a few days ago i transferred a patient of mine to a different floor. she has end stage cancer, but is perfectly alert and stable - just in a lot of pain. anyway, when i got to the floor with the patient, i asked the desk secretary which nurse would be assigned to this patient. a nurse at the med cart (which was about 4 feet away from me and the patient) said something to the extent of "i guess i'm going to be the one stuck with her!"
I was really disgusted by this but didn't say anything. as i wheeled the patient to her room, she said something like "no one wants to take care of me?? i heard what she said." I made up some silly story about how she was joking and completed the transfer.
A part of me REALLY wanted to go back and say something, but i'm the "new nurse" so i'm not sure quite how I fit in with everyone else at this point. am i overreacting? should i say something? should i not? I was thinking of writing an anonymous letter, what do you all think I should do?
Wow, that is really sad. You should say something to that nurse, and let her know that her behavior was inappropriate. Perhaps discuss the situation with the unit manager also. At the very least, talk to a collegue to get the situation off your chest, and "troubleshoot" what you could do if the situation happened again.
All things aside, why not pay a visit to that patient during your lunch break? Let her know that you wanted to stop by to see how she was doing, and somehow let her know that she is valued and that staff do want to care for her. Do you remember something she liked that you could do for her? For example, if you know she loves orange juice, bring her a cup because "I know you like having fresh orange juice".
You can't change what that nurse said, but you can make the patient feel better. I think that would be more meaningful - afterall, we're here for our patients, right?
I would speak to the nurse too. I also love the idea of visiting the patient with a little treat. I can only imagine how much you would brighten her day.
Forgive me for not jumping on the bandwagon, but the nurse may have been having a bad day. And the last thing she needs is somebody that doesn't know what was going on that day reporting her behind her back. If you feel the need to do something, actually DO something. At the time, you go up to her and say, "Hey, the patient heard you and is upset, you'll probably want to fix things off the bat." Then the nurse can go in and actually do something about it. Waiting until you've gone online and gotten a bunch of "What a meanywad! Report her!" doesn't do a thing for that patient. And if she gets in trouble, all it does is give her more bad days when she gets reprimanded and still has to deal with whatever was giving her a bad day that led to the first ill-advised comment. And is yet another young-eaten, old-eaten, burnt out nurse. Just exactly what we need more of.
We're all sooooo quick to jump on a nurse that slips up. Any med error, any slip of the tongue, any not-nursing-school-perfect procedure gets a "I would NEVER EVER do that!" One of these days, you're all bound to slip up. Would you rather another nurse have your back, come to you and let you know, "Hey, fix things before they get worse." Or would you prefer they go online and bash you with all their friends because they're all so much more perfect than you?
Wow! It is so hard to work w/ cold callous people in the field(I am a Paramedic now becoming a RN).....unfortunatly it is part of dealing with humans. I think that bringing this to the nurses attention also lets her know that you don't play into treating Pt.s like that and sometimes it actually makes one look at their behavior....I understand being the new girl as well though...and as sad as it maybe, sometimes stepping up can cause one tons of heartache and grief...This situation is pretty extreme, since the pt heard her though! I personally (speaking from experience!) would say something to her...But, bottom line, you know your work environment better than any of us...and what kind of person you are...
Let me know what you decide! I would love to hear....maybe I can learn something as well! I KNOW it is a tough situation to be in!
Well, I'm not a nurse but common sense and mere human decency would prevent me from ever saying something like that. I guess being the big mouth that I am sometimes (new nurse or not) I would go to that nurse and tell her "hey you know what? The patient heard you and was very hurt by what you said. Then tell her she might want to be a little more careful about what she says. I bet she made that patient feel like a piece of meat.
Completely agree. I think no matter how bad your day is, there is no possible reason to hurt someone like that. I bet you won't even have to tell the supervisor; the rest of the staff and probably the patient will do it for you.
Forgive me for not jumping on the bandwagon, but the nurse may have been having a bad day. And the last thing she needs is somebody that doesn't know what was going on that day reporting her behind her back. If you feel the need to do something, actually DO something. At the time, you go up to her and say, "Hey, the patient heard you and is upset, you'll probably want to fix things off the bat." Then the nurse can go in and actually do something about it. Waiting until you've gone online and gotten a bunch of "What a meanywad! Report her!" doesn't do a thing for that patient. And if she gets in trouble, all it does is give her more bad days when she gets reprimanded and still has to deal with whatever was giving her a bad day that led to the first ill-advised comment. And is yet another young-eaten, old-eaten, burnt out nurse. Just exactly what we need more of.
We're all sooooo quick to jump on a nurse that slips up. Any med error, any slip of the tongue, any not-nursing-school-perfect procedure gets a "I would NEVER EVER do that!" One of these days, you're all bound to slip up. Would you rather another nurse have your back, come to you and let you know, "Hey, fix things before they get worse." Or would you prefer they go online and bash you with all their friends because they're all so much more perfect than you?
Sorry woo..Some things you just don't do as a nurse; this is one of them. No matter how bad the day has been, you do not attack the patient. If this nurse is doing this, burnout is the least of her worries.
I understand that you are "the new kid on the block" we have all been there before, but what this nurse has said to a dying lady is totally unacceptable. I would have reported this nurse to the unit manager, and that nurse should have been made to apologise directly to this lady and be reprimanded. You obviously have a good heart and realised the wrong that was done, but unfortunately the lady that was at the end of this bitter nurse will not only remember and fear the nurse involved, but she will also remember that you did nothing about it.
The nurse was at a med cart, probably in the middle of a med pass, may not even have realized the patient was there. Not a single one of you has been away from patient ears when the secretary goes around asking, "Who gets the patient coming to Room #?" and said something along the lines of, "I guess I'm stuck with the next admission!" I imagine it was pure accident it was said in front of the patient (since I'm trying to assume the best about my colleagues instead of the worst). If something had been said to her then, she could have done something to make things right. But the moment is gone. Now all that happens is something punitive. This isn't the OP's regular floor so she has NO IDEA if this is a normal thing for this nurse or if it was a slip of the tongue said in haste. If one of my coworkers said stuff like that all the time in front of patients, I could understand if someone went to our manager about it (although I'd prefer they say it straight to the offender's face.) But someone from off the floor that has no idea what's going on with that floor on that shift at that time for that nurse? I'll just say to watch the stone throwing, because one day it's going to be you in that glass house that does something regrettable.
I agree with Wooh; I thnk you should start with the nurse in question. If that doesn't seem to have any effect, then go to the manager. But hard as it is to reason and "correct" someone on a different floor with more experience, that is what the situation called for, and the only thing that would have immediately answered the needs of the patient. It is easy to get in a rut, to get overwhelmed with the dire problems of the moment, and to say something without thinking that you deeply regret. Don't assume the offending nurse is just burnt out, mean, doesn't care. A brief conversation with her will give you that information and if you get the response from her that her behavior warranted, then it's a win for both the patient and nursing.
Waiting until you've gone online and gotten a bunch of "What a meanywad! Report her!" doesn't do a thing for that patient. And if she gets in trouble, all it does is give her more bad days when she gets reprimanded and still has to deal with whatever was giving her a bad day that led to the first ill-advised comment. And is yet another young-eaten, old-eaten, burnt out nurse. Just exactly what we need more of.
We're all sooooo quick to jump on a nurse that slips up. Any med error, any slip of the tongue, any not-nursing-school-perfect procedure gets a "I would NEVER EVER do that!" One of these days, you're all bound to slip up. Would you rather another nurse have your back, come to you and let you know, "Hey, fix things before they get worse." Or would you prefer they go online and bash you with all their friends because they're all so much more perfect than you?
I can and have overlooked A LOT of things, and I believe most of the nurses I've worked with would do the same for me. I gently reminded a nurse she was giving more than twice the insulin orders called for, I believe it was an honest mistake. I do not believe it is an honest mistake to make a stupid, inconsiderate remark in front of a patient. Kind of like when my mother was in the hospital and the nurse was giving report to the other nurse right outside the doorway and was mocking and making fun of my mother. When the other nurse came in my mother told her she saw everything and "she may as well have stayed in here and done it."
Patients aren't stupid. They are not there for the nurses' convenience.
While we can't truly know the situation because we weren't there, that doesn't sound like a simple flub or an oops moment. Of all the things I find forgiveable (and there is many things I can forgive) insensitivity and inconsideration infuriate me.
I'm not perfect nor do I always act in a flawless manner, but my big heart gets in the way and I hate to see feelings get hurt.
If someone thinks that makes me a backstabber and tattle, well, that's just too bad. I don't think so, considering the offender would know it was me who reported them, anyway.
I know many times when you get more patients and feel bogged down , it gets to you.But, you should NEVER make the pt feel that way.The pt should Never know you are so busy and feel you don't have time for them.That comment was horrendous and i can imagine how the poor pt felt .I would have def said something to the nurse after i got the pt situated to her new room, possibly even writing her up.I am glad you brought his topic up, as i am sure it happens more freq than people think, maybe not to that degree tho.It makes us all stop and think, do we give off that vibe to our pt's and or family members?It isn't always just the things we say that leave an impression, it is also our behaviors.....
thoroughly agree, how terrible must this person have felt, imagine how we would feel in the same situation, we all have bad days, but the majority of us would not take it out on the patients in this way, very shameful.
I understand that this nurse may have had a bad day, or she just didn't THINK when she responded to your question. I would just approach her and let her know how badly she made the patient feel and ask her to put herself in the patients place and consider how SHE would feel if the situation was reversed. I would also remind her that this patient is very vulnerable and to please have more compassion from now on.
I would not report her to the boss. Unless you know this is a chronic problem with this nurse. I think reporting a nurse should be reserved for serious situations where the lives and safety of the patients is being compromised.
I bet you won't even have to tell the supervisor; the rest of the staff and probably the patient will do it for you.
Batman24
1,975 Posts
I would speak to the nurse too. I also love the idea of visiting the patient with a little treat. I can only imagine how much you would brighten her day.