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
Last week we had a nightmare of a patient on my Med/Surg unit. Male, 40's, and a former prisoner. Tested my patience level to the max. He would demand milk, juice, water....we'd fetch it for him and then he'd nag and complain. He accused me of trying to sexually assault him because "I smiled at him". He would leave his room and go into other patients' rooms and barricade himself in there. Then he got combative and hurled the milk carton and the juice boxes at us in the nursing station. He would scream every curse word and called every female the "C" word.
The team leader on duty that night is a great guy (he know's his stuff) but he is known for being VERY soft, weak, timid, and passive. He tried to please the demon with a private room and all the frills. It just made the situation worse.
Finally, collectively as a team of nurses working - we had enough. We called security and they came up and handled the demon.
Our security guys are ex cops....you don't want to mess with them cause they carry tasers, billyclubs, and pepper spray.
The demon made some dumb choices and attacked the security gaurds. The demon got a nice dose of reality. It got a little out of hand but like the saying goes "What Goes Around Come Around".
As soon as he called me the "C" word, I would have called security.
I have read all of your postings with great interest. I have a question. Can you give me the name of one of those hospitals, in SW Florida, that provides five star personal care, such as described here? Of course I also want well educated, experienced nurses to provide my care, in-between providing to my every want. They have made mistakes, have poor attitudes and act like they are doing a great favor by providing me with pain medication or call respiratory for a breathing treatment.
My point, we have all had experiences with 'bad' patients, families, physicians. And everyone has the right to rant. But if your hospital is for patient services only and not the staff, they aren't the only provider in town. I opted out of bedside nursing, at one time, because of nonsupport from management. And there were three hospitals in my community, with the same attitude. I found a job I loved and earned excellent money at. My point, I decided my sanity was more important to me then a job.
GrannyRN65
I've been a patient in a variety of hospitals, in different states. My experience is that most nurses provide and meet patient's needs. But I have also been provided care from nurses who I would let take care of my pet spider's broken limb, let a lone me*
I have read all of your postings with great interest. I have a question. Can you give me the name of one of those hospitals, in SW Florida, that provides five star personal care, such as described here? Of course I also want well educated, experienced nurses to provide my care, in-between providing to my every want. They have made mistakes, have poor attitudes and act like they are doing a great favor by providing me with pain medication or call respiratory for a breathing treatment.
My point, we have all had experiences with 'bad' patients, families, physicians. And everyone has the right to rant. But if your hospital is for patient services only and not the staff, they aren't the only provider in town. I opted out of bedside nursing, at one time, because of nonsupport from management. And there were three hospitals in my community, with the same attitude. I found a job I loved and earned excellent money at. My point, I decided my sanity was more important to me then a job.
GrannyRN65
I've been a patient in a variety of hospitals, in different states. My experience is that most nurses provide and meet patient's needs. But I have also been provided care from nurses who I would let take care of my pet spider's broken limb, let a lone me*
I am confused here....are you saying that as bedside nurses we have to take BS from people and when we come to rant we are told by GrannyRN65 to get over it? What gives GrannyRN65 the authority and power to make such a proclamation.
Patient after having a bowel movement.. assumes position and says "do you mind cleaning me up? I have a hard time doing it.
Me.. Really? Who helps you wipe at home?
Patient.. ummm
Me...while I am cleaning the ass for the ONLY time...." If you are having a hard time completing basic care for yourself, I could get a social worker to discuss nursing home options. Would you like to talk to a social worker? "
Patient.. "No that's okay I can do it myself I am just a little extra sore today"
Me.. "Oh let me see if I can get you something for your pain"
I'm so sorry that you went through this, but I am NOT, NOT an enabler... here is the washcloth... I'll give you one to rinse with.... can't do it? try first... then I'll get the rest. Now scratching, with narcs... those buggers are itchy, if it's a legit place like middle of the back, sure I'll scratch it if it's impossible to reach, might even do a lotion rub.
Friends need drinks... just like you said, help yourself to the water fountain. If I have time I'll be back with drinks if there are any available for friends... I'm very busy, so you may be best served to hit the water fountain, but I'll do my best, I have to care for patients first.
I'm ok with that.
Grannny, you post is way off topic for this thread, I won't comment on it as you're hijacking it and suggest you start your own thread to keep posts true to the OP. We try very hard to stay on topic and your post will provide nothing helpful to the OP. So please post your own thread question so others can help you with that, as your need for suggestions are important as well. :)
Guess what? You just got sucked in by the old 'user' patient routine - they will use and abuse u for anything. Make her do everything - and I certainly would NOT be putting my hand near anyone's crotch unless they were severely demented or comatose (even then we just open up the folds and squeeze the water down there) - doing that is so totally GROSS. I've never washed anyone's crotch where I've had to put my fingers up there (even with gloves on) and I never, never, ever will.
U need to tell her she isn't a baby. And don't get bullied by her or her so-called friends. She saw that you were pandering to her needs and decided to take advantage of it, as did her mates.
U need to be a bit more forceful - why can't u just tell them no? And explain why they need to be independent? If they argue about stupid little things, just walk away. It works and they will eventually get the message.
And a question: why on EARTH r u running after her mates with glasses of water? Why didn't u just say yes, the water tap/kitchen is right out there, help yourself! The more u run after people, the more they will take advantage of it. I never run after patient's relatives, I don't have time and I say so.
'Fraid they saw you coming & decided to use you and it worked unfortunately!
I agree with you about being appalled reading many posts in this thread. I would be terrified to work in the US - I have to take my hat off to all of you for keeping your sanity working in these hospitals that pander to customer service like a hotel - no matter what.
I trained in the UK and from the outset learned that it was the culture to set limits for patients like these and as long as you are not rude and maintain professionalism, management would always support you. We are there to provide medical care, not pander to whims, unreasonable demands and arrogance.
I now work in Australia in a private hospital where the management are fairly suppotive of staff but it is becoming increasingly focused on customer service, feedback questionnaires, patients are encouraged to name staff they really liked and didn't etc. Now we have to start doing these hourly ''roundings'', to see if they need anything, more pain medication perhaps, a drink, another pillow for comfort? It's like your entire working day is controlled before you start. I can manage my time and patient acuity thank you very much - I've managed for 23 years without a problem.
Now, I work on a psychiatric ward - how the hell are hourly roundings supposed to work there? For goodness sake these people are mostly young and physically fit and are not in bed. Do I have to leave a distressed person or a new admit, someone feeling suicidal or someone hypomanic and being intrusive around the ward unless they are skillfully distracted (we are a voluntary unit - not locked)? We have a lot of patients with borderline personality disorder - oh are they going to love the idea of hourly 'roundings' not to mention the oxycontin addicts!!
Not only do we have to do the hourly rounding, it all has to be documented every time too!! I believe that these rounding ideas were developed for med/surg wards which are incredibly busy and the workloads the nurses have astound me - I would never cope, I don't know how they do it now, never mind with this new hourly thing. Our management seems to think one size fits all and that this system will be just perfect for every speciality so that we can evidence more accountability and patient contact.
I work with some great nurses but the increasing culture of having to watch your back causes tension on the unit. It's not the type of culture I want to work in and if I can find something else, I'm off!!
Thanks for the rant opportunity ?
Hi I'm also in Australia, & we have to do this on our mental health unit. And these patients have to walk quite a way to go out & smoke, cos they can't smoke near the hospital anymore, so we have to go chasing after them - it's a PITA. But we have to find them to document whether or not we've seen them, what their mood was like, etc as it's a legal requirement of the unit.
And I don't think much of the NMs who say doing this extra thing only takes a minute - EVERY little extra thing we have to do 'only takes a minute' but it's taking away the minutes we need to actually do patient care!
I am appalled by reading these tales. The NHS does not pander to over-demanding patients. Certainly a patient can complain but a senior nurse (Sister or Matron) will look at complaints and will 99% of the time defend the nurses.
Patients are not "customers" healthcare isn't McDonalds. Patients need to actively engage in the process of care and comply with the requirements in so far as they are able.
For example we recently had a known alcoholic patient on my ward. He was appallingly rude to the nurses up to and including using the most offensive racist language imaginable to some of my colleagues who were African or Asian.
Matron was having none of that. She gave him a strongly-worded warning. Whereupon he ripped out his IV (spilling toxic chemotherapy all over the floor) and stormed off the ward. Only to return drunk at 4AM demanding treatment.
In the morning his consultant refused further treatment and referred him to another oncology unit. End of.
So fantastic to hear this! Unfortunately when you work in a private hospital, I was basically told you really do have to crawl to the patients a bit more (but I still don't tolerate BS), and they get their sleeping tablets etc when they want it. But stories like this give me hope that some charge nurses/matrons whatever really do care for their staff.
Seems like the US nurses have to tolerate a lot, it's just not right in my opinion, to tolerate BS or abusive behaviour in any shape or form in any workplace.
I got written up for bad customer service, because even though I kept a patient from going to PICU in respiratory failure, and told the mom everything that happened as it was happening, getting the language line to do so... Well the dad (who I NEVER EVER met) said that I hadn't checked on the patient.
I got written up because I didn't get a bed for patient's mom's boyfriend of the moment (frequent flyer, we'd met a few of them) immediately. Never mind that I was getting another nurse in the room to look at the patient because I was thinking this baby was about to go downhill really fast. When I argued that one (and even had witnesses backing me up) I was told that next time I need to get the bed. So apparently, the W of waitressing unrelated guests comes before ABC.
Also written up for giving smoking cessation literature to cigarette smoke scented parents of a kid that came into the hospital in respiratory distress. I learned from that to never mention the literature, just sneak it in with other handouts and pray they can read. (Because while JC or Magnet or someone says I have to assess the family learning difficulties, including illiteracy, customer service says that I'd better not offend them by asking if they can read.)
I feel for you..... these situations are awful.
I am sure I would be fired if I worked in the US
Ever thought about coming down to Australia? We don't tolerate too much of that in the public hospital system
OttawaRPN
451 Posts
I would have called security the second he barricaded himself in another patient's room, thus endangering their safety.
Sounds like your TL needs to grow some cahones.