Ignorant Stupid Patients

Nurses Relations

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:angryfireWhy do the patients that do not pay for any healthcare complain and gripe the most? It irritates me when a patient is on Medicaid and expect to be treated like they are at the Ritz Hotel. "GRRRR"!!!! It seems like a vast majority do not want to accept responsibility for their own actions. Perhaps if they paid for some of their healthcare, they would be more willing to be compliant with their treatment plan.

I had a pt. today post op with a BKA. She already had a previous BKA a year ago. I walk into the pt's room and the family has brought in 6 Snickers bars. Ok, your BS is 600, you just came from surgery 2 days ago, you have no legs, you weigh 600 lbs. and you are in the process of eating 6 Snicker bars at once!!! I have tried to educate the pt. and the family and I feel like I am banging my head against the wall.

She told me, "Honey, it's ok for me to have Snickers. I know how to control my blood sugar." UMMM, NO YOU DON'T!!!! You would not be in this situation. If she was responsible for a portion of her medical bill, then I think she would be more compliant. Since there is no incentive to change, these populations continue making poor choices. It is SO frustrating!

To Valerie Salva ,

I saw your reply and looked at your posts too ! This is my opinion of you : It appears that not only are you an experienced and well rounded nurse who cares about your patients , but you take the time and effort to help whenever you can : answering questions and encouraging new nurses . You and I have much in common . I got my RN in 1991 , first job was dialysis , traveled for a while etc . So from now on when I have a bad day I will use my time to post nasty messages and complaints about BOA and citibank on consumer forums . You are an asset and got my attention .

Warmblanket-

Your reply post totally surprised me. I was expecting that you would respond in anger. Instead, you responded with kindness, insight, and thoughfulness. I am blown away.

Thank you for your kind words.

You have my respect and admiration.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

I used to get worked up about these types of patients. In fact, I've started threads very similar to this one before.

I've come to a different point of view. Basically, these types of patients are, in reality, our bread and butter. They create work for hundreds of thousands of healthcare workers, including myself. The money poured into their care is money that is spent on my wages, and stimulates many other industries that manufacture all the wonder drugs, medical equipment, etc.

It's unfortunate that they have health problems, just as a burning building is a destructive event. But, without unhealthy people, I would be out of a job.

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Honey,

Welcome to the world of nursing. In addition to patient education, patient advocacy, trying to decifer MD orders, dealing with overbearing family members.....Do I need to go on? You are worried about a 600 BS level, and rightfully so. As a nurse - I am tired, tired of giving education to patients that leave the hospital, go home and within several days (yes, days) are back in the hospital again. Case in point...On our floor 3 patients over 300-400 pounds- maybe 5 feet 5 inches tall. One has been in the hospital since January, 2009 - YES, JANUARY 2009. No insurance 39 years old. How am I as a nurse to turn this patient? Do you think my hospital is worried that I pull my back? No!!!! I guess bottom line is that I give education to everyone. It is only up to the patient to take it and run with it. I can't force it down their throat. At this point I am a disgruntled nurse. I see soooo many young patients that are sooo obese that they cannot even feed themselves, turn in a bed, walk, etc. Just know that you and I as taxpayers are paying their bills. Maybe that is how this country got into the state that it is in now. Just a thought....don't really care what others have to say...talk to me when you are trying - by yourself as a nurse to turn a patient this HUGE - your back goes out and that is it for your as a nurse. Try and support your family now- by the way - the patient is soooo large that he needs a room that is designed for 2 patients - just for himself. Talk to me now.....By the way have tried to get him to rehab - no facilities will accept him. So before everyone jumps all over me for this blog - think about the taxes you are paying - they may just be going to support this young, young man laying in bed asking for dilauded Q 2 hours and doing nothing to help himself.

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Specializes in Home Care, Primary care NP, QI, Nsg Adm.

"It's unfortunate that they have health problems, just as a burning building is a destructive event. But, without unhealthy people, I would be out of a job."

Maybe this perspective comes with age and experience. I use to tell my patients when I was in NP practice; "sorry your sick, but your sore throat pays my rent". Now I'm working in addiction. Terrible problem world wide but again, many of us are employed because of it.

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I have offended some people on this thread with my "extreme, radical" opinions. I am on federal assistance, I have recieved terrible care because of my insurance.....Read the first page of replies!!!

I think there should be a point though where enough is enough. I agree with you on trying to turn these huge people. It gets frustrating to hurt and ache physically every night from these. It also gets frustrating to see the extremes this can go to while watching someone you love do this very thing to themselves.

I just think there should be a cutoff. It would have to be regulated and argued in court for a long time. Yet there is still a way this could be done. I know I am so radical, and liberal and I will never see changes like this. This doesn't stop me though from sharing my opinion. This doesn't stop me from fighting for whats right.

I would hope most of you agree on the patient this blog was started over...has made no attempt to save her life, to improve her quality of life, or even listen to the advice being given.

I think this is clearly a case where they should recieve warning their benefits will cease if they don't start making ANY attempt. Even if it is cutting out the concentrated sweets!!! Or maybe even some light exercises in bed such as arm rotations!! This behavior though has clearly demonstrated to everyone they don't care and are perfectly happy gorging themselves on the tax payers money.

Oh and not to mention the risk to the nurses and staff caring for them of possible injury due to trying to care for them.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
"It's unfortunate that they have health problems, just as a burning building is a destructive event. But, without unhealthy people, I would be out of a job."

Maybe this perspective comes with age and experience. I use to tell my patients when I was in NP practice; "sorry your sick, but your sore throat pays my rent". Now I'm working in addiction. Terrible problem world wide but again, many of us are employed because of it.

Yep.........as the saying goes: if it weren't for alcohol, drugs, and general stupidity, we'd all have to go out and get REAL jobs.:D

Like it or not, patients such as those described here are our job security. They give us a reason to come to work each day; they keep a roof over our heads, put food in our childrens' bellies, enable us to make our car payments. Why should it be any of our concern what their payor source is? If we didn't have patients, we wouldn't have jobs. Bottom line.

:stone

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
I have offended some people on this thread with my "extreme, radical" opinions. I am on federal assistance, I have recieved terrible care because of my insurance.....Read the first page of replies!!!

I think there should be a point though where enough is enough. I agree with you on trying to turn these huge people. It gets frustrating to hurt and ache physically every night from these. It also gets frustrating to see the extremes this can go to while watching someone you love do this very thing to themselves.

I just think there should be a cutoff. It would have to be regulated and argued in court for a long time. Yet there is still a way this could be done. I know I am so radical, and liberal and I will never see changes like this. This doesn't stop me though from sharing my opinion. This doesn't stop me from fighting for whats right.

I would hope most of you agree on the patient this blog was started over...has made no attempt to save her life, to improve her quality of life, or even listen to the advice being given.

I think this is clearly a case where they should recieve warning their benefits will cease if they don't start making ANY attempt. Even if it is cutting out the concentrated sweets!!! Or maybe even some light exercises in bed such as arm rotations!! This behavior though has clearly demonstrated to everyone they don't care and are perfectly happy gorging themselves on the tax payers money.

Oh and not to mention the risk to the nurses and staff caring for them of possible injury due to trying to care for them.

I can't agree with that, I don't know this person, I don't know their life and I don't live with them, so I can not honestly say what they have or haven't done. She obviously has a lot of enablers which if they are around you constantly can make it extremely hard to change. All we really know about this Pt. is what a frustrated nurse happen to vent about. We don't really know the Pt at all. Everybody has a story, we don't know hers.

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Specializes in trauma surgery, renal.

i work on a renal floor(read diabetes, heart failure, obesity, hypertension). i realize that you get to be on the renal floor because your renal failure et.al. are advanced and/or out of control. but, and i speak from experience, our patients are chronically noncompliant. its not that unusual for patients to deliberately miss dialysis to get admitted. why? standard treatment is dilaudid 2-4mg iv q 2 hours prn. oh, and dont forget the phenergan and run down to the cafeteria for a cheeseburger and fries with that. how long does it take to figure out that there is a payoff for their noncompliance? why be at home where you have to handle life when you can be in the hospital with room service, maid service and drugs on tap? this is a nonsustainable system. maybe thats what was ment by three strikes and your out. you lay out from dialysis dont come here for emergency middle of the night dialysis and all the potassium and sugar that you can consume. and dont suggest nursing interventions and refusing to get them what they want. been there, done that, got shot down. afterall there is the patient satisfation surveys. yeah. three strikes you should be out.

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Specializes in SNF, LTC, MED/SURG, ER.
I do not have a problem with people receiving Medicaid. It is a good program and a good safety net. I have had to use it in the past. There are some providers that do not provide good care and service. That is really pathetic. I do treat my patients with compassion. However, I do use the term "ignorant" when they do not have knowledge of how to control their BS. Repeated education has not worked. When a person has been educated, and understands the treatment, but still refuses to comply with treatment, this is my definition "stupidity." If you know that you have lost your limbs but continue with out of control eating, there are certain repercussions. Repeating the same action over and over, and expecting a different result is "stupidity."
Sounds to me like she's bought herself a one way ticket to the eternal care unit. I see your point, I also know there are a lot of people that work the system and that plucks my nerves.
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