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I think the catering to the families is what will ultimatley be my exit from this profession. It drives me absolutely bonkers.

Yeah when I was an LPN and worked in peds, in an inner city clinic I had a mom who was 16 bring her 12 month old in for his check up...grandma came too, with her newborn for the newborn's check up. Wow. Wowie wow wow wow.

What saddens me is that the younger moms, the single moms, the moms in poverty are the ones who look the oldest, and the most weary and are actually the lower maintenance of my patients. The ones who actually are somewhat more grateful than the suburban mothers who fancy themselves "empowered" and demand this and that, and hate everyone wearing scrubs because it's OUR fault she had to have a stat section and we didn't follow she and her husband's 4 paged detailed birth plan. But that's a different tirade entirely. One seasoned nurse merely smiled and said to me "welcome to (my hospital) birth center...you understand now...you are now one of us!"

I can give an awesome IM injection in the middle of mass chaos, with six security guards on top of the patient

I can insert anything into anywhere with my eyes closed. IVs, catheters, NGs. I'm the gal they call for difficult IV starts -- I've always had a knack for them even when I was a new grad, do I ended up being asked to do lots and now it's one of those things I'm known for being able to do.

I've said it before and I'll say it again that healthcare facilities are intended for patient care. Healthcare facilities are not intended for customer service, regardless of what hospital administrators would like the public to believe. Before anyone disputes what I have to say, I'll describe the differences between patient care and customer service below, so continue reading to see my viewpoints.

The chef at the Hilton will provide excellent customer service by preparing a steak and baked potato covered with artery-clogging butter for the coronary heart disease patient. The pastry chef at the Ritz-Carlton will display excellent customer service by baking a sugary red velvet cake for the morbidly obese diabetic patient. The bellhop at the Holiday Inn will provide excellent customer service by walking the COPD patient to a patio where (s)he can smoke.

As long as customers are paying for the services to be rendered, employees in the hotel, hospitality, and tourism industry will do these things for the sake of great customer service. After all, it is all about the almighty dollar bill. Moreover, they want the 'paying customer' to return someday. Thank you! Come again!

However, healthcare workers should not be forced to kiss the butts of unruly visitors who purposely behave like animals and verbally abusive patients who use staff as personal verbal punching bags. Hospitals, nursing homes, and other types of healthcare facilities have turned into Burger King restaurants where 'customers' can have it their way.

I know it was your 4th night shift in a row, but sorry that I was 10 minutes late for report, better than my usual 15 minutes.

"Lady, I didn't invent the call light, I just manufacture them!"

In prevention of "work place violence," more and more nurses on turning to the "on-the-street" approach.

"Hey lady! What I said was that have a great looking VOLVO!"

I just asked her if she wanted to switch shifts with me this weekend.

"Shift change was the worst time to announce we're from The Joint Commission..."

When a new mother has been waiting days/weeks to hold her new baby for the first time, and I get to be the person who puts him/her in her arms.

Or finding the pretty, colorful, soft blankets that haven't been washed for the 100th time, to make my beds. That really makes my night.

Who are these "know it all" nurses that frequent this forum? Are you here just to drive me crazy? I hate that we are no longer allowed to vent about our bad day or complain about annoying patients. Heaven forbid we say something negative or we will be labeled as "heartless" and "unprofessional." Are these people who know everything really nurses? Do they really deal with the public day in and day out like I do?

Sometimes patients need to be put in their place. That doesn't make me a bad nurse for telling them so. Yes I do have negative thoughts about my non compliant patient who doesn't have insurance and frequents my hospital 4 times a week for the same thing. Yes, getting your prescription filled and taking your medicine would save everyone a lot of time and headache... Whoops maybe I shouldn't have said that... that makes me a "complainer" and "uncaring." I guess I AM "what is wrong with nursing today."

And heaven forbid I wear my Tom and Jerry scrub top to work.. That makes me "brainless."

I bet now I will be labeled "cruel" or "harsh" for starting this "hateful" thread.

Oh and I better not use too many smileys!!

Tiger