I work in LTC. Family member calls in today and says "Dad has a cold and I demand an antibiotic". I get just a few words out about an antibiotic not treating a cold but she interrupted me every time I tried to speak. Never even got to the point that Dad has no fever, lungs are clear, I never heard him cough - nor did other staff today, chest X-ray in the hospital a few days ago is completely negative.
After a couple of minutes of trying to get in a few words in she yells "I am the customer and I demand an antibiotic. I pay your salary and I get to get what I want. You'd better get the next **** Dr. that walks in the door to order an antibiotic or you'll hear from me tomorrow". She then promptly hangs up on me. At some point she also informed me she planned to sue the hospital for discharging him without the antibiotic that she demanded that they start.
Needless to say, I did not even attempt to get an antibiotic order, although I did inform the Dr. of this tirade.
No advice needed. Just needed to vent frustration about the general public.
Well I'm SURE that daughter was a DOCTOR and probably knew EXACTLY what she was screeching about! I would have said to her "oh why yes, I shall summon the good doctor and request of him a pill, and then shall I request of thee to bend over- as in a downward facing dog pose, and yea there would be much rejoicing."
Oh to run them down and feel that THUMP THUMP of the wheels going over top of their bodies.......................... oh sorry, was daydreaming there!! We've had a wife pound.. and I do mean POUND on the window of our nurse's station and that was the nicest thing she did during that particular temper tantrum. Our admin is super cool.. she looked the woman right in the eye and after chastising her for her more than juvenile behavior, she told the wife, in no uncertain terms, that if she was SOOO dissatisfied with the care he was recieving, she was more than happy to take her husband (who has Alzheimer's with major behavior issues, mainly aggression) home with her. She then got some empty boxes and told a couple of the CNAs to go help this lady pack up her husband's belongings. Boy, talk about an instant attitude adjustment!! Needless to say, the resident is still with us, and his wife is behaving better...... for the most part.
What gets me is this... our facility is locked and all doors are alarmed. The front door can only be accessed by either an access code (which is NEVER given to family members) or by us pushing a button in the nurse's station. If there is no one at the front, there is a doorbell to press which sounds on the unit phones throughout the building. I was in the doorway of the station, trying to calm down a very upset resident who was crying uncontrolably about whatever the crisis of the day was. I saw another resident's family member come in. I established eye contact and gestured to her that yes, I saw her and I would be with her in just a sec. The woman proceeded to go and HIT THE DOORBELL!!!!!!!!!! I picked up the phone to silence the doorbell and, yes, I admit it, set it back down with more than a little sense of frustration. After I hit the button to let the woman in, she turned and said "Oh I didn't know you were busy"...... WHAT??????????????????????? Sheesh!!!!!!!!!!!
to nurse leigh - forget about being allowed in public...some people shouldn't be allowed to breed! period! there's a not too old country song that goes "god is great, beer is good, and people are crazy". ain't this the truth?!?!
yeah, after talking with one of my friends who works at a free clinic, i so agree with you. um, as in, could we make passing a very basic course on human sexuality/anatomy a requirement in school? it seems many people were absent the day they separated the boys & girls and told them what's what. ladies, you should know what your lady parts is! sorry, bit of an off topic rant, hijack over! :)
I wonder what the markup is on antibiotic flavored tictacs. Maybe get the MD to prescribe "Cebocap" and bill it to the family member. Since she's paying your salary can you ask her directly for a raise?
Yeah I was thinking the same thing will she give you a raise. Utterly interesting how the patient I mean customer/ family members can dictate care over the phone.
I'm mystified by people wanting antibiotics. I get the desire for a quick fix, but is a virus AND diarrhea really the better choice over just a virus? Even if you ARE paying my salary?
I'm mystified by people wanting antibiotics. I get the desire for a quick fix, but is a virus AND diarrhea really the better choice over just a virus? Even if you ARE paying my salary?
And (this one's for the ladies) a yeast infection, too?
BTDT..as I think a lot of us have in LTC. Kill her with kindness and encourage her to do some research of her own.....
Oh, Mrs Jones, I'm sure you've thought about this and researched this. I'm not sure what med the doc would order for his common cold. Thru all of your research what did you find out? You know if you google antibiotics for the common cold you might find some information about this (hahahahaha). The first few links are very helpful on this issue and should provide you a lot of information. Would you want some time and then call me back? In the mean time, I will discuss this with his doctor and have the nurses keep and extra eye on him today!" I really appreciate how concerned you are for your dad and will go check on him after I get off the phone wth you.
Honest to goodness....I've never gotten a call back! I really used the above before too. You can't argue with these people.
wooh, BSN, RN
1 Article; 4,383 Posts
Does that make your med cart an antibiotic? Since antibiotics are obviously the only way to stop snot?