How do you really feel about 5-star rooms?

[maddiecat]

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!

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

No one ever said life was fair.

My point was, it's a little difficult to have 'equal healthcare for all' when things like this exist. And no where did i say life was fair. Jeez.

[FROGGYLEGS, LPN]

I don't know that I think this is an entirely great idea.

However, I do think it is a lot better than the "hot bed" list we have now. Certain people on the "hot bed" list are to be catered to for whatever reason. Management is determined that everything be "perfect" for them (obviously better than what the average patient gets) simply because they are on this little list. These "special" patients are mixed in with the rest of our patients...erhm...customers. I am convinced that by spending extra amounts of time sucking up to the special folk, the less "important" patients are suffering. With the chronic understaffing, I do not have the time to give anybody any significant "special treatment". I must be a bad nurse.

Someone did mention that this 5-star luxury wing would have better staffing ratios. If it really is necessary to pamper certain individual and to provide them with superior "service", it would be easier if you had the staff to do it at least.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Well, I'm looking again at the title of this thread, and it DOES ask the question of how we FEEL about 5 star rooms. so...its everybody's opinion here, right?

You're right. Everybody is free to feel however they feel and to express those feelings in this thread. I was just responding to those who seem to trying to make reasoned arguments against having luxury serices available on the basis that that it would take away resources needed by less wealthy patients ... and those who automatically assume that wealthier patients are automatically obnoxious and poorer patients are automatically nice.

I guess you could also say that I was expressing my feelings about the bias against rich people and their needs that is so common among nurses.

llg

[chris_at_lucas_RN, RN]

I guess the point I was trying to make is "equal healthcare for all" is not the same as "all the goodies you can imagine, for free."

The latter is not health care. If you can get goodies in a hospital, can afford it and want it, great. If you can't, you should still get good care.

Would you treat poor patients differently from rich ones? Because that's the issue, not whether people who can afford goodies get to buy them.

Why should I be punished for being able to get goodies? I didn't steal to get what I have, I worked for it.

If you can't use what you have to get what you would like, what is the point of being able to have what you have?

The basic definition of "the value of money" has nothing to do with equality OR math.....

Lots of holier-than-thous in this thread, it seems.

[crankyasanoldma]

I like our 5 star rooms and always volunteer (as do many others at my institution) to take care of the patients there.

I give the same care to the "5 star" patient as I do the the uninsured one in a shared room down the hall. The only difference in my day is that I will perform some nursing duties in a spacious, visually appealing room, and some in a standard room that day.

As far as THIS nurse is concerned, the 5 star patient has wasted their extra money on me, and is paying for things like a fancy headboard and an extra couch and painting to see. Room service food delivery is free to all our patients anyway.

I'm hoping that the extra they pay will help cover costs for the uninsured one down the hall, and I don't have a problem with that at all.

[Stitchie]

I like our 5 star rooms and always volunteer (as do many others at my institution) to take care of the patients there.

I give the same care to the "5 star" patient as I do the the uninsured one in a shared room down the hall. The only difference in my day is that I will perform some nursing duties in a spacious, visually appealing room, and some in a standard room that day.

As far as THIS nurse is concerned, the 5 star patient has wasted their extra money on me, and is paying for things like a fancy headboard and an extra couch and painting to see. Room service food delivery is free to all our patients anyway.

I'm hoping that the extra they pay will help cover costs for the uninsured one down the hall, and I don't have a problem with that at all.

Good point. I hadn't thought of them as contributing to the bottom line for their extra services, but with lower ratios and private rooms it will be a $$$ load for them to carry.

If that's the case then bring it on; I care for my patients equally but I still want to know how the 5-star hospital can get around an EMTALA law. I'm assuming, of course, that there is an ER and must therefore comply with existing law.

[mattsmom81]

I cannot imagine a hospital that will not pressure nurses to 'do more' for the wealthier, more influential patients...they do already and I don't buy into it now. My shift is a constant prioritizing exercise...trying to take care of the most basic needs of critically ill patients...catering to whims is on the bottom of my list.

I have no grudge against wealthy people. Only to the extent that they may think they 'own' me as a nurse to service their whims. There is a huge difference between the 'needs' of my ill patients across the board, and the 'wants' of patients...whether they are rich or poor, IMO. And if those needs and wants aren't in line with my duty I am likely to put them low on the priority list as well. Hotel service worker I am NOT.

I know nurses who like to work with wealthy clients...but they generally assume a little different nursing role, by their accounts. If they're willing, fine...however I am not compromising my professional status to that of a servant because some '5 star' facility tells me its my job now to do so.

Seems the industry is reinventing my professional role every few decades, but I'm still the same professional nurse I was 27 yrs ago. I like it that way and still maintain I will define my practice within the confines of my NPA. Stubborn old curmudgeon nurse?? Maybe. Guess when I can't stomach any more 'reinventing' of my role, I will retire to Walmart greeting.

[nurseygrrl, LPN]

I cannot imagine a hospital that will not pressure nurses to 'do more' for the wealthier, more influential patients...they do already and I don't buy into it now. My shift is a constant prioritizing exercise...trying to take care of the most basic needs of critically ill patients...catering to whims is on the bottom of my list.

I have no grudge against wealthy people. Only to the extent that they may think they 'own' me as a nurse to service their whims. There is a huge difference between the 'needs' of my ill patients across the board, and the 'wants' of patients...whether they are rich or poor, IMO. And if those needs and wants aren't in line with my duty I am likely to put them low on the priority list as well. Hotel service worker I am NOT.

I know nurses who like to work with wealthy clients...but they generally assume a little different nursing role, by their accounts. If they're willing, fine...however I am not compromising my professional status to that of a servant because some '5 star' facility tells me its my job now to do so.

Seems the industry is reinventing my professional role every few decades, but I'm still the same professional nurse I was 27 yrs ago. I like it that way and still maintain I will define my practice within the confines of my NPA. Stubborn old curmudgeon nurse?? Maybe. Guess when I can't stomach any more 'reinventing' of my role, I will retire to Walmart greeting.

Great post!

[Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN]

It smells like elitism to me.........one type of care for the rich who can afford it, and another type of care for everyone else. I couldn't work in an environment like that; every patient deserves the best care I can give, no matter who they are or what their income level is.

I've said before that some patients treat nurses in such a fashion, that the major difference between nurses and the average waitress is about $20 an hour. While it may be easier physically to work in a "5-Star" hospital unit (presumably with a much lower nurse-to-patient ratio), I personally would feel degraded, as the unspoken assumption would be that the nurse is basically a highly-paid servant, to be literally at these patients' beck and call. No, thanks!

I agree, totally!

[Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN]

I like our 5 star rooms and always volunteer (as do many others at my institution) to take care of the patients there.

I give the same care to the "5 star" patient as I do the the uninsured one in a shared room down the hall. The only difference in my day is that I will perform some nursing duties in a spacious, visually appealing room, and some in a standard room that day.

As far as THIS nurse is concerned, the 5 star patient has wasted their extra money on me, and is paying for things like a fancy headboard and an extra couch and painting to see. Room service food delivery is free to all our patients anyway.

I'm hoping that the extra they pay will help cover costs for the uninsured one down the hall, and I don't have a problem with that at all.

How do the pts treat you and your fellow nurses in the 5 star unit?

Are there some type of personal service employees there, so that nurses aren't expected to step into that role?

[pickledpepperRN]

We have some of these rooms. They go to hospital management, Hollywood stars, and their families. Same mixture of very nice and rediculous behavior as poor fols and homeless patients.

They don't increase floor staff so these patients get the same care as any other patient would according to the assessment made by the RN assigned.

Our practice committee got the hardwood and tapestry chairs out of the VIP patient rooms in favor of ones that can be disinfected. Most patients want and need the same kind, competent, effective nursing care.

[Brickman]

The optional services wouldn't be fair, because it's quite obvious that it'll take money to purchase them. Put an EO (Equal Opportunity) stamp on it, an income sliding scale, then we'll see how well it goes. Unless that happens, it'll never be fair.

Does this go for the Mercedes dealership also? I can't for the life of me see how forcing people with money to do without services that they are happy to pay for is fair.