Is customer service getting too far?

biobots · Oct 27, 2016

I think the problem is people do not understand that there are sicker patients in the hospital and that we prioritize based on their specific needs. If they needed attention, they should have said so instead of time people and tell them when to do their job.

Sometimes people have problem with losing "control" and within the four walls of the hospital they seem to lose it so they try to compensate by complaining a lot.

GE90 · Oct 27, 2016

and you go in, ask them what they want, once they are done talking about their crap, you tell them how many minutes they've wasted you and ask them to get the **** out of the hospital, go see a private specialist if they are expecting 5-star hotel kinda service but cleverly point out that they are nothing but a bunch of broke, whining suckers and you wonder if they have the finical resource to pay for private service.

Sour Lemon · Oct 27, 2016

I think the problem is people do not understand that there are sicker patients in the hospital and that we prioritize based on their specific needs. If they needed attention, they should have said so instead of time people and tell them when to do their job.
Sometimes people have problem with losing "control" and within the four walls of the hospital they seem to lose it so they try to compensate by complaining a lot.

You might want to rethink using your real name and real picture to vent or explain patient behavior in an unflattering manner. I agree with you, but not everyone who comes here is a nurse or even likes nurses. It takes about ten seconds to find your full name and the name of your employer with the information you've provided. Consider becoming a mysterious stranger for your own benefit. :saint:

SmilingBluEyes · Oct 27, 2016

Wow, just wow. If a nurse said these things where I worked, they would not have to worry about patients wasting their time, because they would be out of a job in minutes flat....... Your utter lack of any sort of empathy is pretty raw; "a bunch of broke suckers?" How would you really know their financial situations, and what business is that of yours?

and you go in, ask them what they want, once they are done talking about their crap, you tell them how many minutes they've wasted you and ask them to get the **** out of the hospital, go see a private specialist if they are expecting 5-star hotel kinda service but cleverly point out that they are nothing but a bunch of broke, whining suckers and you wonder if they have the finical resource to pay for private service.

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Oct 27, 2016

Can I ask this, were there any repercussions from this complaint? Did you get talked to or get a write up? If you did then I think there is an issue that needs to be addressed. Not on your part, but administrations, of not, who cares if they complained? Let them.

I used to do retail management years ago and I heard all kinds of complaints and people would "threaten" to have my job by complaining to corporate. Do you know how many of those complaints even ended up as a write up? None. Not a one.

The issue you are talking about is not exclusive to nursing. It's everywhere. People complain. Let it roll off your back.

Fl0werRN · Dec 9, 2016

Hi! Do you still work at HSS? I have an interview coming up, can you help me out?

brownbook · Dec 9, 2016

I completely agree with Nursegirl525. Your heading would be better if it were just a vent, or stupidest patient complaints.

We had a patient complain about waking up from a minor sedation case with a nasal cannula. No one had told her she would have a nasal cannula!

Ridiculous, but I do often over hear anesthesiologists mention to patients that they may wake up with one. I honestly don't think I ever mention it when I'm doing moderate sedation.

pmabraham, BSN, RN · Dec 11, 2016

Yes, as an industry going from "the patient" to "the client" (or "the customer") along with the corresponding managerial mindset of customer service experience ratings (brought onto as part of the ACA and payment lines). While on one hand, we do want our patients to have the very best of care and a great experience, as brought out in the opening post and by other posters, there's real life and individual patients aren't going to know, have the experience, or wisdom on how to truly objectively rate things. So they go off their feelings, which is often in the "heat of the moment," and don't often reflect the true care they received.

applesxoranges, BSN, RN · Dec 11, 2016

I think society in general has created an issue. I have talked to people in other countries and I think our patients would **** themselves if they received the smaller work ups they do in other countries. I have people demanding stuff. People expect to be pain free. Heck, when I went to the ER last week, I just tried to get out with just zofran ODT but then I dramatically vomited.

brillohead, ADN, RN · Dec 12, 2016

I work on a telemetry unit, and when people come up to my unit and complain about how long they were down in the ER, I tell them that it's actually GOOD news that they waited that long -- the people who come upstairs right away are the ones who are critically ill and in real danger of dying soon, and I'm so glad that my patient was healthy enough to wait while the more critically ill patients were taken care of.

The concept of triage really is foreign to the vast majority of the public. Little kids are taught in school that you get in line and wait your turn / first come, first served / etc. People wait in line at the bank, the grocery store, the fast food restaurant, etc., and typically expect to get taken care of in the order of arrival. They're also used to just one worker or team of workers servicing them and only them until their transaction has been completed. They don't understand how each patient can be having any combination of blood work, x-rays, CT, MRI, EKG, ultrasound, exam by doctor, consult with specialist, blah blah blah, all at the same time, all in different stages of the process and all with different acuity levels.

In some cases, when you explain the complexity of the entire process, it can appease them to some extent. In some cases, people are just entitled pricks who won't be happy no matter what you do.

Such is life.