Nurses not responding fast enough-VENT

RNSC · Dec 14, 2007

double post

RNSC · Dec 14, 2007

Do patients and families really think we are just sitting around watching TV??:angryfire

Yep

what else do we have to do?

sacrasm alert

Mulan · Dec 14, 2007

This is truly a VENT. A VENT about my own family-specifically my AUNT.
It all started last week when my aunt said she would have to spend the night with my grandma(her mom) because the nurses would probably not be there enough to help grandma after surgery. Went on to remind everyone how my grandpa suffered during his death 30+years ago with cancer and that the nurses wouldn't give him anything for pain. OK how they treated cancer patients in that era IS so different now-told her that. Also said nurses don't prescribe medicine they administer it so it's not up to us. She still kept flapping her mouth. I just ignored her and went on-no use in arguing with someone who already has her mind set up anyway.
Grandma had back surgery yesterday..23 observation pt. Did great. My mom stayed the entire day and I worked until 7pm so I went to see her and stayed for about 30 minutes after work and made sure she had what she needed. No one stayed with her--grandma said she would be fine and she was. My aunt called a few minutes ago said grandma was home, did fine BUT IT WAS A GOOD THING SHE GOT THERE WHEN SHE DID--GRANDMA HAD RANG THE NURSE TWICE FOR ASSISTANCE TO THE BATHROOM. I said maybe the nurse was helping someone else to the bathroom? Or giving a pain med, etc. She was like "told you nurses don't come fast enough." I am so mad I can hardly stand it.
Do patients and families really think we are just sitting around watching TV??:angryfire

I don't know, but they sure don't care that they are not the only patient the nurse has. Sometimes the nurse herself is not the one answering the call light and never got the message that anything was needed.

I don't know about you, but I can only be in one place at a time and I can only do one thing at a time. :nuke:

RNcDreams · Dec 14, 2007

Ahhh.... that's the feeling I get when I am juggling a bag of saline, a few syringes, a chart, and a pillow, and need to start an IV and check someones vitals, and a family member is hovering outside the door of a stable, not-so sick patient, saying "I asked awhile ago if my________ could have some dinner...." *follows me with their eyes as I go down the hall*

a.) my hands are full

b.) your _______ has not been cleared to eat.... she's here with abdominal pain, remember?

c.) You are not at a restaurant. You are here for medical treatment.

I do feel as if families are either in awe of their nurse, and love the profession, or are on the other end of the spectrum, and feel that nurses are lazy... it's tough to see eye to eye sometimes.

I knooOOoooww there are exceptions, and sometimes people really do have to wait, and I feel badly about that... but c'mon!

ebear, BSN, RN · Dec 14, 2007

YES. How else do we know about all the new programs??? :lol2:

ebear

rita359 · Dec 14, 2007

Unfortunately, for some people there is no difference between a request and a demand. It goes with the times and is getting worse all the time. I tell people my husband would be happy if his requests were completed yesterday( before he even thought of the request). Unfortunately, he isn't the only person like that and we run into our share in hospitals. That being said, if every little request has to be completed by someone besides the patient him or her self then it is best family stay with patient. When my mother was in hospital I would not have expected her to have to request staff to give her every little sip of water. Thats all she needed was a sip and could not do it herself because of weakness. We saw she got what she wanted by staying.

lovingtheunloved, ASN, RN · Dec 14, 2007

I thought that was why I became a nurse...get paid good money to eat bon bons and watch "Fresh Prince" reruns at the nurses' station. Right? I thought all those people in wheelchairs were part of the decor...

santhony44, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 14, 2007

Do patients and families really think we are just sitting around watching TV??:angryfire

Well, if you're not watching TV and eating bonbons, then you must be canoodling in the linen closet with one of those cute young doctors.

That's what they do on TV, right???

And besides, every time they walk past the nurses' station, some nurse is just sitting there, writing something or other or playing on the computer!

In some folks' minds, you can't be working if you're sitting. So documentation isn't work, nor is entering orders into the computer, checking on lab results, and so forth.

Friends and relatives usually only complain to me about their nursing care once. They generally don't want to listen to my hospital staffing lectures a second time!

lovingtheunloved, ASN, RN · Dec 14, 2007

Well, if you're not watching TV and eating bonbons, then you must be canoodling in the linen closet with one of those cute young doctors.

Sssshhhhhh!!!!!! Don't tell anybody about that. McDreamy said to keep it a secret.

CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN · Dec 14, 2007

We have this new call light set up at the hospital where I work and most times all you can see is a light on the ceiling, absolutely silent. So, the situation: patient escorted to restroom by CNA and left to do her business. CNA does not tell me patient left in restroom. I see call light and investigate. Find patient uptight and attempting to tear off her wet gown. Luckily I was able to calm her a little and rush and come back with a gown. My CNA is from the Phillipines and comes back to see the patient, to follow up, while I am busy putting a new gown on her. The patient vents at my CNA and says, "I can't understand you! Can't you learn to speak English!" Luckily I came away unscathed. But the poor CNA has 15 patients...gosh, pick on the little people why don't you! ;-(

PS. My CNA went through nursing school many years ago and when she got here had difficulty passing the boards. My heart goes out to her every time I work with her! She does not work for a big pay check!!!! Her work is awarded to her by the heart she wears on her sleave.

Satori77, ADN · Dec 14, 2007

Well, if you're not watching TV and eating bonbons, then you must be canoodling in the linen closet with one of those cute young doctors.
That's what they do on TV, right???
And besides, every time they walk past the nurses' station, some nurse is just sitting there, writing something or other or playing on the computer!
In some folks' minds, you can't be working if you're sitting. So documentation isn't work, nor is entering orders into the computer, checking on lab results, and so forth.
Friends and relatives usually only complain to me about their nursing care once. They generally don't want to listen to my hospital staffing lectures a second time!

I love medical dramas (ER, House, Grey's Anatomy) but c'mon! I know the focus is on the dr's, but can't they show the nurses in a more realistic light?? ER isn't as bad, but I hate when they show dr's doing all the work, things the nurses would do. We all know that nurses do 95% of the work, and dr's get all the credit. House has to be the worst though....the dr's pull blood, administer meds, do MRI's and cat scans, do lab work, do surgery. Do they have any staff there?!?