Price of Patient Satisfaction

[knoxnurse236]

I had something happen today that really bothered me. l lost my voice. I lost it in the name of patient satisfaction.

I listened to a male patient yell at me for something completely out of my control and then demand a new nurse because he didn't like my attitude.

My attitude consisted of explaining to him a certain policy and why it couldn't be broken. I then asked him why he was so mad and not to raise his voice at me. I said it in the most even, professional tone possible.

The bottom line and what bothers me most is he can treat me however he chooses. He can yell at me and if I say one word I am replaced. I am disposable. Who sticks up for me?

In what world is it ok for a grown man to speak to a woman or anyone for that matter in such a way? I feel like I have no voice or rights as a nurse sometimes.

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

I was yelled at, called a liar, and accused of theft by a very tall, large male patient. I was given a suspension without pay, all because I "must have done something to make him mad." We do not have a union, and no, we do not have a voice. Whatever the patient says is what administration believes. The nurse is always wrong, period.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

We've also had a mentally ill family member come in drunk with a baseball bat and threaten the staff because their mother wasn't getting any better (80+), and he nearly hit one of the nurses across the face with the bat. It was a big deal, a lot of chaos and drama. In the end we were confronted by admin and asked what we did to provoke them - the facility didn't press charges. For months a topic of the monthly staff meetings addressed what we did wrong in that incident, and how we were to blame for it.

The nurses in question should have pressed charges, even though the facility is being $^!!@*! insane. The facility and "guests" are not above the law!!

I'm serious. Some of the nurses where I work have restraining orders against a frequent flyer who physically assaulted them in the hospital (he is competent, to clarify. Just a violent man.) It can be done and should be done.

Sheesh, I'm getting tachycardic just typing this post, I am so livid!!!

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

I find myself seriously depressed about my job. I don't like it. I don't want to show up. I drag myself through my 12 hour day by pretending to be a doormat. Not only have patient's attitudes changed, but management treats us with less respect too.

I've worked in service jobs before. I know the game. I'm not young, naïve, or stupid. I even recognize that nursing IS a service job

The problem is, I have this enormous responsibility to improve the health of my patients, and no real power to get it done.

[Deepinthegame]

Oh, I must say this is a good one. Over the years , I have become an expert at ,"Giving the people what they want ! " My hospital loves me for it too ,and have received multiple awards in the past. The secret is pass the buck after trying to explain once and only once-Yes ! For example, pt asks , " Can I smoke weed in here ? " My response is ," Hold on -let me find out ." See the key words , "Hold On ". I never said ,"No" . Get someone else higher up to explain policy and tell them ," No ". Try this one as an answer , " Let me go see ." . When it's all said and done , the surveys are more important than even the care you give. My Super Magnet Teaching hospital will take a wonderful survey , instead of infection prevention any day. Matter a fact , we better kiss the pts family and friends ______ too. So many times , I have seen great nurses get punished for rightfully promoting policy .

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Oh, I must say this is a good one. Over the years , I have become an expert at ,"Giving the people what they want ! " My hospital loves me for it too ,and have received multiple awards in the past. The secret is pass the buck after trying to explain once and only once-Yes ! For example, pt asks , " Can I smoke weed in here ? " My response is ," Hold on -let me find out ." See the key words , "Hold On ". I never said ,"No" . Get someone else higher up to explain policy and tell them ," No ". Try this one as an answer , " Let me go see ." . When it's all said and done , the surveys are more important than even the care you give. My Super Magnet Teaching hospital will take a wonderful survey , instead of infection prevention any day. Matter a fact , we better kiss the pts family and friends ______ too. So many times , I have seen great nurses get punished for rightfully promoting policy .

So THAT's why I get the nastygrams . . . because I'M the one who has to go in and tell them "No, you can't smoke weed in here" and "No, the windows don't actually open," and "No, you can't have surgery after you eat a bucket of fried chicken." Gee if I had known it was so simple, I would have spent the past forty years passing the buck instead of solving my own issues.

[ktwlpn, LPN]

One tip a co-worker shared with me that has beeninvaluable is NEVER say "no" to a patient regarding anything.Tell them what they should do and why and then document.If they make some outlandish request don't you say "no".Get your nurse manager or supervisor involved,let them be the bad guy...n