Sometimes I stew over and study about things too much, but with my husband in the hospital and with some of the attitudes I've encountered lately I've been thinking about how expensive medical care can be and what people should expect at the hospital.
My husband hasn't been treated poorly, but some of the staff have been less than gracious. I often read about how "nurses are there to save your butt, not kiss it" and "this isn't the Hilton, it's a hospital!" While I understand this to a degree, I think responses like this are rather arrogant and make it sound more like the patients are an inconvenience and are there for the staff than the other way around. Having worked in LTC and home health I know how unreasonably high maintenance some people can be (and yes, these were usually-but not always- the Medicaid patients). Truly, though, this wasn't the norm. Most people were not unreasonable with their requests. Even the ones that put us out a little when they ask you to make a phone call for them or get them extra ice or extra blankets. I'm not talking about rude folks who think you should jump when they snap their fingers, but from the ICU to the med surg floor, I was hesitant to ask for anything at all because more than once I got exasperated looks and sometimes huffy responses to anything I mentioned. I'd say half of the nurses were very accomodating but the other half were like, I've got my job to do and you're keeping me from doing it.
I say, part of the job is customer relations and decent bedside manner, no matter how annoying someone is to us.
What about the people who, like my brother-in-law, shell out tens of thousands of dollars in out of pocket cash to pay for his own quadruple bypass surgery. Why shouldn't he be treated like the customer he is? My husband has insurance, but isn't he in a way, a customer too? I know the hospital and nursing home doesn't include private nurses, but by the same token, if you knew someone was paying A LOT of money to be there wouldn't the customer oriented approach everyone complains about the hospitals adopting these days make sense?
I will admit I was appalled when I learnedsome hospitals were referring to the patients as "customers." But now I'm not so sure this is far off.
While my husband was in surgery I met a man in the waiting room who had a wife in surgery at the same time, and his wife and my husband were transferred to the floor within an hour of each other. I could actually understand the man's frustration at being thrown out of the room for 30 minutes while the nurses were with his wife. He said (obviously po'ed) "I wonder who they think is paying the bill here?"
I am a believer that nurses should run the floor. Thing is, a little power goes to some peoples' heads and they forget what they are really there for.
I've started to look at things more from a patient's perspective lately, and not to sound wishy-washy (but this is a wishy-washy situation) but I've looked at it from both sides now and right or wrong I can't help it this is the way I see it.
If you are okay with kissing butt as a part of your job, pucker up and kiss away. If you are okay with setting your pride aside and being treated like a servant rather than a professional, do so. If you expect the rest of us to do the same because YOU think it is what nurses should do, you are going to be very disappointed, because I'm not about to ditch my self respect and kiss anyone's butt for any job - there is simply not enough money in the world. Frankly, I'm disappointed that you don't have any more respect for your own profession, but that's not my problem, so I'm not going to worry about it.
Still, without the "customers" there would be no business. It is not like they are getting it for free.
Health care is never "free" even in countries with universal coverage. We hear the "I pay your salary" speil all the time. Tax dollars pay for the stay, so in I also pay my wages and I pay for your stay in hospital.
People in the bed and in the uniform each deserve to be treated with respect.
Of the wall question, aren't you the poster who wanted to come to Canada to take advantage of the universal healthcare up here?
Well, I've been following this post, and now I have to put in my two cents. First off, the OP is right. Patients should be treated with respect and kindness WHEN THEY treat ME with respect and kindness.
I have had patients say things to me that I wouldn't say to a dog, and I have had "sane" patient that I had to dodge hitting me because I wouldn't bring them their pain meds two hours before time. Those patients will get the standard of care, and their needs will be met. But they need not ask for a smile or a kind word. I worked very hard to be where I am. I could have done anything I wanted to with my life, but I chose nursing, and cont to choose nursing every day because I feel this is where the Lord has lead me to be able to make a difference with people. But I didn't come here to be cursed, abused, and treated like an indentured servent.
If my time allows me to do so, I love to pet and pamper patients. But those patients in return need to understand that if I have a patient next door in physical or emotion danger, then their backrub will have to wait. Most do, but a rare few don't understand that concept. Just two days ago a patient reported me to the DON because he called to go to the bathroom, and I was stuck in a room with a patient vomiting. He was able to use the urinal himself, and his wife was present in the room. That much he neglected to tell. Also neglected to tell her that just 10 minutes before I had taken him, and his wife ice cream, emptied their overflowing trash (without being asked), and helped him find his sports game on tv. Also neglected to tell her that for two days everytime he called me (which was at least once an hour, and sometimes he only need "his blanket pulled up") I was there without compliant, and with a smile). These are the patients that make nurses "ill" and tired. Unappreciative and manipulitive, and just looking for something wrong.
I have rambled enough, but will end with one more thing. Nursing is a humbling job. But never once have a given up my pride. I am still a person, with feelings. I do not deserve to be treated as any less, no matter how much a person is paying. I am a nurse, not a hooker by the way. Money is not the motivator for what I do.
Health care is never "free" even in countries with universal coverage. We hear the "I pay your salary" speil all the time. Tax dollars pay for the stay, so in I also pay my wages and I pay for your stay in hospital.
When I hear Medicaid patients say they pay our salaries I want so badly to let them know the whole country is what is paying our salaries. I can't believe they act like they are working four jobs to pay for their Medicaid.
But what about the ones who really are paying?
People in the bed and in the uniform each deserve to be treated with respect.
Yes!
Of the wall question, aren't you the poster who wanted to come to Canada to take advantage of the universal healthcare up here?
Well, I lost my job and health insurance and I'm pregnant.
My husband says just go to Canada to have the baby, healthcare is free and the baby will be a dual citizen...we'll go rent a cabin for a couple of months...
Well, I lost my job and health insurance and I'm pregnant.
My husband says just go to Canada to have the baby, healthcare is free and the baby will be a dual citizen...we'll go rent a cabin for a couple of months...
What about the sense of entitlement here?
Last I heard a hospital delivery cost around $9K.
You shouldn't bring that up, it isn't germane to this topic.
But for the record I think good customer service should apply to Canadians, too.
Well, I've been following this post, and now I have to put in my two cents. First off, the OP is right. Patients should be treated with respect and kindness WHEN THEY treat ME with respect and kindness.
So you assume we were rude to the nurses first?
This is so wrong, I'm kind to a fault. The only nurse I even gave a hint I was angry was the nurse who mocked me at the nurses station not realizing I was standing behind her. When she turned around and saw the look on my face and I could see the blood drain from hers I just said, and add a blanket to that request.
The last nurse my husband had was absolutely wonderful, by the way. She was cheery and bright and made you feel comfortable, and I'm sure she wasn't that way because her job was easier than those mean nurses. That's the way it should be.
This is a touchy subject. I wonder if part of the reason is that the "customer-service" ethic is being pushed on nurses from higher administration.
I hear on these boards about a decline in respect and manners towards healthcare professionals. Could the controversy be that nurses do not feel like giving extra to patients/customers/families who are rude and show disrespect?
No it has to do with a sense of entitlement. A lack of understanding of a family member who states she is a nurse yet can not understand why a family member may be asked to leave a room for 30 minutes. If she is a nurse no one should have to explain this to her.
Respect is a two way street. One can not demand respect. One can not expect it when they fail to show it themselves. She fails to recognize nurses are human. She wants perfectly charming people every second. IT aint gonna happen.
Saying I know about those unreasonable people but I was not unreasonable, does not cut it.
You do not know what was going on for those nurses that day. Maybe the nice one was having a good day and the nasty one was not. I am not saying that is an excuse to be nasty. I am saying she is very judgemental while pretending to be understanding.
She is making a huge issue over something she should be long over. I have been a patient on more than one occasion, I have been at the bedside of family members on more than one occasion. It was not perfect. We got over it. Everyones was not delivering perfect customer service or even perfect patient care.
I had a family not too long ago. They all sat around the bed. They would call me in to hand the pt a glass of water and other such nonsense. They did nothing but complain about the care the pt was getting. I in all sincerity said to them that I did not understand why they would put up with this care for one minute longer. I said that if this were my loved one recieving poor care I would immediately take her home and care for her myself.
They hung their heads. All but one slunk out yes slunk never to be seen again. The one that remained looked very sheepishly at me and suddenly started to do those little things for his mom that he was quite capable of. No one ever heard another complaint.
I find it hard to believe that you are a nurse. It almost seems as if you have come here with a vendetta towards nurses.
First of all, I am not getting that $50,000 and I am already working harder than I should have to for my wages. They have dumped on us more and more over the years and my responsibilities and expectations are now beyond my salary. It's attitudes like this that have added to the shortage.
If you were one of my "customers" I would avoid you. I would not want you on my assignment and I doubt any of my co-workers would either. You would be the dreaded one that no one wants on their assignment.
All people deserve respect. Going in and treating a waitress, a cashier, a stock clerk, an aid or a nurse like they owe you because you pay money is unacceptable. Being treated poorly and then expecting what you paid for is acceptable. I am a human being. I am professional and caring to my patients. I am not a personal slave and whatever it is you are paying out of pocket is not making it to my pocket. It goes to the pretty decorations, new buildings and the administrators that have caused such poor care.
You are very angry about something.
As a nurse I would have to say that you need to take your business elsewhere. Either this hospital really sucks or they will never please you. Going in acting like that won't get you what you are looking for. It will alienate you and your loved ones from any extra care. No one is going to want you on their assignment.
I try to respect that most of us are overworked and understaffed in our careers and I try to treat people with respect. I get more respect in return for doing that. I tip waitresses well and I am supportive when they make mistakes. They appreciate it and tend to give me better service because of it. Certain restaurants that my kids and I go to frequently, waitresses will practically fight for us because we are easy to please, treat them as humans and tip well.
Don't they have a saying about bees and honey?
Wow. After reading more, I am under the impression that you hate nurses and people in the medical field.
I remember a nurse who was a pt. She is standing in her doorway. Someone says she is waiting for me for such and such as I rush by I say I know it is not a priority at this moment and I will get to it as soon as I can. Clearly a stressed look on my face.
Pt then walks up to the charge nurse and complains I am rude.
This patient was asking continually for special foods at odd times and other special favors. Yes we try to accomodate. However, as an nurse in that hospital she might have had a little consederation knowing that her special request were very difficult for nursing to fulfill. These were non essential things. She was not that sick and really should have gone home but talked the doctors into letting her stay. She got weepy and I am just not well. I could not possibly go home. Yep, roaming the halls leaving the floor but when she wanted a favor would become very "fragile."
She would get weepy when things did not go her way. I got to observe this as I was taken off as her nurse once she complained (thank God) I watched the rest of the staff suffer and have to kiss her little tush because she could get it done.
(Female)
Jo Dirt
3,270 Posts
Good for you.