Patients Treat Nurses Like Garbage!

scooterRN52 · Nov 26, 2007

I don't know what it is. Last week I had five patients one day, all were demanding and miserable. This week I had another group of miserable demanding patients. I happen to see nurses who speak rudely to patients and my thought has always been that the patients pay a fortune for their care and deserve a caring, nice and knowledgeable nurse. I'm starting to think otherwise and see why so many nurses speak up to the patients. In the past, I've nearly always taken a difficult patient and could bring out the best in them. My recent patients are just so rude. I'm the first to have the common sense to realize their illnesses are often new and anxiety can bring out the worst in people. Regardless, it doesn't give them the right to treat those caring for them the most, like garbage. I'm fortunate that I don't need to work and really wonder if I want to go to work, a job I once loved, to be treated terribly. I know many nurses I work with, who are honest, admit they would love to leave and do something different, but often don't have any other options but to be a nurse. How do you all deal with your rude patients??

I work in a cancer center and the pt.'s don't really complain thank-goodness!!!!

Cancer pt.s are usually thankful.

Labor Nurse · Nov 26, 2007

All Of You Have All Made Such Great Points! We Are All Trained Professionals That Have Gone To College. We Get It From All Directions. The Patients, Doctors, And Upper Management. The Hospital I Work At Has Started This Patient Satisfaction Drive.
There Is A Person That Goes To Each Patient And Finds Out What They Like And Don't Like About Their Stay And How They Are Being Cared For. So We Get Told Weekly How Well Were Doing And How Much We Suck!
Upper Management Has No Idea What We Go Thorugh In A Day And They Don't Consider The Source ( The Patient). Our Patinet Satisfaction Scores Were Actually Up And We Got
A Cake. I Wonder What Kind Of Bonus Management Got?[/quote
A cake, a cake. So typical! When our unit was overflowing, no beds at all and no extra nurses available. Our DON actually suggested that we put a labor patients into each of 2 of our 3 ORs. I suggested that we consult with infection control before we did this and then reminded her that we had no fetal monitoring in the OR. She suggested portable monitors and I responded with find me some because I don't have a clue. When I asked if we could move some of the patients up to antepartum she said no, only one nurse on antepartum. As charge I already knew that. Our satisfaction scores: 99%. We got cold sandwiches. You know, my question about management bonus was the same as yours. I love my job but really, the MDs treat us with more respect than management.:angryfire

kathmandu49 · Nov 26, 2007

Why do you think patients are so rude? Is it just that people in general are rude in stressful situations? Or is it because the general public just doesn't understand what nurses do and how important they are to the quality of care patients receive from them? It seems like there needs to be some patient education so they have more appropriate expectations. This seems especially important since managment seems to be reacting to the patient's limited perspective. And since patient perspective is clearly skewed then managements response would be off base, too. Right?

scooterRN52 · Nov 26, 2007

All Of You Have All Made Such Great Points! We Are All Trained Professionals That Have Gone To College. We Get It From All Directions. The Patients, Doctors, And Upper Management. The Hospital I Work At Has Started This Patient Satisfaction Drive.
There Is A Person That Goes To Each Patient And Finds Out What They Like And Don't Like About Their Stay And How They Are Being Cared For. So We Get Told Weekly How Well Were Doing And How Much We Suck!
Upper Management Has No Idea What We Go Thorugh In A Day And They Don't Consider The Source ( The Patient). Our Patinet Satisfaction Scores Were Actually Up And We Got
A Cake. I Wonder What Kind Of Bonus Management Got?[/quote
A cake, a cake. So typical! When our unit was overflowing, no beds at all and no extra nurses available. Our DON actually suggested that we put a labor patients into each of 2 of our 3 ORs. I suggested that we consult with infection control before we did this and then reminded her that we had no fetal monitoring in the OR. She suggested portable monitors and I responded with find me some because I don't have a clue. When I asked if we could move some of the patients up to antepartum she said no, only one nurse on antepartum. As charge I already knew that. Our satisfaction scores: 99%. We got cold sandwiches. You know, my question about management bonus was the same as yours. I love my job but really, the MDs treat us with more respect than management.:angryfire
We have monthly scores on satisfaction of pt's. I am really fed up about it! Is this a profession or are we sales people? Everything seems to be all about customer
service, now the public is trying to tell us how to do our job. Nursing &Medicine has turned into a business instead of a profession.:monkeydance:

scooterRN52 · Nov 26, 2007

AMEN!! While I agree that pt.s deserve to be comfortable they do need to realize they ARE IN A HOSPITAL!! I had 2 GI bleeders swirling around the drain. My other pt. who had practically had his address changed to room #_ _ screaming at me to get his da-- coffee before he reported me in the morn?!?!?! Are you freaking KIDDING ME??:angryfire

It seems like it is all about keeping the pt's happy, it wasn't like this 10or15 years ago. I think pt's should be comfortable, but this is a hospital not a hotel! I agreewith you.

lamazeteacher · Nov 27, 2007

I HAVE A HOMECARE PATIENT NOW THAT TRIES TO START SUMTHIN EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE WITH ME.HE RECENTLY WANTED ME TO BRING HIS FAT ***, THANKSGIVING DINNER.I MADE UP EVERY EXCUSE NOT TO. I TREAT HIM LIKE A DOLLAR SIGN BECUZ THAT IS ALL HE MEANS TO ME.I FEED HIM WITH A LONG HANDLE SPOON.HE HAS A NASTY ATTITUDE TOWARDS EVERYBODY.I DON'T GIVE A>>> ABOUT HIM.I TREAT PEOPLE THE WAY THEY TREAT ME NOW.I USE TO BE PASSIVE AND TURN THE OTHER CHEEK BUT I'D ONLY END UP FEELING MISERABLE AND RAN OVER AND USED.NOW THAT I SPEAK UP FOR MYSELF AND GIVE PEOPLE BACK WHAT THEY GIVE ME,LIFE IS 100% BETTER NOW!!!

It made me very sad to read your post. I've practised Nursing for 47 years, and never thought of patients as you do, with the invectives you use! Shame! Get some other type of work, please, and you'll be even happier. Certainly the patients you might have will be happier. We tend to get what we dish out.............

Since you work away from supervisorial eyes, you have gotten away with more (and probably stood for more) than anyone knows. I shudder to think of patients alone at home, subjected to your wrath! If you feel better, having vented your anger on patients, then you need counselling. Please get it, for your sake as well as others.:uhoh21::uhoh21:

lamazeteacher · Nov 27, 2007

Why do you think patients are so rude? Is it just that people in general are rude in stressful situations? Or is it because the general public just doesn't understand what nurses do and how important they are to the quality of care patients receive from them? It seems like there needs to be some patient education so they have more appropriate expectations. This seems especially important since managment seems to be reacting to the patient's limited perspective. And since patient perspective is clearly skewed then managements response would be off base, too. Right?

Is patient perspective really skewed? Or does anger beget anger?

We are entitled to our feelings, as are our patients, but there is a time and place for venting them (which we all need to do) - but certainly that time and place is not at the bedside!

It appears to me that anger management is necessary at your place of employment - from the top down. Cold sandwiches aren't satisfying when hearts ache for needed respect. There's illness at your facility, and it's not just in patients. Get those classes! :madface:

Ruby Vee, BSN · Nov 27, 2007

i think a lot of patients (and their families) are getting their "how to act in the hospital" cues from television. the medical dramas -- and even the soap operas and cop shows -- feature a tough detective yelling at his nurses, threatening his doctor and hurling a dressing tray against the wall, presumably to show how tough he is or how angry about his illness/injury or a new mother shrieking hysterically and shoving doctors, nurses and friends away from her presumably depicting her anguish over her daughter's birth defect. tearing at one's hair and clothing while screaming to god at the top of one's lungs is supposed to show grief and bullying the health care staff is supposedly indicative of one's great love and concern for one's sick relative. the general pubic seems not to perceive that these are dramas, and don't necessarily depict how one should really behave in the health care environment.

apparently polite, respectful and grateful patients and family members don't make good drama.

it would be nice if people grew up and remembered the manners their mothers and grandmothers supposedly taught them!

kathmandu49 · Nov 27, 2007

i think a lot of patients (and their families) are getting their "how to act in the hospital" cues from television. the medical dramas -- and even the soap operas and cop shows -- feature a tough detective yelling at his nurses, threatening his doctor and hurling a dressing tray against the wall, presumably to show how tough he is or how angry about his illness/injury or a new mother shrieking hysterically and shoving doctors, nurses and friends away from her presumably depicting her anguish over her daughter's birth defect. tearing at one's hair and clothing while screaming to god at the top of one's lungs is supposed to show grief and bullying the health care staff is supposedly indicative of one's great love and concern for one's sick relative. the general pubic seems not to perceive that these are dramas, and don't necessarily depict how one should really behave in the health care environment.

apparently polite, respectful and grateful patients and family members don't make good drama.

it would be nice if people grew up and remembered the manners their mothers and grandmothers supposedly taught them!

i know this is a big enough issue that the center for nursing advocacy (www.nursingadvocacy.org) focuses on this area. they have ongoing campaigns to key programs like grey's anatomy, er, etc. to do a better job in how they portray nurses. with 3 million nurses in the us and all of us patients, you'd think the media would be more sensitive to this issue. but, you are right, bad behavior makes for good drama.

--liz

www.nursesrecommenddoctors.com

showbizrn · Nov 27, 2007

LET ME HELP YOU*

You seem to be having a difficult time

I'll try to help you the best way I can

But please, please, please

Don't take your misfortune of illness and discomfort

out on me!

I didn't have anything to do with you becoming sick

but can do alot towards your comfort and healing

IF YOU LET ME!

So let's start over.

*Nurses' Global Anthem :idea:

showbizrn

miss flossy · Nov 27, 2007

:uhoh3: :trout::angryfire:monkeydance: :idea: :angryfire

Hi

In response to this post,if they wanted to get out they would, just remember they r old people, who just got old, with problems along the way, they cant help it being there, and i am sure if u were in their shoes u wouldnt either

from MISS FLOSSY

Mulan · Nov 27, 2007

it would be nice if people grew up and remembered the manners their mothers and grandmothers supposedly taught them!

amen to that! and "supposedly" is right.