Grandmas...mean ones

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Specializes in OB (with a history of cardiac).

I'm just coming off my orientation, 30 days went by so fast! I'm really enjoying where I am, and having a good time with it.

I've made some observations though, one of which is that I apparently need to really watch out for those Grandmas! In report I've often heard that the mother is really nice and sweet and agreeable...but grandma has chewed out 4 nurses and threatened to go to the director of nursing! I witnessed one grandma bug out because baby came back to the nursery with no socks on. Baby wasn't wearing socks when he went back to be weighed anyways! The socks were in bed with mom, they were found 10 minutes later...after granny had went ballistic on the charge nurse, ranting and raving that we had BETTER find those socks, and "how dare that nurse back in the nursery just go flitting around (flitting=assessing a new baby) not even looking for the socks!" She didn't even apologize for her abhorent behavior after the socks were found.

I heard the other night that one grandma was just out and out witchy to her daughter's nurse because she didn't get in that room within 20 seconds to make the IV stop beeping.

So is this typical? Really? Do I have to maintain a low profile around granny bird?

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yeah...pretty much. i had one the other day call a nurse at hime (i have no idea how she got her number) to ***** about how her daughter didnt want her in the delivery room and her mean night nurse (me) did nothing about it...

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

It hasn't been my experience. There are always interesting social situations, and sometimes a family member gets up in your bidness, but I haven't found that a patient's mother is any worse than her husband or boyfriend or anyone else.

My M.O. is always to kill them with kindness, so I usually am able to get away unscathed and generally have them eating out of my hand by the end of my shift.

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Most are ok, but they seemm to try to steal the experience from their daughter and make it about them. my dd has not had kids yet, but i hope to take some lessons from my patients families. i treat them all well, as i do everyone. but i find the most drama comes from the pts mom. its probably the natureto be over protective.

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I agree with colleen. Yup.

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

I once had a mom having difficulty breastfeeding. Looking back @ the chart, g'mo had fed the little darling 2 oz of formula w/in 2 hours of birth. I tried explaining about the small stomach, colostrum, yada--even had a translator work w/me so everyone could understand. G'mo said something in Spanish to mom half under her breath. I looked @ the translator, who told me the mother said, "she [me] doesn't know anything!" I said, "No es verdad!!"

Oh. Well.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

Gotta love the Gruesome Grandmas lol We get really mean ones in the NICU sometimes....really? Arent' Grandmas supposed to be sweet and cuddly lol

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Specializes in Skilled Nursing/Rehab.

It sounds like it is related to "helicopter parent" syndrome. These grandmas aren't letting their daughters experience being mothers on their own - it's like they are trying to do it for them. Sad thing is, they prevent their daughters from learning from experience!!!

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