I am always gracious and try to accomodate reasonable patient/family requests, but my name tag yesterday must have read 'Handmaid' instead of RN. I was instructed (not asked) by several different patients/family members the following:
"Go get us about eight or ten chairs so everybody can sit down in here."
"The baby's father hasn't had anything to eat today, can you make him something?" (This was 1930 and FOB who missed the 0915 delivery had just shown up).
"Can't you get the kids sandwiches?" (I was happy to bring graham crackers and juice, but was met with "Well, that's not enough for dinner.")
"I can't use a taxi voucher because that way I have to go right home. Don't you have a petty cash fund? I need to stop at my friend's house and the store first."
"My boyfriend wants a set of the baby's footprints, a copy of the baby's picture, and that test to make sure he's the father."
This, of course, all in addition to the usual "The baby's diaper needs to be changed," "Bring me another Percocet. Somebody here (a visitor, not the patient) has a headache," "Take his (another visitor's) blood pressure," and "He needs some scrubs to wear."
Sorry for the rant. Yesterday was a long 14-hour day and I just needed to get it out. :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire
Specializes in med/surg/tele/neuro/rehab/corrections.
"when are they gonna offer politeness seminars to the customers" there are so many nasty people out there
If hospitals offer Lamaz classes or any type of birth classes (like they did when I was pregnant), then they should include education as to the nurses role in L&D, what education he/she has, how long they work (hours per day and week) etc. I think it would educate the public and give nurses more respect. And they should also teach some basic stuff such as how the hospital can accomodate the patient but not the family when everyone is hungry etc. Perhaps the prospective patient and family need to know what their role is and where the boundries lie because it appears from these posts here that they are absolutely clueless! :uhoh21:
Acouple places I have worked have had birth educators who tell the couples to bring food/candy/coffee/lotion,etc for the nurses. It was great! One couple even brought in a big container of coffee and bagels. What a treat!
I had a patient one night last week ask me to warm his food. I explained to him that I would warm his food as soon as I finished making my initial rounds for the night. I also added that if he could not wait, that he could call the desk and ask if someone else could warm his food. Once I returned to his room he asked me if he could ask a personal question. That personal question was "Are you a racist?" I simply answered no and left it at that.
I mean come on, what kind of question was that just because I did not warm his food right when he wanted it done. He was the type patient that stayed on the call light all night (at least every 10 minutes) wanting something for pain, nausea, etc. I finally said to him, "you are going to have to lay off the horn!" I will be in here every hour to check on you and if you need something let me know then. By the way he was stable until q4hrs rolled around.
I just found out that all staff have been scheduled for mandatory meetings concerning (huge, great, big sigh):CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
I'm thinking I'm going to have a few things to say at this meeting:D
I work for the new york city public hospital corporation and they have spent millions of dollars on this mandatory customer services classes for every employee. My feeling is I am not here to deal with customers or provider customer service. I was hired to provide patient care to pt's/clients in need of healthcare. After their round of three sessions of customer service signs were put up throughout the building for pt's to complain if they were disatified with their service in anyway. Needless to say that I had a patient go to the administrator and complain about me. Her gripe was that her medicaid card paid for all health care worker to recieve classes in spanish, further she heard on the spanish news station that all nurses in the state of new york had to speak spanish, further that it is the law. Now I speak fluent spanish however I am not of latin background. However further in her complaint she stated that my pronouciation was horrible and that administration had better straighten out the matter. Now get this administration had the nerve to call me down because according to corporate policy all complaints by customers are taken seriously. In this impromtu meeting I addressed administration sternly as follows:
1. medicaid is a free service given to the underprevildged by the working taxpayer
2. I don't have to speak spanish for anyone and when I do Iam doing the client and the facility a favor
3. why did you not educate the client to the fact that there is no such law in america and that medicaid pays for no such classes
4. Lastly but not least if I ever see this ridiculous complaint in my employee file or any where else on paper I would sue the corporation and firmly state that this meeting is over. As I walked out they were in shock.
5. I then had my lawyer who is also my brother place a call to the administrator about filing harrasement charges if the ridiculousness of this complaint went any further.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
I work for the new york city public hospital corporation and they have spent millions of dollars on this mandatory customer services classes for every employee. My feeling is I am not here to deal with customers or provider customer service. I was hired to provide patient care to pt's/clients in need of healthcare. After their round of three sessions of customer service signs were put up throughout the building for pt's to complain if they were disatified with their service in anyway. Needless to say that I had a patient go to the administrator and complain about me. Her gripe was that her medicaid card paid for all health care worker to recieve classes in spanish, further she heard on the spanish news station that all nurses in the state of new york had to speak spanish, further that it is the law. Now I speak fluent spanish however I am not of latin background. However further in her complaint she stated that my pronouciation was horrible and that administration had better straighten out the matter. Now get this administration had the nerve to call me down because according to corporate policy all complaints by customers are taken seriously. In this impromtu meeting I addressed administration sternly as follows:
1. medicaid is a free service given to the underprevildged by the working taxpayer
2. I don't have to speak spanish for anyone and when I do Iam doing the client and the facility a favor
3. why did you not educate the client to the fact that there is no such law in america and that medicaid pays for no such classes
4. Lastly but not least if I ever see this ridiculous complaint in my employee file or any where else on paper I would sue the corporation and firmly state that this meeting is over. As I walked out they were in shock.
5. I then had my lawyer who is also my brother place a call to the administrator about filing harrasement charges if the ridiculousness of this complaint went any further.
So much for customer service
NY you say? I will be sure to stay FAR away.....
I am shocked at the sense of entitlement people have......even more by those who emigrate here who behave this way. Is there any veracity to her story about what she heard on Spanish channels?
Good for you, fighting the insanity. My hat is off to you. Too bad you had to go to such extremes.
I work for the new york city public hospital corporation and they have spent millions of dollars on this mandatory customer services classes for every employee. My feeling is I am not here to deal with customers or provider customer service. I was hired to provide patient care to pt's/clients in need of healthcare. After their round of three sessions of customer service signs were put up throughout the building for pt's to complain if they were disatified with their service in anyway. Needless to say that I had a patient go to the administrator and complain about me. Her gripe was that her medicaid card paid for all health care worker to recieve classes in spanish, further she heard on the spanish news station that all nurses in the state of new york had to speak spanish, further that it is the law. Now I speak fluent spanish however I am not of latin background. However further in her complaint she stated that my pronouciation was horrible and that administration had better straighten out the matter. Now get this administration had the nerve to call me down because according to corporate policy all complaints by customers are taken seriously. In this impromtu meeting I addressed administration sternly as follows:
1. medicaid is a free service given to the underprevildged by the working taxpayer
2. I don't have to speak spanish for anyone and when I do Iam doing the client and the facility a favor
3. why did you not educate the client to the fact that there is no such law in america and that medicaid pays for no such classes
4. Lastly but not least if I ever see this ridiculous complaint in my employee file or any where else on paper I would sue the corporation and firmly state that this meeting is over. As I walked out they were in shock.
5. I then had my lawyer who is also my brother place a call to the administrator about filing harrasement charges if the ridiculousness of this complaint went any further.
So much for customer service
I am in now way excusing either your administration or the City of New York, in their attitude. However, given the reduction in funds, and the vast number and competition among hospitals, in NYC, I am not surprised at the attitudes of both. No, there is no law, in NYS or NYC, that mandates Spanish for health care professionals. And no, Medicaid certainly does not pay for language classes. And it is not the patient's health care dollar but the taxpayers of NYS paying the cost of her health care. The approach of the adinistration was incorrect. Someone should have explained, to her, these facts, in a polite but firm tone. And thanked her for her input, while politely escorting her back to her room.
I learn to speak the P.R. dialect of Spanish. When i moved to Florida, it sometimes caused funny looks on patients faces, since most were from S.A.
and they spoke different dialects of Spanish. And while speaking Spanish was not a requirement of my position, it was helpful to my patients and myself, that I could speak and understand it.
Good for YOU! I applaud you for calling the police. Good outcome. I've had visitors threaten me with a gun (got arrested, was back before the end of my shift), a machete and scissors. I've seen a co-worker attacked by a "service dog" (You ever seen a service dog with a chain around it's neck and used as a leash?) that the patient's step-son sicced on him, and another coworker imprisoned in the patient's room against her will by the same visitor and dog. (The stepson didn't want any "Fag" taking care of "Pa", so attacked the male nurse who was assigned to the patient and dragged a female nurse into the room and away from her patients.) No charges were pressed. No consequences to the visitors. I don't understand why hospitals don't value their professional staff enough to support them, and to protect them from this sort of nonsense!
Ruby
this is ludicris I would have called the cops pressed charges myself and pressued the hospital for aided and abbedding in a criminal act or conspiracy or something
I work for the new york city public hospital corporation and they have spent millions of dollars on this mandatory customer services classes for every employee. My feeling is I am not here to deal with customers or provider customer service. I was hired to provide patient care to pt's/clients in need of healthcare. After their round of three sessions of customer service signs were put up throughout the building for pt's to complain if they were disatified with their service in anyway. Needless to say that I had a patient go to the administrator and complain about me. Her gripe was that her medicaid card paid for all health care worker to recieve classes in spanish, further she heard on the spanish news station that all nurses in the state of new york had to speak spanish, further that it is the law. Now I speak fluent spanish however I am not of latin background. However further in her complaint she stated that my pronouciation was horrible and that administration had better straighten out the matter. Now get this administration had the nerve to call me down because according to corporate policy all complaints by customers are taken seriously. In this impromtu meeting I addressed administration sternly as follows:
1. medicaid is a free service given to the underprevildged by the working taxpayer
2. I don't have to speak spanish for anyone and when I do Iam doing the client and the facility a favor
3. why did you not educate the client to the fact that there is no such law in america and that medicaid pays for no such classes
4. Lastly but not least if I ever see this ridiculous complaint in my employee file or any where else on paper I would sue the corporation and firmly state that this meeting is over. As I walked out they were in shock.
5. I then had my lawyer who is also my brother place a call to the administrator about filing harrasement charges if the ridiculousness of this complaint went any further.
So much for customer service
Perfect example of where sanity and reason have entirely left the building.
Having a policy that takes every complaint seriously no matter how inane and addressing every ridiculous complaint with employees, is sheer stupidity at its finest. :angryfire
After reading alot of these posts, I believe this customer service nonsense is becoming another excuse to allow nurses to be abused on the job by patients & their families and provide our employers the excuse to harass us. "If you are dissatisfied in any way" no matter how ludicrous please complain so we can berate our employees.
Was this woman serious in her complaint or was she filing out a form to be an @$$?
I had a patient one night last week ask me to warm his food. I explained to him that I would warm his food as soon as I finished making my initial rounds for the night. I also added that if he could not wait, that he could call the desk and ask if someone else could warm his food. Once I returned to his room he asked me if he could ask a personal question. That personal question was "Are you a racist?" I simply answered no and left it at that.
I mean come on, what kind of question was that just because I did not warm his food right when he wanted it done. He was the type patient that stayed on the call light all night (at least every 10 minutes) wanting something for pain, nausea, etc. I finally said to him, "you are going to have to lay off the horn!" I will be in here every hour to check on you and if you need something let me know then. By the way he was stable until q4hrs rolled around.
You know, I was hospitalized for 6 weeks for PTL, and I used the call light exactly twice. Once when the nurse was over an hour late with the terb., (and I was starting to contract) b/c she was in a c-section (but couldn't someone else have just brought it to me?) and once when my water broke. What is *with* people being so selfish and not realizing that they are not the only patient?
Shannon
Edited to say I forgot about my 2nd labor when I was probably on the call light every 5 minutes for about 6 hrs. begging the nurse to have the dr. come in and take out my cerclage--but I was basically incoherent and irrational from the pain, and I hope she realized! Once I got my epidural I became a reasonable human being again!
jkaee
423 Posts
:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
The way my mood has been towards family members lately, I probably would have said that (right before going to the unemployment agency).