Is there such a thing as a "VIP" patient?

webblarsk · Apr 9, 2005

I agree totally. All patients should be treated like gold.

z's playa · Apr 9, 2005

Absolutley NOTHING wrong with that !! I think it's awesome that you practice that way! You are truly a blessing to your pts.

You won't catch me dead kissing anyone's behind just because they donated money. :rolleyes:

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Apr 9, 2005

I refuse to kiss ANYONE's orifice. What I do for our so-called VIPs is no more and no less than what I do for everyone else........I'm nice to everybody. And since I've never had a single patient complaint, I must be doing something right! :)

pricklypear · Apr 9, 2005

Absolutely NOT. Every patient deserves the level of care that their condition entitles them to. I bet we've all experienced this kind of thing. It really ticks me off. When you are expected to give "extra" to one patient, the rest of the patients suffer for it. I'm not a maid, or a servant. If certain people want private nursing care, they can arrange it themselves.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Apr 9, 2005

Whenever we admit the child of a family that has contributed financially to our hospital management is always on our backs telling us we need to treat these patients/families "like gold". They expect us to bend over backwards for these families.

And i would reply "So money is what determines who gets the bestr of care? PLEASE!!"

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Apr 9, 2005

I have always felt if these Patients are so vital and important then they should be assigned a private nurse and let the hospital pay for it if they choose. But to take away from my other patients because one patient has been labeled "special" is rediculous and IMO unethical.

pricklypear · Apr 9, 2005

We had a pretty funny incident involving a "VIP" patient a few weeks ago. He is a retired MD who has a heart condition. Our census has been unusually high recently and the hospital was on diversion. He came into the ER and demanded a bed right away- even though the waiting room was full. He refused to wait with "the commoners" (direct quote). When told the hospital was on diversion, and there were no beds, he had a fit. And no, he was not entitled to the code bed in ICU. Then he demanded the helicopter to fly him to the next hospital, at hospital expense, even though his acuity did not warrant it. Amazingly, this request was refused. He ended up taking the helicopter, at his own expense.

Fun2, BSN, RN · Apr 9, 2005

That's exactly what I'd tell the management, "I treat all my patients like gold", and I'd hope those donations didn't come with the deal of better treatment than everyone else. If it did, that donation didn't mean anything....at least IMO!!

Tweety, BSN, RN · Apr 9, 2005

I agree. I treat all my patients equally. It's the cornerstone of my nursing philosphy that we are all created equally and everyone is worthy of the best nonjudgemental care from me regardless of financial status, race, religious, sexual preference, religion, etc. You get the picture.

I work in a not-for-profit and we don't get many weathly people anyway. From time to time we'll give a doctor, or a nurse, or a big wig a private room. But if I'm the nurse, they get the same care as the homeless alcholhic in the next room. :)

Da Monk · Apr 9, 2005

Pricklypears's story about the entitled MD is priceless and I think the story is indicative of how more than a few MD's view themselves in relation to the rest of the people they "serve". My father always said a license to practice medicine was a license to steal. Too bad they do not program a little more humility into physician education. Some of them need it.

blue chips · Apr 10, 2005

I have been an RN for one year and I work at a fairly large private hospital on the pediatric floor. Whenever we admit the child of a family that has contributed financially to our hospital management is always on our backs telling us we need to treat these patients/families "like gold". They expect us to bend over backwards for these families. I disagree, I don't feel its appropriate to treat any particualr patient better than your next. I treat all my patients "like gold", as much as possible. If i have the extra time to go out of my way, I do it for all of them, not just one. I am a stickler for our hospital policies especially on our floor because of safety issues and what not. I don't bend the rules for anyone and I don't like to feel the pressure fom management to do so. am I in the wrong for practicing this way?

YES. All the DR's, lawyers, and DR's friends all get special treatment at my hospital. :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire