How do you really feel about 5-star rooms?

Nurses General Nursing

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Our hospital has new "5-star" rooms (you know with a chef, etc.) What is your reaction to this type of thing and "how does it make you feel"? I'd really like to know what other nurses think about it because my first reaction was not a positive one. THANKS!

I think it is very interesting that people who espouse respect for everybody, different cultures, meeting everyone's needs, etc. sometimes have no problem being critical of the needs of the wealthy. People who are accustomed to living at a high socio-economic level should not have to sacrifice their socio-cultural needs any more than people who have cultural needs based on ethnicity or religion. But somehow, even among "caring" people, it is OK to "bash" them for having those needs.

There is nothing wrong with being rich ... and nothing wrong for wanting to purchase a few luxeries in times of stress. And hospitals who can fulfill those needs are simply being smart to offer those services. Who do you think pays for a lot of the basic services available to poor people? The poor people don't pay for it all themselves. Many things are available to poor people because some rich person either provided the hospital with a profit that could be used to cover the loss that occurred by providing care for the poor person ... or some rich people made a charitable donation. Without rich patients, a hospital doesn't have the money to provide good care to poor people.

llg

since when did having a personal chef become a "need"? Is bringing in their poodle a need too? Some people have more money than others. More often than not this is a result of good luck or bad luck as to where and to whom they were born. The good news about this is that all humans have the same basic needs- read up on Maslows if you cant remember- and ascribing needs to one group of paitents and not to another based on economics is absurd.

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since when did having a personal chef become a "need"? Is bringing in their poodle a need too? Some people have more money than others. More often than not this is a result of good luck or bad luck as to where and to whom they were born. The good news about this is that all humans have the same basic needs- read up on Maslows if you cant remember- and ascribing needs to one group of paitents and not to another based on economics is absurd.

Actually, people who have more money usually worked hard for it.

"the old line that all wealth is inherited. Not true. John Weicher, as a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank, wrote in his February 13, 1997 Washington Post Op-Ed, "Most of the rich have earned their wealth... Looking at the Fortune 400, quite a few even of the very richest people came from a standing start, while others inherited a small business and turned it into a giant corporation."

I think llg has a good point. We are bashing folks who worked hard and gained wealth and now want to pay more money for a chef (come on - we all complain about hospital food - what is that chinese noodle mushy dish anyway) :rolleyes: . Hey, it gets more money into the pot for healthcare . . . .that sounds good to me.

steph

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Specializes in HIV/AIDS, Dementia, Psych.

I think it's horrible. Not only is it unfair, but it feeds the new notion that nursing and medical care is akin to customer service.

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Guess what...nursing care IS customer service. I think it is a great idea. I have worked in "5 star" patient rooms. We are talking REAL picasso's hanging on the wall and private chef's and maids. Thise rooms are never empty. It is a money maker...oooppppssss I forgot making money is bad according to most on this board. If people willpay for it..provide it. free Market economy after all.

Dave

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I'm not sure why it is unfair.

Does that mean that we all have to live our lives at the level of the lowest common denominator? I have to stop buying clothes at Macys and start shopping WalMart because most people can't afford Macys.

Or I have to stop going out to dinner at the McCloud Guest House because the food is too expensive for folks making less money than I make? I have to head over to Taco Bell or McDonald's?

If there is a market for people who want to spend more money, what possible ethical or moral rule are they breaking?

I don't get it.

And I do shop at WalMart by the way. :)

steph

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Specializes in HIV/AIDS, Dementia, Psych.

If I wanted to be a customer service rep, I would be one...I'm not one, I'm a nurse.

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It only makes sense. People forget that the money gained by the hospital is used to help everybody.

llg

I don't see what everyone's so disgusted about. It looks like a win-win situation. I don't work as a nurse in a hospital yet but it looks like all those rich patients that come in and expect extra pampering can get it provided that they pay the hospital more for it, which is win-win isn't it because that means the hospital gets more money and everyone (all patients, all staff)benefits. Let them pay more if they want to. Whats wrong?

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I don't see what everyone's so disgusted about. It looks like a win-win situation. I don't work as a nurse in a hospital yet but it looks like all those rich patients that come in and expect extra pampering can get it provided that they pay the hospital more for it, which is win-win isn't it because that means the hospital gets more money and everyone (all patients, all staff)benefits. Let them pay more if they want to. Whats wrong?

Exactly! :)

steph

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Specializes in HIV/AIDS, Dementia, Psych.
I'm not sure why it is unfair.

Does that mean that we all have to live our lives at the level of the lowest common denominator? I have to stop buying clothes at Macys and start shopping WalMart because most people can't afford Macys.

Or I have to stop going out to dinner at the McCloud Guest House because the food is too expensive for folks making less money than I make? I have to head over to Taco Bell or McDonald's?

If there is a market for people who want to spend more money, what possible ethical or moral rule are they breaking?

I don't get it.

And I do shop at WalMart by the way. :) steph

I just think it's unfair because medical care is a basic human right. Do you think it's fair that HIV infected people in Africa are still developing AIDS very quickly and dying because the modern world has all the money and all the medicine? I don't. I feel the same way about 5 star rooms. I also don't think it's fair that one of my patients has to wait a month for an ortho consult because she's on Medicaid and the only place that will take her is booked solid until August.

I'm probably kidding myself anyway because even though it's talked about as being 'new' I think the celebs and wealthy have been getting preferential treatment for a while now.

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Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.

I have never encountered this in any of the facilities we visit or in which I have worked. This area of the country is pretty poor, anyway, so probably wouldn't fly. So I will reserve judgment for now. The goal for ALL patients shouldn't be "5-star customer service" but the best nursing care possible in a holistic healing enviroment.

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I have never encountered this in any of the facilities we visit or in which I have worked. This area of the country is pretty poor, anyway, so probably wouldn't fly. So I will reserve judgment for now. The goal for ALL patients shouldn't be "5-star customer service" but the best nursing care possible in a holistic healing enviroment.

One of the things I was going to say in the beginning is that I usually give "5-star service" or I give the best nursing care possible.

I also don't think AIDS, HIV and Africa has anything to do with this discussion. There is no correlation between people paying to eat better food in a hospital and money for AIDS.

I don't think having money has much to do with better medical care . . . I have seen docs give their favorite patients more of their time but their favorite patients are usually the ones on medicare/caid. One of our docs has a group of about 10 sweet older ladies that he calls "my special ladies". In the physician orders he usually writes to take special care of them in some way. He doesn't do that to all the patients. But he still gives them competent care. Maybe just not as personal.

I also don't think medical care is a basic human right but there is another entire thread dedicated to that issue. :)

I've also had some patients treat me as if I were their personal attendant and those folks usually aren't rich. The Fluff My Pillow Syndrome crosses all class lines :chuckle

Live and let live I say . . . .if someone wants to pay more, let them.

steph

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Specializes in Neurology, Neurosurgerical & Trauma ICU.

Well, I've never worked in a dept. that had one of these "5-star" rooms, but here's my thoughts on it all........

As long as they don't expect differential treatment from the nurse, then hey, go for it! If they have the money to spend on such things, then it's their right. Let's face it...if they don't spend their money while in the hospital, then they'll just spend it somewhere else! So, why not there??? Like a previous poster stated, we all benefit from the hospital making a little extra money!

I don't see what the big fuss is! Then again, in my unit, the "5-star" room is when you're stable enough to go upstairs (we have beds on 2 floors) to our 8-bed open-unit that has windows and TVs! LOL :chuckle

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