It's a Hospital, Not a Hotel (Gripe)

nursejennie76 · Jul 31, 2005

I I had a dollar for everytime an ER patient told me they had not eaten all day I would be rich!!!!!!! They are hungry because they sat in the waiting room for six hours on monday afternoon for the sore throat they had had for a week, this could have been taken care of at there doctors office and there would have been plenty of time for a meal!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Peaches N L&D · Jul 31, 2005

exactly right. You are NO one's doormat. You can be assertive and firm in your response to unreasonable requests. Every nurse runs into times when he or she must set limits. You are there now. Be firm, but be professional.
and feel free to gripe HERE anytime you want. Glad to listen. :)

I think I need a class in professionalism, because I find myself loosing it often with thoughts of now how could I have done this or said this better?

SmilingBluEyes · Jul 31, 2005

We all go thru that Peaches. Don't feel alone. live and learn.

live4today, RN · Jul 31, 2005

Guess I wasn't clear..the percocet request was for a visitor, not the patient. Can you stand it?.............................................

Whaaaa??? :eek: In that case, I would have told them to see their personal physician for prescription meds because that is not within your scope of practice to medicate people without a doctor's order specifically for that person. :rolleyes:

jkaee · Jul 31, 2005

I think I need a class in professionalism, because I find myself loosing it often with thoughts of now how could I have done this or said this better?

Well, maybe we can take a class together, because I "lost it" on a family tonight...and quite frankly, I don't feel bad about it one little bit.

I work 12 hr shifts, and for my last 4 hours (3p-7p) I was floated to another assignment. The poor day shift nurse had a day from h*ll, and had an orientee on top of that. There was a lot happening and a lot that I had to follow up on.

Then comes "The family"....

First, they wanted to know "what was wrong with mom (wife)". Well, we are an acute rehab, she's 70-some years old, she had therapy....she's tired, maybe? And while the said family members were going on about how she's not right, my dear patient opens her eyes and says, "I'm tired." Not to mention that she has a G tube, PICC line with TPN running....she's got a lot going on with her. Went over the vital signs with the family....all stable. Talk for a little bit, and go on my way.

Then all (and I mean all) the staff get slammed by this family because it's too "stuffy" in mom's room and that just can't be healthy for her. Look! There's hot air coming from the vent!! Do you feel it, do you feel it??!! No, put your hand up higher (I'm only 5'2"). Higher! Don't tell me you can't feel that? You need to do something. We should have to be policemen and watch everything you do? What would have happened if we didn't come in tonight to see her? (Well, I imagine she would've poached herself like an egg :uhoh3: ) No, I don't want maintainence called, do something yourself....

Well, after going thru this with 2 nurses, 2 techs and our house super, they decided to hunt me down while I was in the hallway and start yelling "WHY do we have to be policemen?? Why isn't maintainence here? Where are they? What's the matter with you people?" Then, what really made me lose it was when her dear, demented daughter looked at me and said, "I guess I'm just going to have to pay my friend to come in her and stay with my mother and watch you guys." I just turned around, threw my hands up and said "Go right ahead" as I walked away from them. I just couldn't handle it anymore....esp when I had patients that really needed my NURSING help.

Ahh, feels good to vent! I'll have them tomorrow for 4 hours, too. Hope they don't come in, because I'm still angry about it!

ValerieB · Jul 31, 2005

Don't we all have those days? I think it's good to be able to just get it off your chest like this from time to time. I often leave notes for my nurse manager when I've had some especially demanding, rude, and dissatisfied people just to give her a "heads up" that there may be some negative feedback coming to her. (The ones who are especially demanding are the ones most likely to be dissatisfied because I won't feed the entire family or whatever)
On another thread, I posted that a nurse I was orienting had one of those families. They insisted we feed them, when we didn't, they went through our patient snack kitchen like a swarm of locusts. We encourage labor coaches to help themselves to ice, juice, and other snacks for themselves and the patient. It's unusual for them to take over so much.
After the delivery, the FOB took a shower and came out into the labor room wearing nothing but a towel. I don't know about your hospital's towels, but ours are pretty small! We all decided he must not have had much to hide anyway. When the nurse suggested he get dressed, he said his clothes were dirty, held them out to her, and told her to get them cleaned for him. She gave him a plastic patient belongings bag and suggested he give them to his family.
Some people...

You have got to be kidding me with the towel and wanting his clothes cleaned? At our hospital we have to attend mandatory customer service meetings annually. They are two hours long and if we don't go, we are suspended. I can see being respectful and just plain nice to all of our "guests", but if they are unhappy like some of the people you have just mentioned, if they don't come back trust me we'll get people in those beds who look just like them. We seem to never have a shortage of patients these days.

camay1221_RN · Jul 31, 2005

I have to shake my head at some of the things all of you have mentioned about unreasonable pt requests and their families requests.

Has anyone had the 'pleasure' of sitting down and reading some of the replies on their Press Ganey Surveys? Oh my goodness, I can't believe people have the audacity to complain about.

These are some of the goodies I recently had the pleasure of laughing at:

"None of the nursed paid any attention to my husband. He had to ask for his own pillow and blanket to sleep on that awful pull out bed." Okay, who was the pt here?!?

"There should be refreshments available for family members and meals for the father of the baby." Can you say vending machine or cafeteria?

"I wasn't able to keep the baby with me at all times like I was told." Written by someone the woman who delivered at 34 weeks gestation and her baby was in the Level II Nursery.

You know, there are times I just don't think we can win!

ali_gator · Jul 31, 2005

I'm not a nurse yet, but I must comment. Even before I decided to become a nurse, I NEVER regarded nurses as handmaidens or servants. I saw them as serious healthcare professionals who deserve respect! I would never dream of "ordering" a nurse to make dinner for my kids, change my baby's diaper, or any of the other things you guys have mentioned. Where do some people get these ideas?

Being a primadonna myself, I'm sure I'll know how to politely communicate that I'm a healthcare professional, and not a handmaiden to those who have a misguided sense of entitlement.

Peaches N L&D · Jul 31, 2005

Well, maybe we can take a class together, because I "lost it" on a family tonight...and quite frankly, I don't feel bad about it one little bit.
I work 12 hr shifts, and for my last 4 hours (3p-7p) I was floated to another assignment. The poor day shift nurse had a day from h*ll, and had an orientee on top of that. There was a lot happening and a lot that I had to follow up on.
Then comes "The family"....
First, they wanted to know "what was wrong with mom (wife)". Well, we are an acute rehab, she's 70-some years old, she had therapy....she's tired, maybe? And while the said family members were going on about how she's not right, my dear patient opens her eyes and says, "I'm tired." Not to mention that she has a G tube, PICC line with TPN running....she's got a lot going on with her. Went over the vital signs with the family....all stable. Talk for a little bit, and go on my way.
Then all (and I mean all) the staff get slammed by this family because it's too "stuffy" in mom's room and that just can't be healthy for her. Look! There's hot air coming from the vent!! Do you feel it, do you feel it??!! No, put your hand up higher (I'm only 5'2"). Higher! Don't tell me you can't feel that? You need to do something. We should have to be policemen and watch everything you do? What would have happened if we didn't come in tonight to see her? (Well, I imagine she would've poached herself like an egg ) No, I don't want maintainence called, do something yourself....
Well, after going thru this with 2 nurses, 2 techs and our house super, they decided to hunt me down while I was in the hallway and start yelling "WHY do we have to be policemen?? Why isn't maintainence here? Where are they? What's the matter with you people?" Then, what really made me lose it was when her dear, demented daughter looked at me and said, "I guess I'm just going to have to pay my friend to come in her and stay with my mother and watch you guys." I just turned around, threw my hands up and said "Go right ahead" as I walked away from them. I just couldn't handle it anymore....esp when I had patients that really needed my NURSING help.
Ahh, feels good to vent! I'll have them tomorrow for 4 hours, too. Hope they don't come in, because I'm still angry about it!

Sounds like the whole family was demented, I give room to understand it's their family member their under stress, treat them like you would wnt to be treated (blah,blah,blah), but some pt/family seldom think we are people too we have a life and stresses at work and at home.....Anyways at least now your prepared you know you need extra patience with these folks, hope you have a better day today :)

rn/writer, RN · Jul 31, 2005

We're caught in a set up for some of this with all of the advances in the non-medical aspects of patient care. Private rooms with TVs, VCRs and DVD players; comfy fold-out furniture that encourages visitors to feel right at home; patient care coordinators who make rounds to ensure that everyone is happy; valet parking and concierge services; and patient dining that has morphed into the very hotel-like Room Service have all help to blur the lines between hospital and hospitality.

When I was a kid, private rooms were an expensive luxury, you had to pay extra for access to the shared TV, there was a charge for the phone, and having a family member stay overnight meant watching a nurse roll in a squeaky metal cot, if there was one available. Regarding food, you got to pick (the day before) between two entrees if you were lucky. Meals came at 7:00, 12:00 and 5:00 and had the look of the steam table even though they were quite possibly cold. Woe unto you if you weren't hungry at the appointed hour or if you were out of the room for tests. Microwaves existed but not to reheat patient food. Visiting hours were strictly enforced and limited to two or three people at a time. You rarely saw kids under 16 allowed on the floor. Nurses provided patient care, not customer service. Families and friends were welcome as long as they behaved themselves and didn't try to turn their loved one's stay into a production of, "It's All About Me and Mine."

Having been on both sides of the bedrail many times, I know customer service-type improvements have made a huge difference in patient comfort and security. But, corporate schmoozing aside, maybe we need to spell out a few things in the patient handbook.

This is a hospital, not a hotel.

Room service is a courtesy for the patient and one or two paying guests, not a trip to the "Load 'Em Up" buffet for the entire tribe.

We'll try to accommodate a few reasonable requests, but, despite the assurances of corporate bigwigs who are much more accustomed to getting service than giving it, you can wear out your welcome.

Miranda

DonnaRN · Jul 31, 2005

We're caught in a set up for some of this with all of the advances in the non-medical aspects of patient care. Private rooms with TVs, VCRs and DVD players; comfy fold-out furniture that encourages visitors to feel right at home; patient care coordinators who make rounds to ensure that everyone is happy; valet parking and concierge services; and patient dining that has morphed into the very hotel-like Room Service have all help to blur the lines between hospital and hospitality.
When I was a kid, private rooms were an expensive luxury, you had to pay extra for access to the shared TV, there was a charge for the phone, and having a family member stay overnight meant watching a nurse roll in a squeaky metal cot, if there was one available. Regarding food, you got to pick (the day before) between two entrees if you were lucky. Meals came at 7:00, 12:00 and 5:00 and had the look of the steam table even though they were quite possibly cold. Woe unto you if you weren't hungry at the appointed hour or if you were out of the room for tests. Microwaves existed but not to reheat patient food. Visiting hours were strictly enforced and limited to two or three people at a time. You rarely saw kids under 16 allowed on the floor. Nurses provided patient care, not customer service. Families and friends were welcome as long as they behaved themselves and didn't try to turn their loved one's stay into a production of, "It's All About Me and Mine."
Having been on both sides of the bedrail many times, I know customer service-type improvements have made a huge difference in patient comfort and security. But, corporate schmoozing aside, maybe we need to spell out a few things in the patient handbook.
This is a hospital, not a hotel.
Room service is a courtesy for the patient and one or two paying guests, not a trip to the "Load 'Em Up" buffet for the entire tribe.
We'll try to accommodate a few reasonable requests, but, despite the assurances of corporate bigwigs who are much more accustomed to getting service than giving it, you can wear out your welcome.
Miranda

Well said, Miranda. Bravo! :yeah:

BETSRN · Jul 31, 2005

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:here are my responses for you

"Go get us about eight or ten chairs so everybody can sit down in here."Those chairs are in other patients rooms for their visitors. I'm afraid we can't get those for you.

"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).I'm sorry, but food from our kitchen is for the patient. I can get him juice and crackers but that's all .He'll have to go out to get himself some food.

"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.")Our food is for our patients. I'm sorry I can't feed the kids, but I'm sure you understand.

"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."I'm sorry. We can't help you with that. Maybe someone can come and get you so you can accomplish your errands as you planned.

"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."I'll be glad to make the prints, however I have nothign to do with ordering the pictures. He'll have to talk with the pediatrician about paternity testing at a later date.

This, of course, all in addition to the usual "The baby's diaper needs to be changed,I'd lke to watch you change the diaper to make sure you're comfortable doing so.

" "Bring me another Percocet. Somebody here has a headache," Let me ask your visitors to step out of the room so i can properly assess your pain. "Take his blood pressure,"

and "He needs some scrubs to wear." I'm sorry but scrubs are only for the OR. If he feels he needs a change of clothes he'll have to either go home or have someone bring him some clothes.

Those are just samples of what I would say in similar situations.