Patient requests

Nurses Relations

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We all know patients can be demanding. What's your "favorite" patient request? Mine, an iPhone charger...

Crispy bacon. I had a lolfof c hip fx use the call bell to complain that she was not going to tolerate another one of our limp bacon breakfasts. She ranted for a few minutes, I told her it was not under my control but asked if there was a nursing related item I could help her with. She reported no pain, no SOB, just was irate at the thought of the soggy bacon. She then said she would like her morning pills right now. I scurried off to get her morning meds.

I returned to find her with no pulse, no resps. We coded her and she died in the OR, ruptured triple A.

I have never complained of soggy bacon anywhere since then.

Specializes in ED, LTC, SNF, Med/Surg.

When a pt waits until shift change to request something - PRN pain medication, 02 tank, a snack, fresh water, etc. really anything during shift change/report. Especially when they are alert and oriented and just doing it on purpose.

OR when the pt feels that they need to keep you captive for extended periods of time. Ex. - I walk into a pt's room ONLY to give them their meds, and they say "wait a minute, wait a minute, can you fill up this water pitcher? can you get me a glass of ice? aren't you going to put that cream on my legs? Can you plug in my DVD player? Will you hand me the phone? Where's my call light? Can I have a towel? What's this med, what's that med? What do you mean it's the same thing I get every single day for the last 6 months at this time? What's this pill? What's that pill? Can I have something for indigestion? Can you call the doctor? I have a stomach ache.. Will you check my temperature? I think I'm getting sick.. What time did I get my pain medication? What time is it now? Are they playing bingo tonight? Who comes on on 3rd shift? Who are the aides? Why is my bed not made properly? Have you seen this movie?

NO! LOL they will be bringing you a fresh pitcher of ice in 20 minutes, I don't have half an hour to wait for you to get into position for me to put the cream on your legs, or answer the same questions 35 times the same shift!! I WILL COME BACK LATER WHEN YOU ARE READY!

My favorite was the actively withdrawing ETOH pt who asked me if I would like to get in the bed and snuggle with him. Ah, that would be NOOOOO

Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

I just threw up a in my mouth a little. And it takes a LOT to turn my tummy!

Some of these I don't think are too terribly unreasonable. I have snuck into the kitchen to "whip up something" for a patient. But we are a small facility. We can do that. We have a fund set aside just for making them feel more at home. So we've taken the patient from five states away and got banners from the favorite state university and hung in their rooms or purchased a cake so a patient could give his wife something for her birthday since they are in the hospital for extended stays and miss important family events. If it was an acute hospital, though, I could see this being problematic.

The clinker for me was the patient that whined to the point of crying because I told her no when she asked me to pop her zits.

I literally JUST had a patient ask me to do the same thing!!!!!!! I didn't go as far as you though.. I had to decline...

now now Trouble, don't you know the basics of nursing? It's wrapped up in the "3 Ps": PushingPills, PlumpingPillows and PleasingPhysciams.

I had a pt in San Francisco ask if I could stop by an ATM on my way back in that night, and bring him some cash. Using his ATM card. I told him I would have to know his PIN for that! He was well known to me on that floor, with a chronic disease. He said "well I can trust YOU". Jeez.

He wrote down the PIN, I ran across the street to our parking garage, got the money (2AM), and scribbled out the PIN. Ran back up, gave it to him with the scribbled note and he said "only you would do that" laughing about the scribble.

I literally JUST had a patient ask me to do the same thing!!!!!!! About 4 hours ago! I didn't go as far as you though.. I had to decline...

Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.
now now Trouble, don't you know the basics of nursing? It's wrapped up in the "3 Ps": PushingPills, PlumpingPillows and PleasingPhysciams.

I had a pt in San Francisco ask if I could stop by an ATM on my way back in that night, and bring him some cash. Using his ATM card. I told him I would have to know his PIN for that! He was well known to me on that floor, with a chronic disease. He said "well I can trust YOU". Jeez.

He wrote down the PIN, I ran across the street to our parking garage, got the money (2AM), and scribbled out the PIN. Ran back up, gave it to him with the scribbled note and he said "only you would do that" laughing about the scribble.

This is not a good idea, you actually set yourself and your employer up for a potential lawsuit should that patient not been a nice guy.

Specializes in Trauma, ER, ICU, CCU, PACU, GI, Cardiology, OR.

I recall many moons ago a pt. requesting me to join them in their shower.... desismileys_6581.gif however, the worst part was, that it was a male!!! th_angry-smiley-8020.gif

Specializes in OB.

I work on postpartum and we have a large population of observant orthodox Jewish patients. This means from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday the patients don't use electricity as a strict adherence to scriptural rules that one "rests" on the Sabbath. No phones, no turning on the light, no "work," etc. Some patients won't even tear the toilet paper off the roll and take a stack of sheets off before the Sabbath to be prepared. I'm used to requests to turn on the light, adjust the bed, etc., and have no problem with it. As an agnostic person I don't share their beliefs, but I understand them One Saturday morning as I made last rounds to say goodbye to my patients, one woman who was very sweet but was starting to push my buttons, handed me a tube of lip balm and said "Oh just one more thing could you put this on my lips because it's the Sabbath?" as she puckered her lips out. I probably looked at her like she was crazy (I didn't have time to control my facial expression) and just said, "No, sorry, I'm not going to do that, here let me squeeze it out for you onto your finger, mmmmkay bye!" and raced out of there. See that line, way back there? You crossed it.

....... handed me a tube of lip balm and said "Oh just one more thing could you put this on my lips because it's the Sabbath?" as she puckered her lips out.....

Ok, I'M observant, but THIS is ridiculous. I mean.....no.

My favorite was the actively withdrawing ETOH pt who asked me if I would like to get in the bed and snuggle with him. Ah, that would be NOOOOO

Ah, I see we've had the same patient!

I think my most ridiculous request would have to be from a 22 yo A&Ox3 woman who wanted me to hold her hand until she fell asleep, because she had never slept alone before. Seems she used to sleep next to her mom, until she moved out and now sleeps with her boyfriend, so she CAN'T POSSIBLY sleep alone. But in the hospital, she knew she had to stay alone, but she could manage it if someone were to stay with her to hold her hand. And yes, she knew we were really busy, but THIS was IMPORTANT to her emotional well-being. SERIOUSLY?! I suggested she ask her mother or boyfriend to bring her in a doll. We're done now.

Oh, and what was she in the hospital for in the first place? A headache. To treat with Dilaudid IV, no less. No trauma. No seizures. No CT problems, no....nothing. D/C to home the next day. Sure hope someone could explain THAT billing!

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