Nurses not responding fast enough-VENT

Nurses General Nursing

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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

Specializes in NICU.

I would quit, KeyMaster. I know that gets thrown around a lot on this board, and I try not to say it, but seriously: I would quit before I said that.

And what if the answer is no? Like the time the surgery resident tried to get me to do a dressing change that was so far outside of my scope of practice it wasn't even funny. "It's my pleasure" to... risk losing my license and seriously injuring my patient? Awesome.

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Specializes in Jack of all trades, and still learning.
It was drummed into our heads (back in the dark ages) that we were never ever to tell a patient we're "busy" and under NO circumstances tell them we're understaffed. I can understand the reasoning behind this and to this day, I have a difficult time admitting such to a patient. If I know that a patient has been waiting for me, I will tell them I was with another. I never say we're short-staffed. But I try not to let on if things are going crazy (my hair standing on end might be a give-away, however)

I disagree. One has to be honest with ppl these days. Nurses should not be subject to abuse, simply because they are nurses. You say never to tell a patient that you were busy, but yet you do tell them that you were with another. Is that not the same thing?

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Specializes in Jack of all trades, and still learning.
"i attended a nauseating in-service about how the nurses had to repeat the word "excellent" when talking to a "customer" (i.e., the patient), as in, "i hope you received excellent care", and to repeat that word like a mantra." quoted from marie-francoise

we have a mandatory "skills fair" to attend every year. last year one of the stations was learning to say "it's my pleasure!" to any request made to you - be it from patients, md, housekeeping, etc. as in "nurse, get me that chart" or "nurse get me some pain medicine"

[evil]"nurse, jump in the lake!!!"

[color=lemonchiffon] "it would be my pleasure. i hope i can provide an excellent experience for you in my doing so[/evil]

i wanted to write something more rude, but didn't know if it would offend ppl...

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Specializes in NICU.

I wanted to write something more rude, but didn't know if it would offend ppl...

Or the requests of an, um, adult nature? No, that would not be my pleasure, and good day to you, sir!

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hey i thought besides the tv watching we get food brought in ??? if lavish feasts arent in the plan im gonna have to reconsider this rn thing

PS those wheel chairs arent for decoration or wheel chair races?

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Peds/O.R./Legal/cardiology.

I hope everyone enjoys their EXCELLENT BonBons, in their EXCELLENT linen closets, with EXCELLENT Dr. McDreamy! also giving EXCELLENT nursing care which it is your pleasure to give! I also hope that it is your "pleasure" to kiss the doc's royal behind! GIVE ME A BREAK!!:lol2::lol2::lol2:

ebear

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Yep, I canoodle in the linen closet a lot. I sit on my butt and eat bon bons too. No TV at the nurse's station, so I have to listen to the radio spitting out never ending and nauseating Christmas songs. And the best part... I get paid the big bucks to do all this and eat ice cream too. "

Dang, I knew there was something wrong with ournew ER, no linen closets! Just carts around the halls.:nono:

Don't they have covers that you can pull down? :wink2:

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

Don't they have covers that you can pull down? :wink2:

Yeah, but the carts are only waist high.:icon_lol::icon_lol:

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Peds/O.R./Legal/cardiology.

Oh, well, JBudd! Story of my life!!!:lol2:

ebear

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Specializes in ED, MS, CC.

Why don't you just tell your aunt that they are piloting a new bladder re training program, that requires patients to hold it a minimum of an hour AFTER they ring for assistance?

j/k but it would be funny to see her expression :rotfl:

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Specializes in Onc/Hem, School/Community.
I would want to stay with any family member of mine who was in the hospital (as much as possible). I would agree with anyone who told me that the nurse took too long to answer a call light (if it was more than 10 minutes) but I would DEFINITELY not blame the nurse. It's a crappy, understaffed system. Welcome to it. Crabbing at the nurses is like beating up a fellow victim.

Well said. When my husband was hospitalized after a colon resection, I felth the nurses did a good job keeping his pain under control, checking his NG, Foley, JP, etc. However, I stayed overnight as often as I could to tidy his room, change his sweat-soaked sheets and help him bath. I wasn't angry with the nurses. I was angry that the lobby of the hospital had huge fountains, statues, designer furniture, etc. instead of adequate staffing. I would have much rather had the executives spentd the money on some non-licensed help on the units! I still wonder how he would have done if I'd not been able to be with him every evening.

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If I were helping you and one of my other patients just rang for me, would you like it if I left you to take care of them?

Amen! I am a CNA about to start nursing school and I do my BEST to answer my call lights quickly. But it's so frustrating when I get scolded for not coming fast enough when I was trying to help a patient off of the toilet and back into bed. Yes I'll just leave them so they can fall so I can get you some kleenex. On the other hand I hate for patients to have to wait for something urgent like getting to the toilet. Where I work answering call lights primarly falls to the CNAs. Everybody is supposed to help answer and the good nurses do when they can but it's mostly our responsibility. If the patient needs the nurse we usually have to go in there, they tell us and then we tell the nurse. A hospital(or any health care facility) is the last place that should be understaffed. Everybody loses. :trout:

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