Patients & Pet Peeves

[SisterofMary]

I am a nurse of 2 years and a recent hire on a acute medical/surgical floor.

I'm learning so much, which is great. However, it also feels like a whirlwind.

Does anyone have any pet peeves - behaviors that patient's have that make you frustrated?

However, I so dislike when patient's who are A & O curse in conversation. Or if they openly belch when I am nearby them or speaking to them. Thankfully, these are only minor incidents. Of course I always mask my inner thoughts and treat the patient with all due respect.

Anyone have any pet peeves? How do you deal with the situations or do you just let it go?

[HaleH]

When a patient throws their food tray at me. Biggest pet peeve, lol. Okay, it only happened once but still. Actually, after he did that, we were good. He was very frustrated (also had late stage C.T.E. from NFL years) with the other incompetent nurses he had been dealing with for previous 3 days. When I came along, he thought I'd be like the same jerk nurses that unfortunately are my co-workers...he apologized and told me that I was the only RN allowed in his room from that point forward. Very true to his word, he threw his food trays at anyone else except me and his Dr. LOL. I was the only RN who had previous experience in dealing with his demented personality (former correctional officer).

[HaleH]

That is awful. I've never experienced patient's who try to have sexual intercourse in their room. Thankfully. I wouldn't say no hope for humanity. Must understand, most patients in the ER are at their lowest point in life. Brings out the worst. Was prepared for this by my previous career as a correctional officer. Difference is, I generally don't have to tackle people anymore/break up fights.

[kclady]

It would have been easier to just tell us what DOESN'T irritate you. Some of these are legit, though. I'm a retired ER RN.

[SpaceCowgirl, BSN]

Every single one of my sweet, little old lady patients (especially if they have tremors/Parkinson's/RA) take their cup of meds, dump it out into their hand, and then promptly drop all of their little white pills all over their white bedspread. Every. Time. I try to circumvent it by saying, "Here, you hold your drink and I'll put the pills in your mouth," but they are not having it.

[NursesRmofun, ASN, RN]

The patient or patient and family who view every encounter with a nurse or any medical person as a chance at a lawsuit.

[silverbat]

That is awful. I've never experienced patient's who try to have sexual intercourse in their room. Thankfully. I wouldn't say no hope for humanity. Must understand, most patients in the ER are at their lowest point in life. Brings out the worst. Was prepared for this by my previous career as a correctional officer. Difference is, I generally don't have to tackle people anymore/break up fights.

Working peds one night shift about 3 am. The recliner in a peds room started knocking against the window in a particular rythym. With sick kiddo in crib parents were doing the dirty in the recliner. Gag

[cayenne06, MSN, CNM]

On hold for awhile? Most lay people don't know all our duties and what's not ours to do. I think many ask for whom they trust. That's a compliment. Just educate, no need to punish them.

I nicely tell them that my front desk staff handles those issues, and I also remind them that I am seeing patients all day and they will probably get a quicker response if they tell us what they are calling about, even vaguely. Then i transfer them to the appropriate staff person. I have very good rapport with my patients and I want them to get the care they need, so I am always (kindly) upfront about things like that. Same as if they ask me a billing question during a visit, etc.

I've also been very clear with my staff that they need to triage calls and not just send them to me. The volume of calls I receive dropped dramatically after that.

[Nascar nurse, ASN, RN]

I am wondering why this bothers you? As a patient safety specialist, I encourage everyone I know to write down and if possible, record all their interactions when in the healthcare system. I feel like an actively engaged patient/family member is one that will be less likely to be harmed while in our care. I guess it might be annoying, but I try to honor it and recognize that folks are trying to protect themselves.

Because folks often use this an an intimidation tactic. "I'm just waiting to catch you doing something wrong". I'm all for actively engaged patients/family members but I've never seen this go well. My experience, when the staff know this is being done, they get in - do only what needs done - get the heck back out and off the dang tape.

[Wolfbiologist]

On 7/17/2018 at 8:35 PM, kclady said:

... I think recording devices in hospitals and nursing homes are an excellent idea and like police body cams, they're mutually protective of the nurse and the patient. If recording you against your consent is illegal in your state I'm curious to know why it's allowed in your workplace.

Gosh, if a nurse came into my hospital room with a recording device to get a video record while doing anything to me except change an IV bag, I'd refuse whatever they were trying to do. Who knows who would see such a recording? How would I know how securely it was stored and who would have access. Imagine it showing up on YouTube?

If any part of my body was recorded, the hospital would hear from my lawyer. Imagine someone actually recording the invasion of my dignity? What a horrid idea.

If you are that afraid of an unjust accusation, bring a chaperone. Of course, I'd refuse the service in that case too.

For me, it's all about trust. If you trust me, I will NOT abuse that trust. If you don't trust me, you're probably making a generalization about me based on my gender, culture, or appearance. I am a trustworthy person who respects the nursing profession.

I am an easy and cooperative patient unless you are doing something that makes no sense and you haven't adequately explained why you are doing it... If it will hurt or violate my dignity, you better have a darn good explanation for the procedure.

[ComeTogether, LPN]

I have one to add to the list

Patients who stalk you around the unit for their meds.

I see you. I'm actively helping someone else, please stop staring at me!

[Daisy4RN]

On 10/17/2019 at 3:01 PM, Wolfbiologist said:

For me, it's all about trust. If you trust me, I will NOT abuse that trust. If you don't trust me, you're probably making a generalization about me based on my gender, culture, or appearance. I am a trustworthy person who respects the nursing profession.

Unfortunately there are many people who would, and do, abuse that trust. This happens more often than not. The fact that I may not trust a patient has zero to do with their gender, culture, or appearance. As I have learned over the many years of being on this planet, trust abusers come in all shapes and forms, and genders, and cultures.

That said, I agree that if I was a pt I dont want to be recorded and yes I expect the nurse, MD etc to explain clearly what they are doing.

Also, I dont think an "easy/cooperative" pt would refuse a chaperone, IMO.

[Wolfbiologist]

I would refuse a chaperone because of a history of childhood abuse where I was a child and simultaneously abused by 2 adults. 2:1 situations where I am receiving intimate care produce more anxiety in me than I can handle... even when I know and trust the caregiver. I can't control the situation or the anxiety so I simply avoid. Under general anesthesia, I am fine though. Even under light anesthesia for a colonoscopy, I am fine. The doc knows of my history and gives me some anti-anxiety med before they take me in to the procedure room. I am on his 3 year schedule due to a history of polyps.