Patients are angry in Nevada, how do I respond?

U.S.A. Nevada

Published

I posted a message "Please come and sign our petition to lower the patient-to-nurse ratio" in the Las Vegas Review Journal's (Las Vegas Newspaper) message board.

I am getting some bad feedback from the local people here:

That would require that some patients get absolutely NO nursing care or denied admittance to hospitals! Should we send the patients to California? I don't think so. Nope, I would never sign such a petition to give my fellow Las Vegans no nursing care at all.

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I found that the nurse on duty was responsible for , not 4 rooms like I expected, but 20 double occupancy rooms . Needless to say I was a bit angery.

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Obviously, the hospitals are trying to get R.N.'s. Either there aren't any to hire or they plain out don't want to work. I believe it is referred to as a nursing shortage. huh?

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Nursing is a sham most of the time. Many of the nurses do little more than sit at a little desk and work on paperwork.

Having had numerous encounters with them over the last few years, I have become somewhat of an expert. Don't ask for anything that takes up their time. My dad requested a sponge bath after being there nearly a week. He was nearly laughed out of the hospital. They don't do that.

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They educate the family members on where ice can be found and where the necessities are. After that, the patient is on their own. The nurse will show up for medications or to check vitals..nothing more. Don't ask for an extra pillow or blanket. That is out of the question. Patient load..if that is the problem, should be looked at. The nurses today have the same attitude as flight attendants..Don't bother me, I am too d**n busy

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This is only part of their responses. I think we are looked upon like we are lazy. Do you believe it? I know for myself that I work my but off and hardly ever stop more than 10 minutes in a 12 hour shift to eat. If anyone is interested in responding to some of their complaints, go to:

http://www.reviewjournal.com/messageboards/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=locals;action=display;num=1041709789

I think you have to sign up for the eforum. It's under locals.

Thanks,

Nurse Nevada

Actually, if that's the way they feel, let 'em stew in their own juice.

There was another thread somewhere, and I did sign the petition regarding this issue, as did many other nurses from different states but who wanted to show their support.

Specializes in CVOR,CNOR,NEURO,TRAUMA,TRANSPLANTS.

Im in the process of writting a lovely blistering report.

Zoe

Interesting enough most of these comment probably arise from the nurse's reality. The nurse does not come when I call so the nurse must be lazy. The nurse is sitting at desk doing paper work because the nurse is avoiding patient contact. It would never dawn on people that the nurse does come when they call because the nurse has 12 patients or that the nurse might be overburdened with paper work that is why they always seem to be doing paperwork.

It just makes me so sad to see what people think about nurses and the jobs we do, and people wonder why I carry a soapbox around, to answer the question "Gosh, you're going to be a nurse? Why didn't you become a doctor?" :(

I constantly tell people not to trip on it.....:)

However, I signed Nevada, I hope this brings results for all nurses in your state. We are beginning to see the changes taking place here in CA, as hospitals try and prepare to decrease the ratios....we'll have to see how it goes. Best of luck!

Specializes in CVOR,CNOR,NEURO,TRAUMA,TRANSPLANTS.

This is my tad of a note:

Im so shocked when better healthcare is available it is shunned. How can that be?

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I totally understand that the nurses, everywhere, are overworked. However, how in the world will it help give patients the care that they deserve by lowering the nurse-patient ratio? mathmatically, that would require that some patients get absolutely NO nursing care or denied admittance

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Im not sure how you came about that statistic but If you factor in a case load of 10 patients to one Nurse, against 4 patient to one Nurse, the patient care would be to standard and not SUBSTANDARD as it is now. If you sign or not is of your own record and you have that right but I do hope you understand when its your turn for proper and standard health care and its not there you agreed to the healthcare you recieved.

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Nursing is a sham most of the time. Many of the nurses do little more than sit at a little desk and work on paperwork.

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Thank Medicare for that!!!!

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Having had numerous encounters with them over the last few years, I have become somewhat of an expert. Don't ask for anything that takes up their time. My dad requested a sponge bath after being there nearly a week.

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Well Im sorry that your father got such poor treatment as you stated.. Yes a bath is a function of the ADL's, and with all the family around Im surprised he went a week without a bath. For that Im sorry for him.

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They educate the family members on where ice can be found and where the necessities are. After that, the patient is on their own. The nurse will show up for medications or to check vitals..nothing more. Don't ask for an extra pillow or blanket. That is out of the question.

****Answer

Thats because we have 10 other patients with the same aquity or more aquity that have other family memembers with them that need thier medications and thier ADL's completed as well. If the patient load was at a smaller ratio I would be more than glad to get you a blanket ,fluff your pillow and get your ice for you.

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Patient load..if that is the problem, should be looked at. The nurses today have the same attitude as flight attendants..lDon't bother me, I am too d**n busy

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Unlike a flight attendant I didnt get a raise and I do not get benefits that give me time off and as flight attenfants each and every patient and (passenger) is My responsibilty and we Do want you to go home safely.

I do hope that the seriousness of this strikes home to those that care what thier health care will be in 5 years when the Baby Boomers leave. What will you do when the patient loads are 20 to one and you have to treat yourself and pray that everything is ok.

Zoe

Well, it is interesting to see how people view nurses. I personally feel bad when I don't have the to adequately assess a patient or to spend time with the patient.

Nurses need to speak up more.

The work load is too heavy at times and there is too much criticism from the public regarding nurses.

~ sigh ~

I've heard patients say the same. I started my new job at a local hospital here. Some patients have nothing but good things to say, some have all bad. While I was interviewing one patient in the room, his call light was on the entire time I was there. No one called or came to answer it the 15 minutes I was there. Why didn't I do something, you ask? He wanted one of his prn medications for pruritis. After I finished the interview, I went back to the nurses station planning to ask his assigned nurse to answer his light, HOWEVER, she had just received a new admission from ICU and the charge nurse was trying to figure out how to tell her she was going to get three more.

What a mess.

Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.

These replies got me so mad that I registered and replied. Is this what they really think of nurses? I guess the social bias is a bigger problem than I thought. Thanks for the link- it was an eye-opener!

Thanks Zoe,

I read what you said, I appreciate your help. I've been typing all morning. It's all just so SAD!!:o :o

I appreciate all your hard work at answering them. I'm trying to get the Nevadians to wake up and I'm getting a lot of response now. Every effort by others is so greatly appreciated, I can't tell you.

:kiss :kiss :kiss :kiss

Nurse Nevada

Specializes in CVOR,CNOR,NEURO,TRAUMA,TRANSPLANTS.

The one lady just killed me.... the MA that almost graduated RN school. I tasted a tad of bitterness in her post. And sadly I did say something to her in a harsh affect but my post was too long and since you had already touched her a bit on the subject I deleted it.

Im always there for a fellow nurse... I will stand beside you always I will never walk on you.

Zoe

Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

I signed it too Nevada....

Looking at the responses on the web board I wanted to cry.

How else can we drive it home that NURSES are a NECESSITY! When will it become a fact that pillow fluffing, ice fetching, and sponge bathing "Daddy" (who just walked the length of the hall and was sitting at the window drinking a Coke) are NOT what a NURSE is all about?

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