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.
Maybe you shoudl fine another job, cause taking care of people is not your cup of tea. One other thing, you will be like that one day.
She doesn't need to find another job. I'd wager she's a pretty good nurse right now.
As far as finding another job?
Maybe you should do that.
Your profile says you are retired.
Please don't harrass working nurses who are only coming here to vent. Nursing is a demanding, high-stress profession. More judgement from the peanut gallery isn't needed or called for.
I've only been an RN for a short time, but it's become my standard line ... "yes, I'll bring you a blanket/ginger ale/whatever when I can." I've acknowledged the request, but also made it clear that I will continue to prioritize their request along with the other 50 things I'm probably about to do.
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".
I do the same and you would think it would work great but every now and then I get a patient who says "No I just need to talk to my nurse". When I get down there (of course the last room on the hall) they say something like "Can you fill up my water pitcher" (which of course is all the way back down the hall) and they're getting worse by the day.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
I will ask people here to keep the focus on the topic and not on each other. If you see posts that offend you, please take advantage of your ignore features. Thank you.
Well Olive Just what did you think nurseing was all about?? meds treatments charting??? I must admit you are probably a new nurse this seems to be the trend now adays. Gee why dont you summon your faithful cna to do your scut work after all this is your job as well!! Careing for the patient is a head to toe job these folks are from the old school I,m sure the patient your refering ot is at least 60 yrs old give or take a few years and yes this is what they think we do and YES it is what we do.
Well Olive Just what did you think nurseing was all about?? Gee why dont you summon your faithful cna to do your scut work after all this is your job as well!! Careing for the patient is a head to toe job these folks are from the old school I,m sure the patient your refering ot is at least 60 yrs old give or take a few years and yes this is what they think we do and YES it is what we do.
Patients come in all ages not just "60 yrs old give or take a few years". I have more PIA patients who are much younger.
You need to chill. This site is for all of us. We come here to vent and we frequently but respectfully have different points of view. We do not bash each other for having our own opinions.
hi, If you think you have a problem, try out here in Saudi!
Here we have a culture of the "sitter". this is a member of the family who lives in the hospital with the patient, yes, even in the ICU and waiting on these people as well as the patient and also trying to give nursing care can be a trial. The bedwash is done when the sitter wishes it to be done, the dressing are postponed if the family choses to visit, and visit they do, in numbers that would amaze you. They all need coffee and the cups washed up too.
That's life in a differnet culture and goes with the territory, so do the best you can, the patient inproves quicker if they are totally at ease. So grit teeth, and hope that the next patient isn't a member of the extensive royal family. That breaks new records for nurse tollerance.
hi, If you think you have a problem, try out here in Saudi!
Here we have a culture of the "sitter". this is a member of the family who lives in the hospital with the patient, yes, even in the ICU and waiting on these people as well as the patient and also trying to give nursing care can be a trial. The bedwash is done when the sitter wishes it to be done, the dressing are postponed if the family choses to visit, and visit they do, in numbers that would amaze you. They all need coffee and the cups washed up too.
That's life in a differnet culture and goes with the territory, so do the best you can, the patient inproves quicker if they are totally at ease. So grit teeth, and hope that the next patient isn't a member of the extensive royal family. That breaks new records for nurse tollerance.
Kudos to you girlie, I know I would not be able to do your job. I once worked for a Saudi Physician and OMG it was awful. I was treated like a lackey and expected to provide for his every need including being summoned to the office to throw the Fast Food lunch wrappers in the garbage when the garbage can was right next to his feet at the desk. I said "um the can is there, you throw it away, I'm not your servant". That was the first day. The second day he came on to me and I was 7 months pregnant. I walked out !!! It's strange how I ended up working for him but that's a whole other story.
It's sad that the sickest patients are the least likely to bother you, even when you tell them over and over again that it's ok to call. It is the pt's who are capable of doing everything themselves, that are on the bell the most for the smallest of things.
It's sad that the sickest patients are the least likely to bother you, even when you tell them over and over again that it's ok to call. It is the pt's who are capable of doing everything themselves, that are on the bell the most for the smallest of things.
Imagine an open unit where everyone in the hospital has to walk through to get from one part of the hospital to another, all the noise and people in your way. Imagine students, volunteers, xray techs, lab techs, PAc's, MD's, nurses, CNA's, Administration, Dietary, Parish nurses, the Chaplain, visitors, and other department personnel coming through your already too-small unit on their way to another part of the hospital, sometimes stopping to ask questions, directions, requests, or to just "chat" as if we had time.
I feel your pain. At our hospital, the nurses station is on the middle of a HUGE room with vaulted ceilings. It has large partitions- sorta looks like Stonehenge. The noise level is horrible! To make matters worse, the ICU waiting area is right beside the Med-Surg nuurse station. We have to deal with all of their requests (coffee, straws, etc), crying babies and unruley toddlers. Many times the families "camp" out there. They bring in coolers and eat while chit-chatting on their cell phones. It is really ridiculous. Meanwhile, ICU personnel is tucked away quietly behind closed doors and they wonder why we are so stressed.
Hmmmmm, seems to me that we get paid to make people feel better, and make them healthy. I agree that we're not maids, but making a pt comfortable IS in our job description. If you don't like bedside nursing, then get the hell out before the attitude shows to the pt and snowballs. I enjoy taking the time to make my pt's comfortable and provide for their needs, and as a "male nurse" (a term i HATE, i'm a nurse who happens to be a guy), i usually get asked to do the heavy things, like move the tv, lift the pt out of bed to the chair, etc. I can't believe this thread came from a nurse. My opinion is you should be ashamed of yourself. This IS part of our chosen profession!
and they're getting worse by the day.
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