inappropriate comment made by RN in front of patient

rn-jane · Jul 12, 2008

That nurse should have been ashamed of herself. I've had nurses say inappropriate things similar in front of patients or family members. You handled it well in front of the patient but I would had took the nurse aside in private conference and put it on the line with how she acted. I understand you were new but you had every right to report this, this is what makes family and patients upset and cause problems for the rest of the admission. Next time if you feel hesitant about confronting some one go to the nurse in charge and voice your concerns, they don't want people like that working their floor either.

pinksugar · Jul 12, 2008

I think many nurses are guilty of making similar comments. It really isn't anything personal against the patient - most nurses just don't like getting an admission. One of the most wonderful patients I ever had was an admission I got in the middle of a very busy shift. I guarantee that I did not want to take an admission but it was my turn so I did, and I ended up adoring him and his family.

IMO the problem isn't what the nurse said, it is that the patient heard her. I would just have taken her aside and said, "I know how you feel - I hate getting an admission in the middle of a busy shift too. Unfortunately the patient heard you and she is really upset. Could you give her a little extra TLC tonight? Also, be careful of what you say in the common areas - you never know who might be listening."

ShayRN · Jul 12, 2008

BULL PUCKY! There is NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER an excuse to say that about someone. I don't care if they can hear you or not, because even if they can't hear you that attitude is conveyed one way or the other. I work both at the hospital and at an inpatient hospice facility. MANY times at the hospital I have left the floor to go get my admissions from the ER so that they can get up and get situated and their families can feel they can go home. ALWAYS, I greet them when they are coming into the facility or onto my floor. ALWAYS with a smile and my promise to them and their family they will be well cared for while in my facility. Even if I can't get to them right that second, I can tell them my name and about how long before I will be in to start paperwork. If someone is so overwhelmed with the responsiblities of a nursing job, it is time to find one that isn't so stressful.

Now, what I would have done is turn that cart right back around and taken her back to my unit. Then I would have called the nursing supervisor and told her what had happened and asked her what she is going to do to address it. I certainly would not confront Miss Nasty Nurse. Its not my place. Nor will she have any qualms about doing it again if someone in management doesn't put a stop to it. NOWAY would I leave my patient in the care of a witch like that.

Ok, I am done.

leslie :-D · Jul 12, 2008

shay, i certainly admire your dedication...

for real.

had it been me who blurted out something like that, i'd be devastated to learn the pt heard me.

and i wouldn't insult her by giving her extra tlc.

i'd feel like a hypocrite.

i would tell the pt that i was aware of what she overheard, and apologize like the dickens...

and not to take it personally.

then i'd give that extra tlc.

the nurse was a twit because she wasn't venting...

she said it right in front of the pt.

and that makes it disgraceful.

in situations such as this, i don't understand others defending her.

it's about time we started making ea other accountable and step up to the plate.

only then, will we be the nurses our pts deserve.

leslie

supafly · Jul 12, 2008

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?

what an ugly comment. who needs a nurse with a bad attitude like that?

i wouldnt be comfortable leaving pt with that nurse. i'm "just" a student, unfamiliar with the inner workings of life on the floors, but i think i would have discussed the situation with the charge nurse, before handing the pt over.

nursval · Jul 13, 2008

That just burns me up. I know it is scary being the new nurse, but a comment like that is just wrong. However, if this nurse is dumb and inconsiderate enough to do something like that once, I'd say she will do it again and again until someone confronts her, so you will probably get your chance to correct her. I have had things like that happen to me before, and I will make sure the pt. know that she does not ever have to have a certain nurse. something along the lines of " I see that that nurse's comment made you uncomfortable. Would you mind if I arranged for a different nurse to care for you?" There is nothing wrong with letting a pt. know their rights and giving them an easy way out if they want it. If this is the case, just go to the supervisor and let them know what happened. Good Luck!

nursval · Jul 13, 2008

I noticed in your post that you put "just" a student. Don't shortchange yourself. I find that students are OFTEN very much more observant and careful of their work as a nurse. Give yourself some appreciation.

iluvivt, BSN, RN · Jul 13, 2008

I would have brought the patient to her room and the immediately gone to the charge nurse and reported it. IF the assignment was not changed and I did not get a satisfactory response I would have climbed the chain of command. until I did. I would have returned to the patients room ,comforted her and without going on and on told her that it has been taken care of. Yes it is OK to do this,as a matter of fact it is your professional duty to advocate for your patient.

snazzy-jazzy, BSN, RN · Jul 13, 2008

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 I don't know how to use the quote button on here.

Wooh I agree with you, by saying something straight away could be just what is needed to pull her up and make her realise the effect her words had on the patient. Yes she should have known this in the first place but it could have just slipped out and not meant as a personal attack on the patient.

I'm still just a student and may be way out of line on my thinking here, but I would not report for a situation that could be addressed by myself and avoid problems in the long run.

rnmomtobe2010 · Jul 13, 2008

Okay that just breaks my heart. That is one of the main reason WHY I am going into nursing. I want to care for the people that noone else wants to.

Exactly. And I am also thinking, how would that other nurse have felt if that was her family and she overheard someone saying something like that? This is heart wrenching!!

MrsMommaRN · Jul 13, 2008

this goes back to basics. this is someones mother sister wife daughter etc. how would you feel if you would hear someone say that about your family member? report it.

perhaps the nurse getting the patient had several admissions that day, was having a bad day who knows? it still does not give her the right to talk that way. if she felt that way fine but keep it to herself.

TigerGalLE, BSN, RN · Jul 13, 2008

Did the nurse realize that the patient was right there in the wheelchair? Maybe she couldn't see the patient because she was behind the desk.

I'm not saying that is any excuse! But maybe that was the 4th admission she had had that day. Or maybe one of her patients just coded and she hasn't even charted on them yet. I'm sure she was just having a horrible day. Obviously I don't agree with what the nurse said. And I feel terrible for the patient. It breaks my heart.

I think you should have taken the patient to the room and then confronted the nurse. Just said something like, I'm sorry you are having a bad day, but the patient heard what you said. You may want to clear things up with her. I hope your day gets better."

It is tough being a new nurse. I'm still a new nurse myself. But you have to stand up for yourself and for your patients!

Tiger