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
Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.
infermierequebecoise said:
''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!"''
I do agree with your husband here, and to be honest I don't think we are getting more and more like waitresses (btw I was a waitress for seven years and loved it, however I do not feel like it is what I do now). In the long run I do believe nursing is improving, I believe our status is changing. For the most part my patient's are compliant, respectful, understanding and patient.
There will always be the bad eggs every few weeks, like the guy who was shocked that I had a "license" when I refused to give him a bag of Restoril to go home with for fear of losing it (he was also grabbing nurses butts to which I called him on when he asked for a hug "because he was so scared about surgery". I told him I knew he had traveling hands and they weren't going to get on me. He never pressed the subject again).
I will say I am very thankful to have always had very supportive nurse managers who know who I am, and value that against oddball customer complaints. I am sorry for nurses who don't have a support system, and believe me, I know it is out there.
Specializes in Midwifery,Medical, Paediatric, Infection.
You handled the whole thing calmly! Thank you for sharing...Hope you're okay after the burdens have been lifted off the shoulders. I came across similar female patient 8 years back, although older (50 years+), she's a sickly lady with chronic diseases who would just shout "Nurse, nurse... Ooo Nurse.." in the middle of the night!! Which would stop only if you stay by her bedside...and forget about other patients. Hmm...
Specializes in acute care med/surg, LTC, orthopedics.
infermierequebecoise said:
Wow, reading this post makes me kinda scared to move to the States...Where I work, we frequently have to remind patients that the 'H' in front of the building does NOT mean hotel..
Bonjour. Stick around long enough and you will read plenty stories from across the border that will blow you away!
I suppose the advantage of publicly-funded health care is the big wigs are going to get their money irregardless of how costumer-service oriented the hospital staff are, so our focus shifts to staying within budget rather than providing catering and hospitality services.
Amen!! I think it's that er attitude and experience you get from dealing with some of the lowlifes of society everyday because they are the worst manipulators that want everything done for them.
I had a similar experience in the er with a 16yo that had come in for abd pain and come to find out she was pregnant and had an abcess in her arm. she and her family were thrilled she was pregnant (which I couldn't understand), but the patient was obese and a huge baby. she told me she could not take the abx because "they are too big". I then proceeded to question her on how she planned to take her prenatal vitamins if she couldn't take these tiny pills? then I was thrown out of the room by her mother and told I have an attitude problem. it will never cease to amaze me the type of people that are out there breeding.
I'd have done same thing and been thrown out right there along w/ you.
well the problem is that as soon as the patients don't get their way they call in the patient advocate whose name and number is given to all the patients when they are first admitted and told if they have any complaints to contact her. so as soon as you don't do what the patient wants they complain to the patient advocate that you are not compassionate or are rude. last week one of our nurses got a complaint from one of the patients that she wasnt "compassionate or caring." This nurse happens to be a great nurse who never gets complaints like that but probably because she made someone bathe themselves or didn't cater to their every want she got written up and scolded by the nursing director.
which is why one should chart a patients behavior. Demanding, multiple requests, etc. Document document document, so if and when they do make a complaint, it is well documented how you handled her demands. You're not a waitress, so don't think that nurses are expected to be. Oh well if a complaint comes your way, there are jerk patients who can make complaints all day, if you get in trouble for one (and actually reprimanded), then I'd have an issue with my manager.
:yeah:You handled the whole thing calmly! Thank you for sharing...Hope you're okay after the burdens have been lifted off the shoulders. I came across similar female patient 8 years back,although older (50 years+), she's a sickly lady with chronic diseases who would just shout "Nurse,nurse...Ooo Nurse.." in the middle of the night!! Which would stop only if you stay by her bedside...and forget about other patients. Hmm...
oh god do I hate "oohhh NURSE!" Drives me up a wall!
Makes me glad I don't work in the hospital! I work in a LTC setting with severely disbabled children and young adults :). When my hubby was in the ICU (for a severe Mallory-Weiss tear and severe blood loss) I was with him from early in the morning till about 7pm. I cleaned him up because he was very weak and unable to do this himself, he was also embarassed, and I hate sitting around doing nothing LOL. He was also in DKA (type 1 diabetic) due to the tear as well and he was on an insulin drip which required hourly blood glucose checks. I got the accuchecks too, b/c his fingers are all heavily calloused from doing construction work for 20 years. Heck when I was a patient in the hospital for removal of my gallbladder, I even offered to change out my IV fluids myself b/c I knew how busy my nurse was! My point is: some people think that nurses are there to be their personal handmaidens, and anything that they could do independently flies out the window the second they are admitted. Now granted, there are some folks who truly can not take care of themselves, and those are the ones that need us the most. Not the call-bell kings or queens ding-donging us to death to fluff the pillow, or move the cup a 1/3 of inch......
Wendy LPN
that's way above and beyond for you to do hourly checks of glucose. If I were that nurse, I'd have said, thanks, but your job is to be the family member right now, I'll be doing the nursing work, but I thank you for your offer. I know we're busy, but he is one of my higher acuity patients, so I'll be in more often anyway, and just hit that call light if you need anything else. (I would expect that nurse to be in there often anyway...)
I don't think it has anything to do with whether the OP is a newish nurse or easily intimidated. I think it has everything to do with where she practices. I hope those of you who work where patient complaints are actually impartially investigated and where nurses are backed if they have a sterling reputation realize how lucky you are. Not all of us practice under those conditions. Where I work, there is no investigation. If a patient makes a complaint you are written up for "poor customer service." One recent example is a nurse who was reported for rudeness by a patient. A co-worker who overheard the exchange that caused the report stated that nurse had been perfectly appropriate. Everyone, and I mean everyone, knew that this particular patient was lying. Nevertheless, management wrote up the nurse and reassigned her to a different unit for a while, gave the lying patient an apology and gift card. We are constantly reminded that the patient is a customer and we cannot afford to have any customer unhappy, whether or not their unhappiness is justified. Also, waiting on family and visitors is an expectation of good customer service where I work. We are never to direct a visitor to the soda machine, we are to fetch a soda for them.
I would love to work in an environment where I could set limits without fear of reprisals, and up until a few years ago I did.
I post this because I want those of you who cannot imagine getting in trouble for settling reasonable limits in a polite way to know that not every facility treats complaints in a reasonable way. The OP is not just being paranoid--these places really do exist. From another post I see that the OP is leaving her facility, so I hope she will find a place that operates in a reasonable way.
I think I'd have to quit that. Where's the line between nurse and waitress there? I'd be outta there. Complaints would come flying in with me!! No waiting hand and foot on ESI 4's or visitors... huh uh!
I am very good at setting limits with demanding patients. No way would this crap have gone over with me. In 12 years of nursing I have never had a patient complain about me or my attitude or my care. I don't put up with any nonsense, but they know they get good care.
I let patients know you need to try to help us help you, we want you to be as independent as possible, especially if you are going to be discharged. If you still have issues with bathing yourself, then I'll speak with the doc in the AM and see if you may need a consult for a nursing home. Next thing you know, the patient is doing ADL's without any issues. This seems to work most of the time.
ha ha!! Love this one ...going to USE this for sure!!
And I'm really NOT loving all of you who say how "great" you are at setting limits, how NO one gets away w/ any crap with you, etc, etc -- many of you may not have worked at these types of facilities ... Press Ganey and all that ...where I work we are HAMSTRUNG by customer service mentality ...no matter what these little demons do, they get away w/ it and we have to cater to them ... it's all about competition in the field now -- patients are not patients ...they are "clients," or "customers." One wrong move and you ARE written up and counseled.
Of course, you can learn to be diplomatic ...but it's a strain.
I just try to really know their case, be good at my job, and explain in a logical way WHY I can't do for them right now ....99% of people can be won over this way ...but it's exhausting at times.
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
I have been a patient many many times, anytime I needed help with anything self care it was mortifying to me. It was embarrassing and I hated to depend on people. It is so hard for me to imagine and understand people WANTING other people to do personal care things for them such as washing her genitals. I just don't get it and not looking forward to dealing with it.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
I know! I don't get it either! My now 20 year old daughter started grabbing towels to cover up way sooner than she needed to (but of course I respected her boundaries) isn't that a normal impulse for most people when they grow up? For some reason demanding girl has a delay, which I do get can come from really traumatic childhood experiences but this girl should. Not. Be having children.
I'd have done same thing and been thrown out right there along w/ you.
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Tait, MSN, RN
2,142 Posts
I do agree with your husband here, and to be honest I don't think we are getting more and more like waitresses (btw I was a waitress for seven years and loved it, however I do not feel like it is what I do now). In the long run I do believe nursing is improving, I believe our status is changing. For the most part my patient's are compliant, respectful, understanding and patient.
There will always be the bad eggs every few weeks, like the guy who was shocked that I had a "license" when I refused to give him a bag of Restoril to go home with for fear of losing it (he was also grabbing nurses butts to which I called him on when he asked for a hug "because he was so scared about surgery". I told him I knew he had traveling hands and they weren't going to get on me. He never pressed the subject again).
I will say I am very thankful to have always had very supportive nurse managers who know who I am, and value that against oddball customer complaints. I am sorry for nurses who don't have a support system, and believe me, I know it is out there.
Tait