Grr! "Customer Service" Nursing Gone Crazy!

wyogypsy, RN · Dec 9, 2009

I think it is common courtesy to do what we can for elderly visitors (especially if it is their spouse in the hospital); parents of young children (God bless the ones that actually want to BE there with their sick kids); and the families of critical or dying patients - most facilities I know provide a tray with snacks, coffee, iced tea, iced water, hot water and tea bags, etc. As for the rest of them? Their arms and legs are not broken. They can be shown the way to the cafeteria or vending machines. If administration says anything just smile and say I just wanted them to be able to get things at their convenience, and see all that was available to them. You can always tell the family member when you point them in the direction of cafeteria/vending machines that you would love to get it for them; but have a very ill patient in another room that requires your immediate attention.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Dec 10, 2009

i personally think it's my job to do all i can for the patient, and the family can wait on themselves. even if they're elderly. i've been asked to babysit the patient's grandchildren after their mother left them at grandma's bedside and disappeared for several hours, to change diapers for visiting children, to toilet the patient's aging mother, to care for the patient's elderly wife because she had dementia and couldn't be left alone. (her son, who got tired of looking after his mother while his dad was in the hospital brought her up to dad's hospital room and left her. for three days.) i've been asked to check blood pressures on visitors, fetch them sleeping pills or aspirin or antacids or whatever, and one time to give an injection to a visitor. (i directed those folks to the er.) i think customer service has gone crazy.

these days, i can't get customer service at a retail establishment because the employees are all too busy texting or chatting on their cell phones to answer my questions, but i'll hear about it if i'm too busy saving lives to toilet the patient's visiting mother!

Moogie · Dec 18, 2009

The way I see it, there is nothing wrong with a little fluffing and puffing. I really enjoy making my patients and their family members feel better by doing the little things that seem important to them. It's just that I am getting paid to keep people safe, and patient safety trumps those little niceties every single time. Pt. A might not like having to wait for her Sierra Mist even one second longer, but Pt. B will not live without an airway. I really don't understand why that is so hard for people to comprehend. I'd rather a patient be alive to complain that their dinner was cold than that they be dead because I was too busy providing customer service to notice them deteriorating in time to prevent them from coding. It's not that complicated. Why is this so hard to understand?

It is not hard for anyone with common sense to understand. However, one has to wonder about the significant others/family/friends who feel entitled to a cold Coke and a warm blanket when they aren't the patient---and about the administrators who encourage inappropriate, demanding and rude behavior in the name of "customer service."

I have to admit I was outright shocked after a recent hospitalization and surgery when I ended up in the ER for a complication. I whined a little about getting an IV because my veins had pretty much been blown during my hospitalization and the doc looked at me and said, "Well, it's all about 'customer service' so if you REALLY don't want an IV...."

The IV was necessary and I got it with minimal whining, though it did hurt like Hades. Customer service, my eye. If something is necessary for one's diagnosis or recovery, it's necessary---although patients do have the right to refuse treatment. Just don't say that letting someone refuse treatment is providing "good customer service."

Kayartea · Dec 18, 2009

Maybe we should track the cost of blankets and pillows and sodas to families? Much of the cost is in the dissatisfaction expressed by nurses and the plans of so many to leave the field as soon as they are able.

I was rounding the other day with one of our new docs, a German, who has not been here long. We had to see a patient who's husband had been really obnoxious and had interfered in her care. Of course, we aren't allowed to throw him out as she has said he makes her decisions and it would be such poor customer service.

So, he had a problem with the plnned course of treatment and gets up in the doc's face and says, "I'm an ex-SEAL and ex-CIA and I used to kill people for a living!"

Our doc, with a perfectly straight face, didn't miss a beat when he replied, "Really. I still do. Zo, now zis is what we gonna do for your wife...if this doesn't suit you we can transfer her elsewhere."

I think I'm in love... (Kidding!)

Patient family members like that and all administration thinks about is customer service.

AllSmiles225 · Dec 19, 2009

I had a situation where I was running to grab the crash cart and a patients family yells "Excuse me......" I said "Unless it's an emergency I need to finish what I'm doing" as I proceeded to run down the hallway to my coding patient. After the ambulance left with the patient that we couldn't revive, she says to me "My mom would like to know if her fruit cake is still in the fridge".

Are you serious? That's really what you interrupted me for while I was running down the hallway? You've gotta be joking me. BUT WAIT--It gets better. I got reprimanded by management as the patients family complained that I wasn't prompt enough in checking the status of her mother's fruit cake as I was running a code. What a joke. Sometimes I wonder where these DON's and Supervisors came from--did you ever work as a nurse? Would you have checked the status of a fruit cake?

Needless to say, they now have put a sign up behind the nurses station, visible to all visitors that says "Customer service begins with a smile." I'd like to deliver my meds on a silver platter and put a tip cup out since I am providing customer service in a position that sometimes seems nothing more than a glamourized waitress.

Management is completely off the deep end on this one. I would like them to come take a walk in our shoes for just eight hours as they will be waving the white flag.

allnurses Guide · Dec 19, 2009

AllSmiles225;Needless to say, they now have put a sign up behind the nurses station, visible to all visitors that says "Customer service begins with a smile." I'd like to deliver my meds on a silver platter and put a tip cup out since I am providing customer service in a position that sometimes seems nothing more than a glamourized waitress.

Well, that is just depressing. Up 'til now, the one's I've seen make at least a passing reference indicating that they knew there was a difference between a nurse and a waitress or the person behind the Rent-a Car counter. That usually takes the form of including the word "care" somewhere in the slogan. "Everyone counts, everyone cares", "We're sharing our caring", etc. Customer service begins with a smile? You could always hope that the visitor who sees that sign thinks it means that THEY have to smile to get the customer service! :chuckle

StNeotser, ASN, RN · Dec 19, 2009

Are you serious? That's really what you interrupted me for while I was running down the hallway? You've gotta be joking me. BUT WAIT--It gets better. I got reprimanded by management as the patients family complained that I wasn't prompt enough in checking the status of her mother's fruit cake as I was running a code. What a joke. Sometimes I wonder where these DON's and Supervisors came from--did you ever work as a nurse? Would you have checked the status of a fruit cake?

This type of moron needs to be re educated by management that if you see someone running in a health care facility you do not bother them about fruit cake. Management needs to be thrown out to manage walmart or Dennys & we need actual medical personnel in charge. Oh, and no more nurse management that last worked the floor in the Carter administration.

lindarn · Dec 19, 2009

I will repeat myself one more time- no one can take advantage of you without your permission.

This nonsense will not stop until NURSES PUT AN END TO IT!! Just say NO! JMHO and my NY $0.02.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

Mudwoman · Dec 19, 2009

Yeap! It is Coffee, Tea or Me everyday. We have become nothing more than Order Takers to the Docs and Slaves on Demand to the patients and families. One Dr said the other day that you have to be a Glutten for Punishment to be a nurse.

misplaced1 · Dec 19, 2009

I've noticed that no other hospital professionals are expected to participate in the "customer service" spectacle as heavily as nursing staff.
The physician, pharmacist, occupational therapist, psychologist, dietitian, social worker, lab technician, physical therapist, speech language pathologist, and others are hardly ever sought out to provide families and visitors with water, soda, snacks, chairs, and assistance with the television.
Sometimes it personally disgusts me.

Thats because nobody else would put up with it. I believe strongly that it is due to the codependent culture in nursing being the acceptable norm. Those of us that are not codependent are the ones that are not "stepping up", "devoted enough" etc etc. I always wanted to be a nurse when I was young and got my degree when I was older. I had been through lots of couseling by then and shed the codependency. I realize now that this job would have been a fit when I was young and could not say no to anything and had all the other little trademarks of codepency and growing up with an alcoholic parent. But as a person that is "codependent no more" its probably not a good match. Still trying to figure out if there is any way I can fit into the codependent culture without losing all the gains I have made. Anyone else with the same problem I would love to hear your solutions!

misplaced1 · Dec 19, 2009

By the way, I don't see this changing because there are just too many nurses that do not want it to change. And no matter what anyone says I firmly believe that that is the real problem and that is the reason I can't see myself on the floor long , not because I am "above" the job which you hear all the time about new nurses that dont want to stay on the floor. But because I dont fit with nursing culture.

I went to school with a great group of people. But during a few of our presentations on nursing things I really realized that I was in the majority. One of the students, talking about working short being so prevalent actually compared it to parenting and said something in the effect of you know its like parenting it can get tough but just dont give up just push through it, take it without complaint cause your patients need you. Most of the presentations were about the "nursing shortage" and most everyone talked of soldiering on for the patients no matter what hit them or how abusive or bad the working environment. I was floored.

misplaced1 · Dec 19, 2009

I mean I was in the minority!