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I got an interview today at a teaching hospital in a step down unit. They asked me if its better to call them clients instead of patients? Odd question. What do you guys think?
My mom works at a facility where they're called "consumers". Ugh.
Yuck!
An electric company rep called this morning and asked me to take a survey since I was "such a faithful
consumer..."
Your mom's "consumers" must be good electric company consumers. Hmm...or am I living where she works? Oh heck! Now I'm all confused.
When I worked psych, inpatient, you were a patient. Outpatient, clinic, you were a client.
I've been using "client" since I started in nursing in the early '80s. I'm in psych, which, in large part, has moved on from "client" to "consumer" (I flatly refuse to use "consumer" -- sounds like we're at Wal-Mart). I work in C&L, in the general hospital setting, and most everyone else uses "patient," but I still use "client."
Yeah, the guy the cops drag in in handcuffs because he was running naked through traffic, screaming that the CIA and microwaves were out to get him--he's a consumer.
That's something I've wondered about for a while....when did mental health patients become "consumers"? I hate that term---makes it sound like I'm shopping at Sears instead of sitting on my psychiatrist's sofa. I also refer to myself as a "patient of Dr. Awesomesauce" whenever I call there.
Un-PC? I guess so, but despite attending nursing school in the 1990s when it was in vogue to call them 'clients', I've always called them "patients" unless it was in reference to people in a long-term care setting, who are "residents". Dunno why it has to be so darned difficult.
Back in the 90's when I worked for Kindred, they tried to roll out new jargon for us to use. Admissions were supposed to be called check ins. Discharges were check outs. Briefs were to be called Protective Undergarments (PU!). The big change lasted less than a week. I call my long term people residents...it's their home. I call my short term/rehab people patients.
microkate
67 Posts
Our facility (which also does home health) says:
Home health = clients
Rehab = patients
LTC = Residents