Rant about ungrateful, demanding patients

[KSU-SN]

I had a patient tonight in her late teens, had a C-section back in May and spent some time in ICU recently due to an abscess and came to our floor (med/surg) a few days ago. This patient is morbidly obese and obviously very spoiled or just a brat. Her call light was on literally every 10 minutes....you would go in her room and she would want ice, or graham crackers, or want you to rub lotion on her. You would spend a half hour in there and AS SOON AS you walked out, she would have her call light on and say "can you send in my nurse." REALLY?? I was just in there. Then she would want to know why her food tray hasnt come yet or when was it time for pain medicine.

She is supposed to go home tomorrow but she asked me to wash her crotch and to scratch under her skin folds of her belly. I so wanted to say your arms arent broke! But I figured it would be less of a battle to just do it myself. Then 2 of her friends came....2 boys in their late teens, early 20's. The patient called me into the room to ask me if I could get them something to drink. I told her that there was a cafeteria and a vending machine room. She said they were broke as a joke. Hmmmm thats funny because they have a ton of tattoos and I can smell cigarette smoke on them but they cant afford a $1 bottle of pop or water?? I ignored it and walked out. Next time I came in to do something she said "did you ever find them something to drink??" I was about to blow a gasket....I calmly went and got them 2 glasses of ice water. Next time I came into the room theres the empty glasses sitting on the bedside table. The trash can was right beside them and they couldnt even clean up after themselves.

Next I am in the process of flushing the patient's PICC line with saline and heparin....I dripped a drop of saline on her and she says "umm thanks for making me wear it." I said "its saline, its not going to hurt you." Another friend drops by....theres a sign on the bathroom door saying it is for patient use ONLY. theres a visitors bathroom literally 2 doors down. The friend is in the patient's bathroom using it....I ask the patient where the friend is and she says shes using the bathroom. I tell her that theres a patient bathroom right outside and she gets huffy with me and says her friend "really had to pee." Come on you're not 5 years old!! Last but not least after I catered to this little brat all night she asks me to tuck her dressing into her skin fold because its uncomfortable....as I'm doing this as gently as I can she starts to scream...literally scream. And then bursts into tears and tells me I'm being too rough with her and she should have never let me do it. I honestly wanted to ask her what the hell was wrong with her. And the worst part about people like this is that they can treat you however they want and you cant say a dang thing back to them or you get in trouble! Its ridiculous that patients are allowed to get away with that stuff...I kind of neglected my sicker, more grateful patients because of this demanding immature girl. Thank you for listening to my rant, I feel a little better now

[Tait, MSN, RN]

Ugh. I am sorry you had to endure that. I don't think I would have handled it quite as diplomatically as you did.

[RNinthemaking1986]

Wow, that was tough and so emotionally wrecking . Don't worry about it, just think, it takes a special person to do the job of a nurse. I'm sure, the patient may have been a bad apple from the bunch.

[tyvin, BSN, RN]

Nobody is doing that girl any favors by pandering to her (I wouldn't have). BTW "they" can't treat you any way they want to; that's up to you how far you're going to let someone walk all over you.

[Sonjailana]

She sounds very emotionally immature. We see this with teenage post ops unfortunately. What's scarier is she is supposed to be a parent now???

[flymeherethere]

your ranting, is truly well controlled.. i probably wouldn't have been able to contain myself the way you're able to. youre one good nurse. =) keep the spirit=D

[laughing weasel]

Keep the faith life will punish her enough. It is her child that I feel sorry for.

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

Children having children...it always makes me shudder when I see one like the girl you described. I had a pt similar to the one you described and it took every ounce of my energy to bite my tongue. I hate it when the younger pt population thinks that nurses are waitresses. I see this trend more and more often and it is concerning. When I come home and vent to my husband about it, he just tells me that since we are getting older, we notice the generation gap more easily and reminds me that OUR parents shook their heads and said, "Kids today...sheesh!"

Good for you for being calm and taking care of this demanding teen. I know that you will be glad when you see her head getting smaller (walking away from the unit for good!)

[nicenurselpn, LPN]

hehehe. You definetly handled it better then me!!! I promptly would have told her that her arms arent broke, and how did she clean herself at home?? I have seen these types too.... I really feel sorry her baby.

Wendy LPN

[Hospice Nurse LPN, BSN, RN]

I must say, you handled it better than I would have.

[MassED, BSN, RN]

I would have told her that she needs to wash up herself, provide her with the cloths, and to take her time, but that will be what she does at home: Taking care of herself. Yep, sounds like she walked all over you. Everyone deals with problem patients their own way, but I would've said - I have other patients to tend to, if we can group all of your requests together, then I'll check back on you when your medication is due. As far as medical care, please feel free to call on me, but to bring drinks to your visitors is not part of my job. They can leave the hospital for food/drinks and return to visit you later. Sometimes kids this age feel they can be pampered, maybe never having been pampered. You said she had a c-section, right? Where was the baby? Why was she admitted? Did you discuss her baby? Teaching regarding care for herself, her nutrition, etc?? Sounds like an out of control teen, in many ways.

And P.S. I have dripped (or rather squirted) many a drop of saline on patients. When I have a flush, I squirt out a bit before I flush the line, sometimes I make the trash, sometimes it squirts out a bit. I just say "oops, a little saline wash might be coming your way!" No biggie.

[RevolutioN2013]

She sounds like an emotionally immature girl. My guess is that she has a huge need for attention and this is how that need manifested itself. She probably had a very dysfunctional childhood and learned to make her self feel better/safer by eating. No doubt this situation was annoying for you, but I can't help but feel sorry for her and her new baby. She will probably be dysfunctional all her life because she doesn't have the emotional maturity to realize that she IS dysfunctional and thus evolve a desire to change. If you think of this patient from the Maslow perspective she is obviously trying to fulfill either Safety needs (she's afraid of the situation she's in - either physically afraid because she had the infection OR afraid of being discharged and feeling overwhelmed about dealing with the baby so she tries to project an air of "neediness" to her caregivers) OR Psychological needs (insecure and needing emotional reassurance in the form of your attention). I wish that mental health resources were readily available to all those who need them! So says my A from Psych 101 LOL!!!