Patients who love their sick role

Nurses Relations

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Damn, I'm so sick of patients treating me like I'm their and their families maid! I'm not getting a juice for your able bodied son from the patient fridge. I will not get your husband a Tylenol and hang his coat for him. Jebuz!

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

This post brings me back to a patient that came by ambulance with her son to the ED last night. She wanted a face mask o2 because "I'm congested and the nose things won't work"...sats 98% on RA, speaking in full sentences in NAD. The primary RN decides to humor her and put the mask on. Patient: "This tastes awful! This has chemicals all over it! They use chemicals to clean this mask! I'm going to die! I'm claustrophobic! I can't spit with this on!" All of this before the doctor even comes in. I don't know how her nurse survived the demands for her care! The final kicker: She was discharged home with a diagnosis of dermatitis.

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Specializes in Public Health, L&D, NICU.
Sounds like my future mother-in-law. Except it's her son she runs ragged. "Take the dogs out, go get me some mint chip custard, come up here and find this thing in my room that I don't feel like strapping on the leg for, get me some water, go buy me this, put gas in the car because I'm too lazy to learn how..." The list goes on. I mean, c'mon lady, I know you're got one prosthetic leg and all, but you've had it for something like SIX YEARS and you drive yourself to those consignment stores and 30 minutes away to get manicures. You can do it, I swear.

Are you really, really sure you want her to become your mother-in-law? Will he change his ways after he gets a wife, or will you, too, be hostage to her wants and whims? Regardless of how awful she is, if he doesn't put a stop to it then he's just as bad.

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Are you really really sure you want her to become your mother-in-law? Will he change his ways after he gets a wife, or will you, too, be hostage to her wants and whims? Regardless of how awful she is, if he doesn't put a stop to it then he's just as bad.[/quote']

I agree and dated mama's boy who proposed to me. The kicker is his mom wanted him to propose over to me because she wasn't there. Yeah I didn't marry him.

I had a patient's son recently wanted me to call him every 30 minutes with an update on his mother! She was on a drip but otherwise she was ok to use the phone. I said I'm sorry but I can't not meet your demands. So what I did was grab an extra phone and gave it to the patient so she could call her son. It was long distance so she couldn't use her regular phone. Well after the 4th call from his mother he agreed to a call once a shift or any acute changes. Surprised I didn't get pulled into the office about not calling the son every 30 minutes.

Oh and I had 5 other patients that day. It took me 2 hour and 45 minutes to make my morning med pass because of all of demands from everyone. Another patient wanted me to put her mascara and eyeliner on her because she forgot her magnifying mirror. Um no!! Then she got mad because I refused when I told her I wasn't a makeup artist and to ask her daughter when she came in later that day. She wanted to look presentable for the cute doctor. Yeah that cute doctor discharged her real quick too because of her flirting.

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Specializes in Public Health, L&D, NICU.
I agree and dated mama's boy who proposed to me. The kicker is his mom wanted him to propose over to me because she wasn't there. Yeah I didn't marry him.

I had a patient's son recently wanted me to call him every 30 minutes with an update on his mother! She was on a drip but otherwise she was ok to use the phone. I said I'm sorry but I can't not meet your demands. So what I did was grab an extra phone and gave it to the patient so she could call her son. It was long distance so she couldn't use her regular phone. Well after the 4th call from his mother he agreed to a call once a shift or any acute changes. Surprised I didn't get pulled into the office about not calling the son every 30 minutes.

Oh and I had 5 other patients that day. It took me 2 hour and 45 minutes to make my morning med pass because of all of demands from everyone. Another patient wanted me to put her mascara and eyeliner on her because she forgot her magnifying mirror. Um no!! Then she got mad because I refused when I told her I wasn't a makeup artist and to ask her daughter when she came in later that day. She wanted to look presentable for the cute doctor. Yeah that cute doctor discharged her real quick too because of her flirting.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

LOL, I can imagine the disgust on the face of the doctor, if he's like many I've known over the years. One of our best OBs was also one of our most handsome, too. The patients (and nurses) would swoon over him. Want to get him out of a patient's room at the speed of light? All it took was for a patient to flirt. He could not stand it! I always felt bad for him. He was very proper, and this sort of behavior made him terribly uncomfortable. He was a great guy, very devoted to his wife and kids, and brilliant, but some of our, um, most interesting clients would basically throw themselves at him.

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I couldn't agree more with you. In my opinion I feel like A majority of patients and families are treating healthcare facilities like hotels. It takes every oz. of self control for me to be cooperative with ppl like that. I understand they are sick, but I'm not your licensed slave or room service attendant that I'm going to stop my med pass or drop my pen mid-charting in a med record to get you a ice cold glass of cranberry juice with a straw. Sorry but no, you should have brought in something from home if it's that important!

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Specializes in L&D.
Juice? Oh, the cafeteria is down the hall to the left, and they have plenty juices to choose from! Or, "Sir, I'm sorry, but I have no Tylenol to give you, but the gift shop in the lobby stocks them. The coat hook is behind the door.

I have learned over the years how to deflect the inappropriate requests while remaining sweet as pie.

Every time you refuse to be their maid (while never getting defensive), the more respect you will gain.

I suspect the inappropriate request is a test. Sometimes people need to see how much they can get away with.

In these customer service oriented times, I do feel your pain.

Very wise and tactful

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I'm a student nurse, and a patient rang a call bell, so I go in. The woman asked me to hand her her water that was on the bedside table. I was honestly confused and said "is there something wrong with your arm?" she took offense because she thought I was being snippy.

I never before experienced an able bodied adult make such a request before...

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I'm a student nurse and a patient rang a call bell, so I go in. The woman asked me to hand her her water that was on the bedside table. I was honestly confused and said "is there something wrong with your arm?" she took offense because she thought I was being snippy. I never before experienced an able bodied adult make such a request before...[/quote']

Lol :D I hate to say it but get use to those requests. Some days I have to remind myself why i signed up for this lol you'll see but your response was perfect , good job!

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