Patients always needing something no matter what.

[OliveVinesRN]

Hello everyone!!! I hope this New Year has been a kind one to you all thus far.

Well, here i go again on one of my rants about the ever so intriguing world of nursing. Here's my pet peeve of the day:

Is is just me, or does it seem to you all that everytime you go into a patient's room to pass meds, do procedures, or simply check on the patient, they always have to ask you to bring them something.

I know for me, it never fails. If I go in there to just look in on my patient they always will stop you before you get out of the door and say, "Oh, nurse, could you get me some coffee," or "May I have something for pain?" or "Turn the lights off, will you". And it drives me crazy.

Now don't get me wrong, I have no problem doing anything for my patients. But it seems that patients look at nurses as nothing more than handmaids to wait on their every beckon and call. For example, I had this man to ring his call bell just to tell me that he wanted to sit up on the side of the bed. I wanted so badly to tell him, "Well, what are you waiting for?". This is because I know that this man is very capable of moving himself because I've seen him do it when he has a male nurse caring for him. But whenever a female steps in, the patients all of sudden become invalids.

I feel that too much of my time is taken up running up and down the halls getting water and coffee. I mean, as much as family members like to stay all day in night in these patients rooms, it would seem that they would get up off of their lazy bums and get these patients something every now and then. It wouldn't hurt them to do this. Oh no, they won't do this. But they can tell you and I how to do our jobs, can't they? (LOL!!).

I have gotten to the point that I actually like being pulled to the critical care units in the hospital because we have telemetry there and you don't have to go into the rooms quite as much as you do on the medical floor because the telemetry is evident.

Do you all feel the same way? Do you all feel that patients are too darn demanding and don't respect us as care providers but see us as handmaids instead? Male nurses, do you feel that patients tend to not bother you as much as your female colleagues? I welcome all input.

Peace and love, y'all!!!!

[LPN1974, LPN]

My pet peeve is when a patient tells the CNA he/she wants to see the nurse.

{And this patient is usually the one at the very end of the hall.}

So you ask the CNA, "Did the patient say what they wanted?"

No, they just want to see the nurse.

So you go down there, and they want two tylenol or some other pain med, or

some other request. They could have told the CNA and you could have taken it with you.

[Gompers, BSN, RN]

Whenever I've stayed in the hospital (three times so far), I've tried to be a good patient. But the last time I was admitted, it was for kidney stones, and they had me on about 150ml/hr of IV fluids. First, I begged for a catheter so I didn't have to get up and pee every half hour. Of course they laughed and said no, that it might clog becase of the stones and that the more I walked around, the better chance I had of passing them. Then they offered pain meds as a consolation prize. :chuckle

Everything was fine until the tape on my IV just about fell off. It was silk tape, put on in the ER, where it was just slapped over the site and wrapped around my sweaty hand. So I called for my nurse to come and change the tape. I called three times and she never came even though she knew what I wanted. She knew I was a nurse and maybe she thought I was just being anal about the tape job. Finally, I decided that I didn't want another IV stick due to this one falling out, nor did I want an infiltrated IV. So I pulled off all the tape and carefully held the catheter in with my finger. I used my chin to press the call button, told the nurse that I needed her to come in with some tape NOW or I'd lose my IV. She came in, saw what I had done, and was like, "What did you do that for?!?!" It had been HOURS since I first called, and I was afraid to sleep because the IV wasn't secure. So she grabbed an alcohol swab, cleaned me up, and slapped a nice, clean tegaderm down on my IV. I felt so much better, but before she could tape the tubing down, she got called away. She looked at me, looked at her pager, and asked, "Um...if I leave some tape, will you just tape it down? I really need to go..." :chuckle

I did keep that roll of tape, though. I think I earned it.

[lpnstudentin2010, LPN]

I realize that this is not always the case

but

When i was in the hospital this summer...unless I really needed something I waited till my nurse came in...I felt bad using the call bell because my nurse was always so busy. I felt like a burdon if I used the call bell. So would it be better to call the nurse everytime I want something or wait until she is in my room and ask for everything at once.

[nursejohio, ASN, RN]

The are extremes on both ends. Patients push the call light for 500 things they could very well do themselves. I love the "I just wanted to see if it (the call light) was working?" Then there are the ones who wait until you come in to do their assessment/AM meds and you're already swamped. They want coffee, ice, tissues, and "oh, could you dial this number for me?" I know they're trying to help by bunching it all up, but I have 2 million other things I need to do right this second. I feel so guilty (for what, being busy running around taking care of 4 step down patients?) that I can't tell them I don't have time, so I go get what they need and get even farther behind.

My all time favorite though, has got to be the ones who turn on the light, repeatedly, and will only say they need the nurse. When I get done doing the dressing in the VRE room (cause that seems to be how it always goes down) and go see what they need, "I'm thirsty, can you get me a glass of water?" No matter how many times I explain to them that if they'd say what they needed, the PCT could bring it much faster, it just doesn't seem to get through

Those come in just slightly ahead of the family members who stake out the doorway, waiting to snag me for washcloths or toothpaste. Still working on the assertiveness to say, "Sorry, I'm trying to hang this cardizem gtt on my other patient. You know, the one with the alarm that keeps going off cause her hr is 170? I'll get your dad that stuff as soon as I make sure I'm not going run a code next door." They get so very offended when I say I can't do something right this second, and heaven forbid we tell them no. I'm sure the fact that I don't have go-go-gadget arms is reflected in press ganeys :angryfire

Wow, this turned into a bit of a rant.... Can't do it at work cause that would be "below the line"

[Cute_CNA, CNA]

I avoid t his as much as possible by:

Bringing them the "usual" needs----blankets, clean linen, water, extra pillows etc, when I first enter the room to do vitals, assessments, or medicate them.

And then when they ring (we have an intercom) we ask "when I come is there anything I can bring you while I am there? This helps reduce numerous trips for "this or that".

Also making sure their pain meds are given ON SCHEDULE and the room is a comfy temp helps. The more comfortable they are, the less they seem to call. So is being as prompt as possible when they call, a huge help. I know, we all get busy and can't jump at every callbell, but I try to at least "check in" and let them know I will be there asap, when I take care of what I am doing at the time.....

Sure we have those "queens and kings" who demand everything under the sun, all the time. But that seems to be a personality thing......the ones who are simply scared, nervous, insecure, cold, in pain, well, we can do something about them. Or, at least, try.

Good technique.

I work in a state-run hospital facility, and despite how the patients aren't paying a penny for being there, they expect what they want, when they want it. It's very annoying and stressful at times.

But, you have to consider that these people often come right off the street w/o any structure. Of course, that's no excuse for them to be such ---holes.

Some people are just... bleeech...

[LPN1974, LPN]

Good technique.

I work in a state-run hospital facility, and despite how the patients aren't paying a penny for being there, they expect what they want, when they want it. It's very annoying and stressful at times.

But, you have to consider that these people often come right off the street w/o any structure. Of course, that's no excuse for them to be such ---holes.

Some people are just... bleeech...

Hmmmmmm............I don't think patients should be treated any differently according to how the bill is getting paid.

It sounds like you feel that patients without the ability to pay shouldn't have the right to ask for ANYthing....and I hope that's not what you are saying.

I also work in a state run facility for the mentally challenged. All of our people are treated equally, regardless of pay methods....or regardless of how much money the parents have. And some of these families have alot of money, and the person receiving care is on Medicaid/Medicare. Do you think there should be any difference in how these people are treated?

I'm sure you have a stressful job, but just because someone doesn't have the money to help pay doesn't in itself make it more stressful.

[Cute_CNA, CNA]

Hmmmmmm............I don't think patients should be treated any differently according to how the bill is getting paid.

It sounds like you feel that patients without the ability to pay shouldn't have the right to ask for ANYthing....and I hope that's not what you are saying.

I also work in a state run facility for the mentally challenged. All of our people are treated equally, regardless of pay methods....or regardless of how much money the parents have. And some of these families have alot of money, and the person receiving care is on Medicaid/Medicare. Do you think there should be any difference in how these people are treated?

I'm sure you have a stressful job, but just because someone doesn't have the money to help pay doesn't in itself make it more stressful.

I think you looked a little too deeply into my post.

My point was, it's especially galling with these people because they expect primo treatment when they're not paying for it. It's bad enough when a paying person does it, but especially obnoxious and entitled when a non-paying person does it.

You work with different people, the mentally challenged. They can't help the way they are. Try working with nasty, entitled people who are pedophiles, murderers, drug dealers, thieves, people who malinger to get off legal charges, people who come to the US just to get a SS check (and admit it), etc. I dare you. Try it.

Excuse me while I go off topic for a second. It bugs me when people *on this board* judge others when they really have *no idea* what it is that the person they judge experiences. Why does it seem that some posters like to make assumptions about a person based on a small blurb instead of being open to the idea that things aren't necessarily what they seem? These kind of people seem to jump in and make judgments w/o asking any questions to gain further information to strengthen their initial impressions to make sure they fully understand what's going on. What's up with that?

I'll leave it at that.

[LPN1974, LPN]

I think you looked a little too deeply into my post.

My point was, it's especially galling with these people because they expect primo treatment when they're not paying for it. It's bad enough when a paying person does it, but especially obnoxious and entitled when a non-paying person does it.

You work with different people, the mentally challenged. They can't help the way they are. Try working with nasty, entitled people who are pedophiles, murderers, drug dealers, thieves, people who malinger to get off legal charges, people who come to the US just to get a SS check (and admit it), etc. I dare you. Try it.

Excuse me while I go off topic for a second. It bugs me when people *on this board* judge others when they really have *no idea* what it is that the person they judge experiences. Why does it seem that some posters like to make assumptions about a person based on a small blurb instead of being open to the idea that things aren't necessarily what they seem? These kind of people seem to jump in and make judgments w/o asking any questions to gain further information to strengthen their initial impressions to make sure they fully understand what's going on. What's up with that?

I'll leave it at that.

I think it depends on exactly what they're asking for, and I don't believe it's up to nurses or cna to be judge and jury.

MY point is people are entitled to fair treatment regardless of ability to pay.

And excuse me for getting off the subject.......what's up with posting something so vague and someone responding to it, and then getting all upset because someone points something out?

What's up with that?

Being specific helps others to understand.

[Cute_CNA, CNA]

I think it depends on exactly what they're asking for, and I don't believe it's up to nurses or cna to be judge and jury.

MY point is people are entitled to fair treatment regardless of ability to pay.

And excuse me for getting off the subject.......what's up with posting something so vague and someone responding to it, and then getting all upset because someone points something out?

What's up with that?

Being specific helps others to understand.

The problem was, there was a response with an assumption attached. It's not wise to make assumptions w/o enough information to go on. THAT was the problem. What's up with that?

[bethem]

Didn't you know? Nurses are like octopuses.....we grow extra limbs!:chuckle

It's part of the application procedure to study nursing. You have to have AT LEAST one extra arm attached. The more astute students try to get two or three. :roll

[nursejohio, ASN, RN]

Hmmmmmm............I don't think patients should be treated any differently according to how the bill is getting paid.

It sounds like you feel that patients without the ability to pay shouldn't have the right to ask for ANYthing....and I hope that's not what you are saying.

I also work in a state run facility for the mentally challenged. All of our people are treated equally, regardless of pay methods....or regardless of how much money the parents have. And some of these families have alot of money, and the person receiving care is on Medicaid/Medicare. Do you think there should be any difference in how these people are treated?

I'm sure you have a stressful job, but just because someone doesn't have the money to help pay doesn't in itself make it more stressful.

Hmm...I can't see a single place where she said that they aren't entitled to good nursing care because the taxpayers and not the patient is footing the bill. I work in a large hospital, and I see exactly what she's talking about on a daily basis. Patients on every kind of government assistance, thinking the hospital is just like the hilton, and expect us to bend over backwards for their every beck and call. I actually had a patient 2 days post op from a bilateral bka throwing an absolute fit because she needed to get out of the hospital to spend her food stamps! She had to "get what's owed to me" regardless of the fact that she was eating 3 full meals plus making us make her bacon sandwiches 4 times a day in addition to the pizza, soda and chips her family kept bringing in. It's a little harder to be sympathetic to someone who's yelling and swearing because we won't let her leave to spend "what i earned"

I gave her every bit as good nursing care as I gave every other patient I had that day. However, I can't say that I was nearly as happy to be jumping on her every request for ice and soda and cheese and crackers as I was the people who didn't think they were owed an a**kissing in addition to medical care the same way they were "owed" food stamps and medicaid by sitting at home doing nothing

[MarySunshine]

I have NO problem saying "no" if the request is frivilous. I also have no problem with saying "Sure, in about half an hour." It doesn't bother me that they asked though...I figure that they're feeling a little helpless and not really used to how the hospital works. I am quite tactful, though...that helps. If I don't feel I'm being manipulated and abused I do try to accomodate, though (time permitting). To the person that asked...always use your callbell if it involves a health issue: i.e. needing to use the restroom, being in pain, new onset symptom, etc. If it's something nonurgent than wait...or better yet, do it yourself if you can.

The cardinal sin is being sent off to fetch this-and-that only to return and be told "oh, one more thing..." Argh!