Nasty family trying to pull the VIP card

Published

The other day an elderly gentleman is wheeled into the triage arena c/o urinary retention. He is jumping out of his skin, very distressed and in pain. My 2ndary triage nurse says I am going to take him back and put the foley in right now. Triage was fine and our docs have no problem with our suggestions for issues like this. Anyway, our policy is to allow only one visitor back until the Doc sees the patient. Mainly, because of the space constraints in the rooms with so many people in the room. (Doc, registration at the bedside, nursing, and a family member) So we say to the daughter that she will have to wait in the triage area and will beable to go right back after the doc sees her dad. She starts throwing a fit. I say to her, mamam, it's our policy and actually they are going to catheterize you father asap and it would be best that you are not in the room @ that time. She continues to protest....marches into security office right off of triage and demands that they call the head of security (her personal friend)...next thing ya know, a security guard is escorting her into the ED arena....until I stopped him and asked what he was doing. (I did the triage nazi thing and stopped him in his tracks, refused entry) She began yelling and screaming in the traige arena....I'm a VIP here...(She works in housekeeping)>>>>If I'm not a VIP in the ER and I actually work there, there is noway in H#ll she's a vip in housekeeping on OB. Within 15 minutes she was back sitting with her father who was much releived after his bladder was emptied....he proceeded to chastize his daughter for her behavior and told her....Do not treat these nurses the way you just did ever again. Why in h#ll would I want you back here while I'm getting cathed.....lol...love it....she apologized...but I got to tell ya....There are reasons for rules in the ER....!!!!! Oh by the way...I called the head of security and told him he has no authority to over-ride ED rules....

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Specializes in Home Health Care.

Good for the pt to stick up for you! The daughter was obviously panicked (but way out of line). To bad the security got on a power trip instead of calmly redirecting the daughter. I enjoyed reading your story!

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Specializes in Emergency Dept, M/S.

VIP??? Is she SERIOUS??? The only time we've ever been close to having a VIP, was when Secret Service came to inspect our ED and develop an emergency "plan" when Hillary Clinton was coming to speak in town. If you have Secret Service, you're a VIP!

I'm glad the father said something. Hopefully she'll realize what an a$$ she was being.

And I hate to say it, but in these times, she should feel (as we all should) fortunate to have that job, and shouldn't be making those kind of statements or accusations, cuz you never know what upper management might think of her actions, especially in front of other patients, even if she was off-the-clock.

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Specializes in PICU/NICU.

VIP....:chuckle I love it!! I wanna be a VIP too!! Maybe the surgeon will let her hold some instruments if her family member needs surgery!

Why does anyone think they are more important than anyone else in that ER????? I hope she feels like a complete a$$......... because she was!!

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Specializes in ER.

I hate the, "Do you know who I am?" crap. When ever a pt or family member uses it I just tell them that in the ER everyone that is breathing is equal. If you stop breathing you are now a VIP.

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Specializes in Cardiac, ER.

You go girl!! :yeah::bowingpur:thankya:

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Specializes in ER.

We have jackets that were given to ER and EMS personel a few years ago. From time to time we will have someone (that somehow got a hold of one of those jackets) wear them in. Seriously, I work here, don't you think I would KNOW if you were one of my co-workers??? Besides, none of my co-workers would come in with that complaint! LOL

I also LOVE those that wear their scrubs in, as if I am actually going to say "Oh you are in the medical field? You go to the front of the line!"

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I hate the, "Do you know who I am?" crap. When ever a pt or family member uses it I just tell them that in the ER everyone that is breathing is equal. If you stop breathing you are now a VIP.

I agree. I totally do not believe in VIP status. I dont know who came up with that genious idea. We are all equal. I dont care what you do for a living or who you know. Everyone deserves the same level of care.

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Specializes in ED, Tele, Med/surg, Psych, correctional.

How about the ones that accompany their family member/friend in the triage booth in street clothes wearing their hospital badge? Like knowing you're an employee is going to make me treat your uncle's toenail fungus any more urgently. What a joke.

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Specializes in Nurse Anesthesia, ICU, ED.
How about the ones that accompany their family member/friend in the triage booth in street clothes wearing their hospital badge? Like knowing you're an employee is going to make me treat your uncle's toenail fungus any more urgently. What a joke.

Even better, is when they start helping themselves to blankets, drinks and food, walking through the station...

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Specializes in MR.

"when they start helping themselves to blankets"

Ok I'm guilty of this- just did it Friday when I took my daughter to the ER. She was laying on a litter, visably shivering, & the nurse gave her a SHEET. I asked for a blanket, nurse disappeared, n did not come back. So I got her a blanket! The nurse was sitting @ a computer playing a game! :banghead: I told her to add it to my bill.

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Specializes in ER.

Go for it, get a blanket, even two, because they are thin and feel so good warmed up.

When someone gets past 5 blankets, and the ones they have are kind of scrunched up every time I turn back to the bed, that's starting to make me cranky. Asking for a fresh one every 30 minutes gets old fast.

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