How do you respond to rude patients?

Specialties Emergency

Published

How do you respond to rude and complaining patients? I took an earache patient back the other night who waited in the waiting room for 12 minutes before being called back. She stormed to the room yelling about how much pain she was in and how long she waited, and that she never comes to the hospital, "especially this one.", etc. (Hello....it says right on the chart when your last ED visit was....ah hem...6 weeks ago.) In the 12 minutes that she waited to be seen after registering, I was seeing a head trauma patient, that I was working on getting back to CT. I'd been yelled at by a patient a few hours before (not even my patient, but she stopped me in the hallway) about how she was still in so much pain, she'd waited forever, and she didn't even know if she had a nurse, etc. so I was not in the mood for this treatment again, especially when I was dealing with a head trauma patient and this earache is yelling about waiting 12 minutes. GRRRRR!!!!! Oh, and I had pneumonia, but still came to work because there was no one else to work night shift. And she's yelling at me because her ear hurts! How do you deal with the rude and grouchy patients?? What do you say to them? You'd think they'd be grateful that someone is there trying to help them. It just infuriates me to be treated this way and feel like I can't say much back to them.

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Specializes in Family practice, emergency.

Depends on the patient, but sometimes I say straight up "The way you're talking to me is inappropriate," or some manner of this. Setting limits is really important, and it takes a lot of self control to not let them get to you so you can use a non threatening/non punitive tone (reeeeeally difficult). Sorry for your rough night. GRRR indeed.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

((HUGS)) bad night....I hope you feel better.

I usually consider the source and not take it personally. I make all the proper cooing noises, I'm sorry you felt you had to wait, I'm sorry you feel uncomfortable, we will do everything to see you as quick as we can...blah, blah, blah....I kill them with kindness and totally ignore their irrational behavior. NO skin off my back you are obnoxious....some people just have severe personal character flaws.

I have, on occasion been honest and firm and educated them that the emergency department does not mean everything is an emergency and treated immediately. Patients are seen according to acuity and a heart attack trumps an earache. The Emergency Department means we are open 24/7 to see patients that does not mean they will be seen immediately.

I just don't take it personally. Sometimes if I am really annoyed.....I will ask the MD to just get them out before I give them a reason to be admitted. Sometimes it's just easier to get rid of them quickly for my own peace of mind instead of being held hostage by their behavior and demands.

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I agree, many times I want them out quick. But then I think, they probably act like this every time they come. It gets them out quicker.

To me, it's like rewarding the behavior.

My seasoned nurses, they continue on. Let em complain. Apologize for them feeling frustrated. That's about it.

The squeaky wheel gets the charting grease, as I know ombudsman will probably be coming to see me :)

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

I don't do it often, but there are times it's a promise of bodily harm to the wheel that squeaks that it is better to get rid of them first....:D

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Specializes in Emergency Department; Neonatal ICU.

You could have tried telling her that all that that yelling was probably not helping her ear pain ;)

I find that many times the calmer and quieter I am, the quicker they lose steam...

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Specializes in ER.

I tend to avoid eye contact, not take it personally, try to do a little routine TLC, express a little phony sympathy, get them settled, and show them the remote control to the TV. I encourage them to try to relax, explaining that the doctor will be in shortly, once we get the triage process finished.

I think avoiding eye contact, while staying calm, really helps, plus acknowledging, briefly, that they are frustrated.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

They're the patient; you can't be rude back. Just respond to the actual complaint as best you can and ignore the behavior. Unless they become abusive or threatening, and then you can tell them that's inappropriate. The best advice I can give you is don't come to work when you're sick. You're tolerance for such BS will be minimal.

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I tell them they can not talk to me this way especially if they are screaming and yelling and are with it. I won't tolerate it and nothing will be accomplished until they talk to me in a normal voice. And if they are sarcastic I tell them their use of sarcasm isn't appropriate in this situation either. I'm being professional towards you and I'm here to help you. I expect the same in return. But I'm getting old and crunchy and all that bad behavior gets on my nerves when there is no need for it.

And off topic 12 minute wait for an earache. Heck I had a hemoglobin of 6.7 and I waited way longer than that to be seen in the ER.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

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I agree with the other posters...there's not really much that can be done. My guess is they've been there before, they know the drill.

I've found that it is sometimes helpful to ask what it is they need to make them less upset. If it's possible, I do it, if it's not I tell them and let them know why.

It's impossible to make some people happy, don't let them make you feel like it's due to your shortcomings as a nurse.

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Sometimes I remind them how lucky they are to be sitting in the waiting room because no one ever wants to be the person in the hospital that everyone is running to take care of----that's not a good sign. Waiting means you're stable and fine and thank god for that.

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Op: let me tell you about the real rude patients lol. I work in correctional nursing and you get call from a-z foul language, on top of that they are juveniles. I try to understand their frustration but if they are hostile I informed them I will give you time to calm down I will come back. However there are juveniles that know the system and I had a very rude resident, he was very demanding and will get in your face, he would not listen to anyone so one day I started singing Amazing grace while he was talking and then it work, omg I found the one thing that he can stop talking and listen. He recently was released and return and now he raises his hand and ask me permission to approach me, wow I'm so happy with his behavior and I always acknowledge his calm behavior.

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