Not a waitress or barista

[noyesno]

Annoyed at the growing number of patients/patient family members who think nurses double as waitresses and/or baristas.

This week, I got asked:

"What's the soup of the day?"

"Can I have some tea? Two bags please and the hot water from the coffee maker is not hot enough so heat it up in the microwave for two minutes. The tea cannot seep in warm water it must be hot." Another family member shouts out, "while you're at it, can I have a glass of ice water? Extra ice please."

Anyone else getting these kinds of requests? I don't mind it occasionally but it seems like everyone wants something and the time I spend fulfilling these requests really adds up.

If they want to treat us like waitresses, we should AT LEAST get tips.

[PintheD]

A little off topic but...Years ago I witnessed an attending come into the nurses station and ask "who's responsible for making the coffee here?". Another nurse says "Oh doctor, I'll get you some coffee. How would you like it?". She returns with his coffee with sugar and milk, placed on a napkin, and hands it to him saying "can I get you anything else doctor?". I'm furious and ask her what is up with the maid servant routine? It was then she told me that before she gave the good doctor his coffee she took one blond hair from her head and laid it, very obviously, over the rim of the cup. Genius!! He never knew if the hair was intentional or not...

Moral of the story? Be careful what you (with an entitled demeanor) ask for!

[DizzyLizzyNurse]

I recently had a son of a patient who wanted us to look up cheap hotels for him to compare prices while he was visiting his father. He also wanted free meals. Did I mention he was a lawyer who came in wearing expensive suits?

I forgot to mention he threatened to sue a few times. Ugh.

[Lovely_RN, MSN]

Amen! Yes these NYC pts are rude to the point of ridiculousness at times.

Got a phone call for another nurse's pt and foolishly went to the pts room to bring him to the nurse's station. Walk into the room: Pt shoves his bedside table in my direction and says "Get the dishes!" No hello no nothing. I'm shocked (shouldn't be at this point but I digress) and say huh? He repeats and pushes the table into my mid-section: GET THE DISHES! I shove the table back at thim ( didn't touch him with it btw but I guess there goes my press-gainey score ) and I tell him he has a phone call at the nurse's station....give him a seriously nasty look, leave the tray, and walk out of the room. Wish I could have dumped the entire thing onto his head though.

I get responses like this all the time, here in NY. People are really rude. I had this one guy, in his 40's, son of the patient I was taking care of ask me for a cup of gingerale. He must have asked for three refills within the hour, and finally I said to him, "Are you familiar with our cafeteria??" He replied, "Yes, but I don't have any money." Who's fault is that??? What do you think this is, a homeless shelter?? I felt like giving him a frigen dollar so he could go buy a gingerale and stop bugging me every five minutes...

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

I forgot to mention he threatened to sue a few times. Ugh.

My reply to that is "Go ahead," or "That is your right." Take that threat off the table fast, and stick to the boundaries you've already established. Let them know you are not a pushover in real life, or in court.

Let your charge nurse know, and she can find an emergency somewhere that they need you, and only you, (because you are so skilled!) and let the situation cool off.

The real jerks will threaten EVERYONE with a suit if you give in once. If everyone charts the statement and situations, the jerkiness will be obvious from the chart.