"Hardened" Healthcare Providers

[cwinlv]

I recently floated to the ER and witnessed such poor ethics in two nurses and paramedics I was astounded! The EMT team brought in an extremely morbidly obese woman in respiratory distress who was “caked” in feces. Their heads were wrapped in towels because of the odor she emitted!

The EMT’s placed her in the bay while I started her vitals and placed her leads. They walked over to the nurse’s station and two RN’s and the EMT’s began talking about how filthy her home was and how disgusting the patient was. Their conversation was loud enough for the patient and the surrounding patients to hear!

I was mortified and embarrassed for the health profession! Sure the patient was disgusting. Sure she was filthy. But aren’t we taught to deliver healthcare in a non-judgmental manner?? Yes, I am new to nursing (and healthcare as a whole), but is this what happens to healthcare providers after years of witnessing these types of incidents? I said nothing, but delivered the type of care I was trained to deliver without judgment of the patient and with the compassion I show other patients.

What should I have done? How do I handle this type of situation in the future? Any input would be sincerely appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[ladylynx]

Just tell the involved parties that their actions were inappropriate. I am a firm believer in being honest with each other. Not only will your co-workers develop trust in you, but you will gain respect as well.

If only this were true...I have often been labeled a rebel and been shunned, so I have learned to send letters to the entire chain of commands and be ready to quit. In general, people would not be able to do this (bad behavior) if the "higher chiefs" cared. There is a fine $, states HIPPA. If you only heard what those higher chiefs said and do at conferences and meetings.

[gonzo1, ASN, RN]

The ability to treat these challenging patients with dignity and respect is what separates the grownups from the kids. Fortunately I work with a bunch of grownups who know how to vent and grieve in private and not in front of the patient.

Every career path has people who do not belong there. We can only hope that they are quickly weeded out.

[cwinlv]

I re-read this post months later and wanted to say thank you to everyone who responded! I am starting my first RN position tomorrow (I was previously a NAP) and I want to remember what being a professional is all about. While I may develop my own ways of coping, I pray that I will always treat my patients with dignity, respect, and compassion. I vow NEVER to publicly disrespect or humiliate a patient as was done in the example posted. That's not just psychosocial "babble" but respect for human dignity. Again, thanks to all.

Christy

[LCAlpn]

Uh.....wow. It's not 'psychosocial BS' to treat a human being like a human being. That means we keep those conversations in areas that patients can't hear us. I've participated in those conversations before, and they are necessary to handle the job, but it's really NOT professional to do this in front of patients, etc regardless of your role as a provider.

Not only is it unprofessional it is ILLEGAL. They absolutely violated that woman's right to privacy. According to HIPPA, only the government is allowed to do that!