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.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
You just want to turn around and say..."yeah, and I'm the one paying for your dad's care."
Ok, I know about everyone's frustration with the system, it's broke and needs to be fixed. There is abuse and that needs to stop. But there are elderly/disabled that can't afford their supplemental because of the cuts to medicare, the cost shelter and food. Heck they can't afford their medicines. These people saw World War II, The Korean War, Vietnam, Dessert Storm etc. They have lived through the depression or survived the 60'/70"s (). They have worked hard and paid in to that system with their hard earned money for YEARS.
You work to replenish the tank. It's the abuse of the system that is draining it but instead of fixing the issue they make those who paid into it suffer because they won't stop the abusers. Those Senator and Congressman don't even pay medicare tax because they are government employee and have their own benefits......they don't socialize with the peasants.
I am disabled from a neuromuscular disease similar to ALS. I am on disability. I HATE IT......but it provides food for my children and home. In two years I am "eligible" for medicare which my private insurance is mandating I obtain.....cheap blankety blanks. I have worked since I was 15. Every dime I have made a portion of that has been taken for these "entitlements"........personally due to the fact that I am ill.... I do feel that I am "entitled" to the services I have paid for. I am aware that the abuses are rampant..... I just wanted to give a gentle reminder that there are many stories out there and we shouldn't be too quick to judge.
However........the statement that they paid my salary makes my skin crawl. I don't recall seeing their signature on my paycheck. When families act in such a poor manner I kill them with kindness. I tell them I hear what they are saying and understand their concern but viral infections are not treated with anitbiotics which is how all these super bugs were born.......but I will be sure to bring it to the MD's attention. good night.
Daughter over the phone yelling at me to give her father pain medicine. I asked the pt again, after asking him every hour x 6 hours. He said no right over the phone to his daughter. Daughter goes on to yell at me that he was in pain blah blah blah. I'm glad she can assess pain over the phone better than I can in neuroICU and having been there all day. I didn't give the guy anything and transferred him to step down.
Daughter over the phone yelling at me to give her father pain medicine. I asked the pt again, after asking him every hour x 6 hours. He said no right over the phone to his daughter. Daughter goes on to yell at me that he was in pain blah blah blah. I'm glad she can assess pain over the phone better than I can in neuroICU and having been there all day. I didn't give the guy anything and transferred him to step down.
Yes just like the guy take care of at work who was FINE on 10 mg of morphine. His wife insisted he needed more so the doc upped it to 15 mg. Then she was screaming bloody murder because he was sedated. So the doc put it down to 5 mg. Then HE was screaming bloody murder anytime anyone needed to move the poor man. Then (my favorite) she said IF WE WOULD JUST LISTEN TO HER AND PUT HIM ON 10 MG HE'D BE FINE! Ugh lady.
So the doc rewrote the 10 mg order, told her the nurses would give him pain meds as we thought he'd need them, and to back off.
But I guess she helped create the monster by changing the order so many times. But she constantly threatens to call the state/take him out/etc etc etc so many times that even management kinda shrugs and rolls their eyes when she makes threats. I've told her she can take him out to another facility or home with home care nurses AT ANY POINT; it's her choice. She just kinda gets ***** with me, I guess because I don't beg her to stay???
The hugh majority of patients Isee don't have health insuranceand or welfare insurance. Yet, theywant their families to have a threecourse meal while visiting themwhile in the ER. They use the ERas their doctors office when theyOd on their drugs or alcohol. At the end of the day I thinkabout the crappy care or lack ofgood care I got when I was a patient and I have always, alwayshad health insurance. When I got out of the army I bought a 90 daypolicy till I started my new job tillmy insurance started up. If a patient has insurance, yesthey ARE paying your salary. Ifthey don't have insurance you arepaying for their care and yoursalary!
I have a family member who refuses to take her alzheimer's husband home because of his "difficult" behaviors and general fussiness and refusal to do things. She refused to learn his foley care, refuses to have a suprapubic put in so then she's always demanding a UA for UTI constantly.. well lady he's colonized but has no symptoms. Anyways she will come to my cart where I am passing meds on 50 people and demand I put him to bed because otherwise he is grouchy n the morning for her, even though my aides will come along shortly to do so.. I do not have time is what I have started saying, I have to give everyone their meds. And no, I will not irrigate his foley 2x a shift for no reason, nor will I pull it out and replace it when it's patent. Nor will I let you come into other patient's rooms where I or my aides are at to complain or ask for things, they deserve some privacy, lady! UGHHHHHHH. You want private care, pay for it or take him home, Otherwise deal with it, no one can be at your beck and call in every situation every minute of the day!
This kind of reminds me of when I was in Highschool (NZ) when we all first started working. Most of us had after school jobs and once we realized we were paying taxes that pays teachers well of course the words " You work for us now" and "We pay your salaries" came out of our mouths. The teachers just laughed at us and complained miserably about how we were making them work for slave wages
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.
I don't think I would have the restraint be that cool/nice about it
Face to face careplan didn't happen - she forgot to show up. Social services rescheduled it for tomorrow. We'll see what happens then but at least she didn't call ranting again today (and Dad still seems just fine).
Michelle126 - There is no way I could have said anything like you indicated in your post. This lady literally never gave me a chance to say more than 3-4 words at any one time...even when I tried one time to say "If you'd just let me finish my sentence". I think that is when she finally hung up on me.
;)When you get right down to it, everyone pays everyone's salary. ..When I buy gas, I'm paying the clerk's salary. When I buy a doughnut, I'm paying the counter help's salary; when I pay my cable bill, I'm paying their staff's salary.. Of course, if your taxes are paying their insurance bill, food, housing etc. that's different. If that's the case, he who has the gold rules, right??? Simple concept, but people like these just don't get it, and never will.
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Simple concept, but people like these just don't get it, and never will.
Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN
20,908 Posts
Ok, I know about everyone's frustration with the system, it's broke and needs to be fixed. There is abuse and that needs to stop. But there are elderly/disabled that can't afford their supplemental because of the cuts to medicare, the cost shelter and food. Heck they can't afford their medicines. These people saw World War II, The Korean War, Vietnam, Dessert Storm etc. They have lived through the depression or survived the 60'/70"s (
). They have worked hard and paid in to that system with their hard earned money for YEARS.
You work to replenish the tank. It's the abuse of the system that is draining it but instead of fixing the issue they make those who paid into it suffer because they won't stop the abusers. Those Senator and Congressman don't even pay medicare tax because they are government employee and have their own benefits......they don't socialize with the peasants.
I am disabled from a neuromuscular disease similar to ALS. I am on disability. I HATE IT......but it provides food for my children and home. In two years I am "eligible" for medicare which my private insurance is mandating I obtain.....cheap blankety blanks. I have worked since I was 15. Every dime I have made a portion of that has been taken for these "entitlements"........personally due to the fact that I am ill.... I do feel that I am "entitled" to the services I have paid for. I am aware that the abuses are rampant..... I just wanted to give a gentle reminder that there are many stories out there and we shouldn't be too quick to judge.
However........the statement that they paid my salary makes my skin crawl. I don't recall seeing their signature on my paycheck. When families act in such a poor manner I kill them with kindness. I tell them I hear what they are saying and understand their concern but viral infections are not treated with anitbiotics which is how all these super bugs were born.......but I will be sure to bring it to the MD's attention. good night.