Please help me with my new Customer-er...I mean Pt

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Specializes in High Risk In Patient OB/GYN.

Just got a G1P0 at 37wks, transfer from L&D. Advanced maternal age (she's pushing 50), but no other health or pregnancy issues. She was cervidil'ed yesterday, no progress (shocker at 37wks, huh?), so she's hanging out here for "therapeutic rest", re-evaluate tomorrow.

I knew she was gonna be fun the second she came here...complained that at 0100, the "best" we could get her to eat is turkey with lettuce and tomato on a roll, a banana, juice, milk, crackers and yogurt (I think that's pretty good, no?) requested a private room--sorry, no, we're almost full. Put her in a double room but no roomate right now, so she's by herself.

"This toilet bowl is filthy!"

"No, Ms. G, that's a chip in the plastic, but I'll wipe it down for you if you'd like" and so I wipe it down....

"It's still there! This is really disgusting! Maybe we can page a maid?? Or can't I just have another room. Can't you move someone from the private room into this one?"

:uhoh3:

I ask her if they taught her how to measure her urine. "No, I'm just going to leave it in the white thing [hat]. You measure it. That's what they did down there [L&D]"

I explained to her very nicely that they only have one patient at a time on L&D while I have 5 right now, and showed her how to do it. 10 min later she buzzed me to empty her hat.

:angryfire

Then her mother who was with her asks "So, sweety, tell the nurse when you want your cervidil so she can make sure you get it" I kinda interrupted and explained that there were limits (recent PO intake) and schedules, etc.

Mom chimes in "Well, she wants it at 6am. Don't you dear? Nurse, can you write that down-SIX AM"

Pt-"Yes, 6am. And please...be a good nurse and make sure the doctors are here at 6am, not 6:15 or 6:30...I want to get this over with. And I need sleep-don't wake me up until the doctor is here with the medicine in his hand."

Lady--if you think you're tired now, wait till you have a baby screaming every 2 hours and no permanent support (single mother by choice).

'Twill be a long night, it will.

Grrrr

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Specializes in Pediatrics, NICU, ER, PICU.

Don't ya love it? pfft...Didn't you know you were working at the Ritz-Carlton and you were her private nurse/maid/slave???!?!? Get with the program..lol! Wow..where's the hubby??!?! Poor guy! Good luck with that.

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Let me get this straight......she's pushing 50 and her mother is speaking for her??

I don't think there is anything you can do except laugh. I know I am.

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Specializes in ICU of all kinds, CVICU, Cath Lab, ER..

I have been known to tell the patient (or mother or father or friend) upon their 5th visit out to find me and interrupt me to ask for something trivial or stupid that "as soon as I am able, I will page the Concierge Desk and have them help you". Walk away quickly and try to hide as best as you can. (Just kidding!!)

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I just LOVE the entitlement crowd :trout:

You could just tell her if she is not willing to measure and empty her hat, you will just have to cath her so that you could measure and empty at your convience. Then you also have the bonus of not having to listen to her complain about that disgusting toilet seat:idea:

If you think she's bad now, wait till she has the baby. Nothing is more irritating than an elderly prime (most anyway, not all). If they're not nervous Nellies and asking questions and demanding assistance every few minutes, they are just demanding know it alls.

Good luck - anyway you could just go on vacation until her discharge?

BTW - Why is she being induced at 37 weeks? Please tell me it is more medically necessary than the doc saying "she's driving me crazy and I can't stand her pestering anymore".

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I have been known to tell the patient (or mother or father or friend) upon their 5th visit out to find me and interrupt me to ask for something trivial or stupid that "as soon as I am able, I will page the Concierge Desk and have them help you". Walk away quickly and try to hide as best as you can. (Just kidding!!)

:yeahthat: :yeah:

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Specializes in High Risk In Patient OB/GYN.
BTW - Why is she being induced at 37 weeks? Please tell me it is more medically necessary than the doc saying "she's driving me crazy and I can't stand her pestering anymore".
No, its all her--she's "TIRED of being pregnant. Can't do this anymore...":uhoh3:

And yes, that is the quote I used for her cheif complaint.

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Specializes in pedi, pedi psych,dd, school ,home health.
:uhoh3: :uhoh3: KellNY' I can sympathize...i remember when i worked at the pedi office the older primips were the ones who expected US to change the baby before we weighed; wanted "free samples" of formula, tylenol, etc.... and expected us to cater to them during visits.."what do you mean the doctor is running behind..junior needs his nap exactly at 1:00" ???? who really needs junior to nap??:uhoh3:
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Specializes in Long Term Care.

WOW... Do women really have FIRST babies when they are that OLD?????

I want to say that is just irresponsible and selfish. No wonder their attitudes seem to really suck.

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Tired of being pregnant????? Well she should of thought of that beforehand...........She's going to be mighty tired for the next 18 years....:lol

2: Couldn't you just kind of "nicely" tell her that your hospital encourages their patients to do as much as possible for themselves...after all they will be doing it all themselves when they get home.....;) She sounds like a spoiled prima donna to me.......geez! When I had my baby eons ago...I never asked for a thing...did it all myself....heck the nurses were after me to rest....I was up walking around a couple of hours after I had her.........and those were the times when the baby was kept in the nursery & not roomed in...and visiting hours were based around the time the baby was in the nursery.....:uhoh3: That one needs to snap out of it! And having a baby at nearly 50???????? Give me a break!!! :uhoh21:

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Specializes in Corrections, neurology, dialysis.

18 years? Do kids get out on their own at 18 nowadays?

When I did my OB clinicals I was shocked to see that now they let mothers request inductions. I somehow got the idea that they had to be medically necessary. Imagine my surprise. It's as if people want drive thru service for everything now, including having babies.

I bet teachers could tell us lots of stories about parents foisting their responsibilities onto them.

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

Not an OB nurse here ... but WOW, don't you just love these pts.?

When I get a (not very sick) really demanding patient, I'm learning to quickly call a "time out" and provide some patient education on my role. I do it very nicely, without sarcasm or resentment. Just, "let me take a minute to give you some information on how things will likely proceed ..." and I go on to outline what I will be doing to assess, keep tabs on relevant labs & other diagnostics, etc.

It doesn't set everyone straight, but it lays things out pretty clearly.

BTW -- I'm sure the prima donna comes in all ages. I had a pt. last week w/an abscess on her elbow to be I&D'd. MD & I spent nearly 30 minutes explaining meds to get her through the procedure, but all she could keep saying was, "I don't like pain" in one sentence and then "oh no, this is too much medicine yall are talking about for my baby" in the next sentence. :uhoh3: All I could think was what an absolute *joy* she will be when she delivers.

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