"Your job is to make me happy"

jax777 · May 5, 2016

You gave correct answer. Helping to make a patient healthy isn't always a happy experience and in doing so, you can never please everyone :)

hwknrs, BSN · May 6, 2016

Yes I have been told that before. I just smile and say well actually I'm here to help you get better, teach you about your care, and do for you what you can't do for yourself. I don't see anything wrong with what you said. Pt was being disrespectful and needs to be reminded that nurses are educated professionals not hand maid servants

asmallangrycermet · May 11, 2016

I was taking care of a patient today who told me... "your job is to make me happy".
I was taken aback, but responded "my job is to make you healthy... healthy and happy, but healthy first"
I feel a bit guilty, and I feel that I shouldn't. I'm amazed that a patient would tell me that my job is to make them happy. Has anyone had an experience like this or offer any words of advice?

OP did this occur in America? Here's the thing about paying for healthcare, it gives people a sense of paying for a service or a product. I had a somewhat similar experience whilst working in the Middle East, people pay through the teeth for medical care and, therefore, expect services akin to those of a 5 star hotel (in saying that, the place basically WAS a 5 star hotel!!). I agree with you 100% that it's not your job to make them happy... but at the same time I can appreciate the sentiment of the patient. It's for exactly this reason that I LOVE working in countries where healthcare is covered by the government.

Klindse · May 22, 2016

I do believe as clinical staff we have to make patients happy. Not that it's our number one job but as "Healerforlife" said we have patient satisfaction now. I know at the hospital I'm at now, they have standards to make a patient comfortable in the hospital which basically leads to keeping a patient happy. I notice a lot of hospitals are now focusing on patient satisfaction more than they have in the past. It's our jobs as nurses to go out of our way for patients and "put on their shoes" which will raise that patient satisfaction. I don't believe a nurse should drive to get food for a patient of course, but if he needs anything that the nurse can do such as nursing duties we should do it.

Maevish, ASN, RN · May 25, 2016

Ask them after..."but did you die?":rolleyes:

xo

Ejscott · May 28, 2016

I once had a patient who told me "It's your job to wait on me hand and foot, so get me some coffee you f-ing b*tch!"

She was NPO & not quite with it. I told her my job was to keep her alive and no, I would not be getting her any coffee.

hewert · May 28, 2016

hmm....why was the patient unhappy to begin with?

LynnieH87 · May 30, 2016

I think you responded appropriately. When I worked in a nursing home, i had a very difficult resident on my wing who spoke like that to the staff, just because she knew we had to put up with it, and would ring her call bell about 100x a shift for everything from a cup of coffee to a PRN Benadryl (5 minutes after you left her room & asked her if she needed anything else). She also manipulated staff and tried to get staff members written up or fired. It was nuts. Anyways, one day she said something to me like "i rang my bell and was waiting for the waitress - I mean, nurse, to come in." ðŸ˜± I think I just brushed it off. What could you say?

katdan1026 · Jun 21, 2016

As a nurse (or CNA, or any care provider) your job is to provide competent care that meets the patient's health care needs and hopefully improves their health or situation. If that also makes them happy, it's a plus, otherwise they have to get happy on their own.

katdan1026 · Jun 21, 2016

As a nurse (or CNA, or any care provider) your job is to provide competent care that meets the patient's health care needs and hopefully improves their health or situation. If that also makes them happy, it's a plus, otherwise they have to get happy on their own.

Jwrnsktr · Jun 22, 2016

Of course they feel this way! When you have patient satisfaction scores driving hospital reimbursements, this is the message that is sent. Retired after 28 yrs. Enough is enough.

NurseDiane · Aug 11, 2016

UGH, there are some DOOZIES when it comes to clients that sexually harass staff.
healthcare does not belong in the service industry.

As soon as healthcare turned into a for-profit industry, it became a service industry by the MBA's who think they know how to provide care to the sick. And of course, CMS jumped on the bandwagon by making reimbursement dependent on survey results, which is the most ridiculous thing ever.