Insensitive Nurses

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I guess it is because I am new to the critical care field, but I don't understand how some nurses can be so insensitive to patients. I know some patients bring their issues upon themselves due to lifestyle or being non compliant with a disease, but they still are people. When I was giving report at the end of my shift saying the patient failed another wean trial, the nurse interrupted me and pretended to wipe away fake tears and say boohoo while she was laughing with my preceptor! This isn't the first time I have seen this type of behavior, so I was wondering if it is common place? Let me know what you think. Thanks.

Oh my no, critical care nurses are the worst for being insensitive and not caring. I just left a position where I worked with a nurse who I labeled "Satan with a lady parts" and I often wonder how these people get out of bed and can actually look at themselves and call themselves nurses. I am sorry you had to be exposed to that. It is not in every field in nursing, I am partial to geriatrics and there you find a lot of good nurses who are good people also.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I am empathetic to the patients I deal with, I pay attention to their signs and symptoms to respond as soon as I can, I try to give off to the patient that they can trust that I will do the very best that I can for them. But, I am honest, I talk about quite a few of them like dogs. I make sure that they do not hear me, I post it here, I don't speak about this at the nursing station, elevator or lunch room, and we make sure that the door is shut.

As time goes on, you will see the antics that people pull, and there are many times that they want to dump the entire responsibility of their health issues on you. Now, you may decide to not speak about them, that is fine. But those of us that are doing it in areas that do not damage HIPPA or the therapeutic relationship are actually destressing...which becomes a very necessary defense to have because of what we deal with each day.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

If the faking the tears happened in front of the patient (in front of ANY patient, for that matter) and family, then, sure I would say that this nurse was horribly insensitive. But, if the none of the patients/families have heard this, and the nurse continues to be responsive to the needs of the patient, then, I do not really see anything wrong.

Here is insensitive: nursing assistant sent to pharmacy-cut in front of a patient holding her baby. She curses when the patient told her she was ahead of her and nursing assistant punches the woman in the face twice, while she was still holding her baby.

#2 Male client who is very maticulous in the way that he dresses has chemotherapy treatment. During treatment, he asked to go to the bathroom. In there, he vomits and defecates on himself. He comes out of the bathroom to tell the nurse, and he is dizzy. Nurse sees that he is filled with vomit and loose diarrhea and tells patient "do not touch me" and lets him fall.

These two situations are 'in your face' insensitive. And we worry about cracks being made behind closed doors? At least, if the nurses are able to feel safe with each other to vent, no matter how darkly; most of us are able to go out and be what we are supposed to be with our patients; caring, attentive, empathetic. And, I'll bet you that at least some of those same nurses that are cracking jokes would not walk, but RUN to the aid of a patient who needs them.

Maybe what is happening at this time, is that this is new to you, and it makes you wonder how many nurses and doctors have said sarcastic things amongest themselves when it was us, or our loved ones that were vulnerable and hospitalized.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

"black humor" is the way we cope. give it a few years, and you'll understand. in the meantime, all you students, new orientees, home health care and geriatric nurses please do not judge until you've walked a few miles in our shoes! i'm sure everyone has their own way to cope, but black humor works well in the er and icu. if we didn't use it, we'd probably burn out far sooner than we do!

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"black humor" is the way we cope. give it a few years, and you'll understand. in the meantime, all you students, new orientees, home health care and geriatric nurses please do not judge until you've walked a few miles in our shoes! i'm sure everyone has their own way to cope, but black humor works well in the er and icu. if we didn't use it, we'd probably burn out far sooner than we do!
ok, point well taken. we nurses of other specialties do appreciate you nurses who can do this type of work.
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If the faking the tears happened in front of the patient (in front of ANY patient, for that matter) and family, then, sure I would say that this nurse was horribly insensitive. But, if the none of the patients/families have heard this, and the nurse continues to be responsive to the needs of the patient, then, I do not really see anything wrong.

Here is insensitive: nursing assistant sent to pharmacy-cut in front of a patient holding her baby. She curses when the patient told her she was ahead of her and nursing assistant punches the woman in the face twice, while she was still holding her baby.

#2 Male client who is very maticulous in the way that he dresses has chemotherapy treatment. During treatment, he asked to go to the bathroom. In there, he vomits and defecates on himself. He comes out of the bathroom to tell the nurse, and he is dizzy. Nurse sees that he is filled with vomit and loose diarrhea and tells patient "do not touch me" and lets him fall.

These two situations are 'in your face' insensitive. And we worry about cracks being made behind closed doors? At least, if the nurses are able to feel safe with each other to vent, no matter how darkly; most of us are able to go out and be what we are supposed to be with our patients; caring, attentive, empathetic. And, I'll bet you that at least some of those same nurses that are cracking jokes would not walk, but RUN to the aid of a patient who needs them.

Maybe what is happening at this time, is that this is new to you, and it makes you wonder how many nurses and doctors have said sarcastic things amongest themselves when it was us, or our loved ones that were vulnerable and hospitalized.

Did those incidents actually happen? What happened to the staff members?

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Here is insensitive: nursing assistant sent to pharmacy-cut in front of a patient holding her baby. She curses when the patient told her she was ahead of her and nursing assistant punches the woman in the face twice, while she was still holding her baby.

#2 Male client who is very maticulous in the way that he dresses has chemotherapy treatment. During treatment, he asked to go to the bathroom. In there, he vomits and defecates on himself. He comes out of the bathroom to tell the nurse, and he is dizzy. Nurse sees that he is filled with vomit and loose diarrhea and tells patient "do not touch me" and lets him fall.

These two situations are 'in your face' insensitive.

actually pagan, these 2 situations are 'in your face' abuse.

they go soooooooo beyond, insensitive. :madface:

leslie

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I am a new nurse too- 6 months in. Last night I worked on out telemetry overflow with another nurse who had 27 years experience. She wasn't very friendly at first, but since it was only the two of us working together, she started to open up to me after a few hours.

She said, (FROM HER HEART) that she hated nursing. She hated taking care of patients. I told her that I thought that was sad. I told her that she should try to find another field and renew her passion, but she just laughed. She saw me as a new happy go lucky nurse. But I felt bad for her. I told her she should make an honest effort to try to find a new job. I really felt bad for her... and her patients:(

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actually pagan, these 2 situations are 'in your face' abuse.

they go soooooooo beyond, insensitive. :madface:

leslie

The first was a crime. Punched her in the face??? WTH? I hope she was arrested.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Did those incidents actually happen? What happened to the staff members?

Yes, they actually happened. The nursing assistant was suspended for 30 days without pay, and the nurse that did not want to touch the patient who defecated on himself-not sure-heard she was counseled. I work for a city job with strong unions that let people get away with murder. :cry:

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
The first was a crime. Punched her in the face??? WTH? I hope she was arrested.

Was she arrested? Nope...:madface:

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
actually pagan, these 2 situations are 'in your face' abuse.

they go soooooooo beyond, insensitive. :madface:

leslie

Yeah...I am glad that I work with decent nurses in my clinic, at least. The nursing assistant that hit the patient in the pharmacy works in pediatrics, mind you. She was suspended for 30 days without pay, and now, she is back and dancing around like nothing happened.

As I mentioned previously, this is a city hospital that has strong unions. Most get away with murder. I have to remain here until my contract is over, because they paid my way to become a nurse-full time leave with full salary and tuition pay. Thank goodness I have not witnessed such things, and as mentioned, the nurses I work with may be quirky, but not abusive.

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