat...I too act totally oblivious.

"So...what plans do you have for after work?"

"I've got a date with my four year old...promised I'd play the X-box with him this morning. He gets tired of just playing with Daddy, and it gives my hubby a break." All said with a totally vapid clueless smile on my face.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

one patient kept hitting on me at work to the point where he'd leave his room and follow me on my med pass. when someone had to float to the heme unit, i volunteered. he found me even there . . . . he told me he was fabulously wealthy and proposed marriage which i turned down, obviously. i later found out he really was fabulously wealthy!

another time, one of the janitors wanted to take me out. i kept turning him down -- i was separated and going through a divorce at the time, and i didn't need one more complication. the janitor wouldn't take no for an answer, and started calling me at home at all hours of the day and night. the police said they couldn't do anything -- stalking wasn't illegal in those days. then one time he called me at work on the phone line that is constantly recorded. that recording went up the chain of command and a storm of fecal material came rolling back down. he left me alone after that.

[germanshep]

I had a fresh out of high school young man on the post-surgical unit when I did my internship. Both the young man and his dad hit on me....ICK.

After that experience, I always wear an tight, high neck shirt under my scrubs and bought a cheap band at Target and wear it on my left hand/ring finger. It does stops some people, just not others.

[MassED, BSN, RN]

wearing a wedding band, high neck shirts, glasses or your hair in a bun won't make a bit of difference if you're good looking. If you are, you are. Who really cares. They will only be more impressed when they see you are smart as well!! Touche! Smart AND good looking! The holy grail! :rotfl:

[Hygiene Queen]

Years ago, there was a complete butt head, who worked maintenance, who was positively floored by the fact that I would pay him no attention.

He was an extremely handsome young man... but he knew it. He was terribly vain, over confident and treated people VERY poorly. I saw how he dismissed the poor young girls who obviously crushed on him, but weren't "hot enough").

I was not impressed.

EVERY DAY, I would come in and get my coffee before report and Butthead would be right nearby to say "hi" and talk to me and act all smooth. He was at a loss because I was sooooo not interested and would just ignore him.

He tried being charming. I ignored him.

He tried being a jerk (how dare I not respond to his amazing charms!!). I ignored him.

He did not know what to do! lol

He had most of the young female aides swooning and I'll be darned... I don't care how Adonis-like you are... if you treat people like crap... well, you're ugly to me.

I found out, much later, after I had quit, that he really "had the hots" for me. I think he was just fascinated that a gal could... resist his charms!

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

one patient kept hitting on me at work to the point where he'd leave his room and follow me on my med pass. when someone had to float to the heme unit, i volunteered. he found me even there . . . . he told me he was fabulously wealthy and proposed marriage which i turned down, obviously. i later found out he really was fabulously wealthy!

another time, one of the janitors wanted to take me out. i kept turning him down -- i was separated and going through a divorce at the time, and i didn't need one more complication. the janitor wouldn't take no for an answer, and started calling me at home at all hours of the day and night. the police said they couldn't do anything -- stalking wasn't illegal in those days. then one time he called me at work on the phone line that is constantly recorded. that recording went up the chain of command and a storm of fecal material came rolling back down. he left me alone after that.

i bet the attention of that maintenance guy didn't feel flattering or like a compliment. i actually am a little disturbed at how many folks in the thread think we should shrug off unwanted sexual attention from patients or coworkers as a "compliment."