I'm tired of it!

Published

I'm tired of the verbal and emotional abuse thrown at me from patients and especially their families. I'm tired of the condescending and rude comments. I'm tired of those patients and their families who believe that they are better than all the other patients on the unit and deserve VIP treatment. I'm tired of management and their "out to get us" mindset. Shouldn't we be able to look up to them as mentors and go to them when we need encouragement and help? Instead, they look for ways to get us in trouble and write us up. I'm tired of doctors and their "holier than thou" attitudes... that they can't even pause a beeping IV pump but instead go and complain to the charge nurse that their patient is not receiving appropriate attention. Who the hell am I, superwoman?! Get me out of acute care ASAP!!

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Specializes in LTC and School Health.

Vent away my friend. I know the feeling. A doctor frantically looked for the nurse because he couldn't understand what the vented patient was trying to say. I guess he thought nurses are ghost whisperer's or something.

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Can't disagree with any of it. I think a lot of nurses are quickly reaching that point...

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Specializes in Intermediate care.

oh...my! i feel like i am talking to myself. Literally, i come home and complain to my fiance all the time. I can't stand it....

Every body's answer is "speak to your nurse."

I loved loved loved when the doctor came out frantically looking for me with my ventilator patient because "something is making a beeping noise."

"A beeping noise?"....i walk in the room, it was because i had to put the tube feedings on hold for medications but forgot to push the "run" button. All i did was push the button. Is it really that hard to look where the "beeping noise" is coming from, look at the directions on the box and hit the button??? My goodness!!!

Needless to say my patient last week whos daughter is a clinic nurse raising her voice at me because i put a cooling blanket on the patient "without her consent" (she isn't even POA). Patent is unresponsive, temp is extremley elevated. My answer to her "Ok. But his temperature is nearing 105. Im open to other suggestions you may have."

"Well did you give tylenol?"

"Yes...i did. He didn't respond to it"

"Did you give him ibuprofen?"

"He is in renal failure and he has an allergy to ibuprofen" (in my mind im thinking any "POA" should know that)

"Did you give him water?"

"He is NPO and unresponsive, he cannot drink water" (in my mind im thinking "Any nurse should know that a sip of water isn't going to bring him down from 105-98.)

Ahhhhhhhh the crap we put up with is AWFUL. I cannot wait to get out of it. I look periodically to see what else is out there, out of acute care. and when the right one comes along....I AM OUT!

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Specializes in LTC/Skilled Care/Rehab.

I hear you! I was having a bad day a while ago and someone was talking about how a patient was going to call administration about something small (it wasn't my fault but you know that in the end everything is the nurse's fault). I said, "Really? I don't care right now. Maybe they can come here and answer some of these call lights so I can actually take a lunch!" One of the other nurses agreed with me and said she felt the same way. Sometimes you just get to that breaking point and don't care anymore. Most days I really do like my job...

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Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

My patients can't talk. Can I get an "amen"?

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There is over 590,000 nurses on this site. Just think of the changes we could make if we banded together!

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I'm tired of saying "Im sorry " for every thing a pt does not like to apease them.

Tired the family trying to get my attention across from my room while I have a emergency and they know it," Well pt "x" is out of water, we have been waiting 10 minutes. What is wrong with you people, did you not see the call light?" as a example.

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.
My patients can't talk. Can I get an "amen"?

Even worse, their families do.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

One thing really drives me crazy: An alert and oriented patient who requests one thing, which I start to do, then requests another thing and another thing and another thing even before the first task of the handmaiden is complete.

"I need a pillow here. And another one here. Can you cover my feet? Move the table closer. I need more water. Where's my phone? Turn the light off."

I've said, "One thing at a time," more times than I can count. Then, I say the one thing that the dayshift nurses would give their right eye to say, "Do you want a sleeping pill?" :lol2:

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My client threatened me yesterday that she is going to request a replacement nurse for those times she makes appointments outside of my shift hours. (I stopped holding my breath waiting for her to call to demand I come any time she gets the urge). What she doesn't know is that her blackmail only caused me to decide to look for another job. I'm already looking for a second job so hopefully I can get out of blackmail city soon. And such a crappy attitude to boot. Who wants to keep on dealing with that?

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

All reasons why I have left hospital nursing, pretty much for good.

Actually, I've been working in a psychiatric facility for the past

few months; it's a far different world from acute medical nursing

though.

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