a little stupid incident with a patient ..

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Hello fellow nurses :shy:

I had an incident with a patient :unsure: ..it's nothing big at all

he called me and asked asked me to "fix his mobile phone" which I did and when I asked him if he needed anything else he said nope and that was the only thing that he wanted but he couldn't tell the 3 different doctors who showed up to do that because it would annoy them and doctors are busy saving lives and he shouldn't bug them with stupid requests ..

I didn't react or anything but I feel bad about it

not about helping him but about him feeling that it's okay to make me go to his room to do something which he could have asked anyone of the 3 guys who went to his room to do it...

am I overreacting ? I mean fixing a mobile phone is neither my job or their job sooo whoever did it would be okay or is he thinking of a nurse as a personal servant?

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That would annoy me too a little, but maybe he realized although it wasn't your job either, you were the kindest and most likely to help. :)

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Specializes in Hematology-oncology.

Generally, people ask the ones they feel comfortable with for help first. Take it as a complement! :)

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you made me feel better about the whole thing thing

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Doctors vs. nurses....:sleep:

FWIW I have seen a number of physicians attend to some minor personal matter such as the situation you describe. But they can't and don't if the patient doesn't ask.

But, this has nothing to do with them. If it's important to you that your patient make a distinction about what you're there for, go ahead and kindly say something like, "Oh, I'm right in the middle of helping with an urgent matter but I wanted to make sure you were okay. I can come back to take a look at your phone but right now I need to attend to that. "

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

I have pts ask me to do little stuff all the time (get on wi-fi, tv channel guide) I don't mind. Maybe only when one called me to the room because they couldn't figure out their "4 pics, one word"

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Specializes in PICU.

Actually, OP, I think that the patient probably viewed the MDs as just there to "save patients". I don't think it should be taken in a negative way. Many patients sometimes see the MDs as in and out and not caring about the smaller things that really can make a difference. He probably thought, I bet my Nurse would know.. he may have been embarassed that he needed some help with something and though you were someone he could trust.

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Think about it from this perspective. That phone may be the difference of him reaching out to those he needs for comfort. If the patients pillow was on the floor and you were the first he asked, would you help him out or grab a CNA? You aren't there to just pass meds and make sure he's safe. Your there to care for and provide comfort at a time where the patient is stuck in A place they likely aren't comfortable. As noted earlier, he asked you because he is comfortable with your help and it is absolutely a compliment.

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

We had a guy come in from the ED, his phone was dead and, like the rest of us, did not remember anyone's phone numbers. He had dogs at home alone. We couldn't find him a charger fast enough!!!! I would have gone to his house and taken care of them myself.

I feel there are very few pts that take advantage. I have to live my life that way. I work F/S/S so I spend 3 days with most of my pts. You build a relationship with many of them. It's part of nursing that I love.

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If the patients pillow was on the floor and you were the first he asked, would you help him out or grab a CNA? You aren't there to just pass meds and make sure he's safe. Your there to care for and provide comfort at a time where the patient is stuck in A place they likely aren't comfortable. As noted earlier, he asked you because he is comfortable with your help and it is absolutely a compliment.

of course I'd grab the pillow...it's not about the act of fixing the phone for me

my problem was that...if something is neither my job or the doctor's job and is an act of kindness he could have asked either

why did he pass the 3 docs and chose me

it's either I'm nice and he trust me

or

that he didn't want to bother the doctors and thought that I have nothing better to do...

him talking about how the doctors should be busy made me feel a little bad...

He probably thought, I bet my Nurse would know.. he may have been embarassed that he needed some help with something and though you were someone he could trust.

Thanks

I'm not a meanie ...I absulotly don't mind the small stuff that can make a difference

The only times I would refuse to do something like that is if I was busy with more urgent matters :x3: it's that my patient chose me over the 3 doctors that's all ...

thanks guys for your opinions

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