Hello Mr. VIP! I'm your servant nurse for the night!

[SICU Queen]

So, yeah... VIP patients. I had one for the last two nights and let me tell you how much I wanted to pull my hair out.

Old dude, post exp. lap. w/ lysis of adhesions, stable to the point of taking PO, one maintenance IV, lotso runny diarrhea (15 times the first night with 5 total bed changes :uhoh21: ), you get the picture... sorta kinda COULD be ICU material but not really - but his son is a MAJOR bigwig for our hospital so he got to stay for the better nurse/patient ratio.

He was CONSTANTLY on the call light.

Some of the reasons he called me:

"I need a sip of water." (Cup within reach on bedside table, he wanted me to hold it to his mouth.)

"I need you to pull my blanket up ONE INCH. It's a little chilly in here."

"Can you turn the thermostat down? No, not to 65, that's too much. How about to 66."

"Move my arm up on the pillow."

"Can you turn the thermostat up? No, not to 70, that's too warm. Go to 68."

"My room needs to be cleaned. Get some wipes and clean the area by the window, and get the floor mopped." (This was at 2am. I refused, as I was busy with my second, REAL ICU patient.)

This was ALL FREAKIN' NIGHT, both nights... and my second patient was truly sick (bivad, drips, lines, etc.).

Add to this the CONSTANT harassment of all the doctors and residents who were wanting to brown nose, so they came by out of "concern"... The poor dayshift nurse had FIFTEEN pages of BS orders and looked like she wanted to cry when I got back the second night. He drove her insane as well.

I cannot stand a "VIP" desgination. ALL of my patients are treated with the same diligence, compassion, and respect... and it irks the crapola out of me to be made to feel like I have to serve someone or I'm going to get in trouble. This old fart made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that the "head of nursing" would be coming to see him to see how his care had been. GRRRRRR... administration just perpetuates this superior attitude and I can't freakin' stand it. BY the time my shifts were over I wanted to stick a straw in his eye.

Have any VIP stories? How do you feel when you're told that a patient is a VIP?

[crissrn27, RN]

I have had lots of "VIP" moms, usually docs that work at our hospital. Some were great, some were a big PITA. I actually had an OB doc that works with us say, you need to go over all the stuff about the baby in detail, I don't remember alot from my peds rotation!! WTH??? She delivers babies for a livin' and doesn't know anything about them!! Not that I minded going over the info, but it kinda freaked me out that this is my back up for a bad baby in a lot of cases. We also put nurses/docs that work with us in a special room on the GYN floor so they can have a bathroom c shower in their room, and we give free photo packs, I think that is kinda nice, but don't expect special tx!

[medicrnohio, RN]

We have a VIP policy and a special overhead code for VIP patients. It's absolutely ridiculous.

[nursey_girl]

I remember right out of nursing school, I worked on this med surg floor. I was already a nervous wreck, and my assignment was this doc. I didn't know who he was, but was totally freaked out by the though of taking care of a Doctor!!!

The charge nurse must have seen my color drain..." Honey, what's the matter with you?" I was embarrassed but admitted I was nervous about taking care of the Doc..." Honey!! Don't you worry about him... this morning he peed in his denture cup!!"

I love that story... We're all the same, and if we're prudent nurses, we treat them all like VIP's. Even if they pee in their denture cup!!

[pharoahsdghter]

HOW!?!?! did I know you were working in New Orleans? I am not even a nurse yet but I work in the ER where we get "VIP" patients all the time. It is annoying and not fair to the patients at all. Are we the only city with VIP's?

[KristiePDX]

This is the time I love to pull out all the post op routine procedures. Yes I will pull your blanket up but lets turn first. Lets get up and walk to the bathroom just in case your bowles have to move again. Time to get oob and to the chair again. Here is your incentive spirometer, this time when you get it to 1000 hold it there for 2 minutes...can't hold it that long? Thats why they call it an incentive spirometer. O.K. I'll give you an ice chip if you cough and deep breathe 10 times. You want to go back to bed well let's take two more trips around the unit. Pretty soon you are the last person the patient wants to see.

Thanks Burn Out.

I know just what to do. I cant believe I did not think of it myself. Its PERFECT!!!

[Hoozdo, ADN]

1. can you scratch my head-pt totally intact and able to do himself

2. Can you feed me a sip of water-totally intact 15yo

3.I want to go smoke by the window, if you just open the window ill just have two puffs

4.My SVNs are making my teeth hurt

just a few

Also a few from med/surg ICU -

5. what is my BP RIGHT NOW?

6. I hear something funny (BP cuff pumping up)

7. I'm in pain but don't want any meds for it

8. Where does your husband work?

And 15 other reasons why this one pt pressed her call light one night last week. If you are well enough to push the call light 20 times a shift and can ask me where my husband works, well you don't belong here :trout:

[Roy Fokker, BSN, RN]

My first week off orientation, I was assigned the hospital CEO for two nights :uhoh21:

Credit to him - he was genuinely nice and he even remembered me from orientation (CEO comes down to talk to each new employee).

[NurseyPoo, RN]

VIP's drive me insane when I have them in the ICU...Usually they do not need to be there and are usually A&OX3, MAE, etc...

I had a VIP from the hospital last summer who literally treated me like a his personal hired help. Wanted the temperature adjusted up then down, Blinds open then closed, blankets on then off, sips of water, ice cream, sherbert, change the channel, etc...

He became angry with me after I started sending the CNA in when ever his light came on. I received a new CABG directly from the OR and needed to be in the room for a while. Well, Mr. VIP was irritated because I was not coming in. So, now he kept pushing his call bell and asking anyone and everyone that answered "Who is the new Patient?"..."What did she have done?"..."Where is my nurse?"..."Why is my nurse ignoring me?"...

I finally found someone to cover for me for a few minutes and I had a talk with this VIP. I told him in a very nice, professional and somewhat stern way that he was asking questions that we were not allowed to answer due to HIPPA laws, and that because he was stable the CNA was perfectly capable of assisting him with whatever he needed. I also explained to him that he was making several people uncomfortable with his questions regarding another patient. I was so fed up with him that my mouth became possessed and I could not control what came out. I asked him if he was trying to test us by asking questions like that? I valued and respected my patients privacy and would never give information to a stranger. I also assured him that I valued his privacy as well. I asked him to try to understand that I was needed in another room at that time, but I was also there if he needed pain medication, did not feel well, etc...I even went as far as to ask him why he was calling us to change his channel, give him his water, and so on....He looked embarassed. When I was done I felt like I had just reprimanded a little boy.

I expected a lashing the next day, but it never happened. He actually told my boss that I was a really good nurse who really cared about her patients. I took that as "I was a complete Butt-Head to your nurse, and this is my way of apologizing".

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

NurseyPoo and burnout have it down to a science. I'll also chat with them about how since they contributed to/chose this hospital they must support our philosophy of treating everyone with top quality care no matter who they are, and use that as a bit of a lever if they hate my prioritizing skills. I'll also talk up my coworkers, "the CNA is so smart she could easily get through an RN course, but sadly hasn't been able to take the time, we are so lucky to have her... I trust her judgement totally" Try to find out what their pet peeves are, temp, sherbet, etc and take the initiative each time you go to te room, do they want more? temp OK? any other questions or concerns? OK then. Then when the call light rings 3 times in the next 15 minutes we've discussed prioritization, and hospital mission, and ALL his comfort needs, and I need an hour to straighten away patient Y, and then I'll be all yours again for a few minutes....

I really need a heads up on these type of patients in report, so I can start my routine before I actually feel like killing them. Just can't let them know

[snowfreeze, BSN, RN]

Document, ADLs for each time you clean up diarrhea, ADLs for each time the patient is unable to pick up cup to drink, suggest or order PT/OT for this patient so he can return to normal life. Educate and patient on need to do for self, sit up and deep breath and go get an incentive spirometer so he can use that to enhance his lung capacity. He is awake and breathing at 2am. If patient gets nasty and stated he dosent need to get better or something along those lines, document that too.

Everyone comes from a different lifestyle and some react in a very weird manner to fear. Just talking to this person, as a person not some VIP to find out what those fears are and helping them to resolve the fears can make a world of difference. Being in the hospital is frightening for many even if they have lots of money or are arrogant or psychotic or just plain old mean.

[Sheri257]

I've had many patients in the hospital who demanded VIP treatment whether they were VIP's or not. Sometimes I feel like a waitress more than a nurse.

I'm now trying corrections nursing part time. While the security issues can be nerve wracking the upside is they're inmates so ... no customer service crap, no call lights and you have a lot more control over the situation. It's more like a doctor's office. You see each patient one at a time and, if you don't have time to see them ... they just have come back the next day.

There's more stress with the security issues but, less stress with routine day to day care.

:typing

[oramar]

I have had VIP patients like that. Also have had VIPs that were really quiet patients. They were loath to ask for something for fear someone would think they were throwing their weight around. I think it has more to do with kind of person they were. I think the the demanding ones would still be demanding even if they were nobodies.