Rude nurse may have helped me to be a better nurse

[StrwbryblndRN]

I just recently had surgery. Everything was great. Exactly as I would have expected it to be. They all knew I was a nurse but did not expect me to know everything about what was going on. They treated me respectfully. I understood everything that was said to me before surgery, so on and so forth.

Except for one after my surgery. I did not notice this but my husband sure did. I was outpatient so I am not sure what each area is called. I rememeber waking up in PACU and then being transferred somewhere else but it was not the floor. Recovery maybe? (may have dreamed it too, who knows

At some point I asked for water. I had some nausea but I just wanted a sip to get rid of my dry mouth. That was what my mind was focusing on. Due to obvious reasons I was not totally with it. I had just woken up. Well my husband asked the nurse if I could have a sip of water and her response was rude to him. "Certainly not and she is a nurse and should know better". Luckily he reinforced the fact that I just woke up and not exactly in a nurse frame of mind. Other verbal exchanges took place that I just do not remember from this same nurse. (My hubby has not said what else happened. He just wants me to get better)

I was clueless at the time. I may be a nurse on a surgical floor but how much did she think would carry over while in a drug induced haze. Eventually I felt better and my mind became clearer but still I was groggy. I just had major surgery. Nothing was obvious to me.

I usually give my pt's lots of reinforcement just in case something did not sink in after arriving to the floor from PACU.

Now I know there is alot of room for misunderstanding. I now can use this experience to help my pt's.

I have seen many nurses make comments about their pt like, "they should know better." At times I have asked the nurse if they have been educated. Most times the response is "they already know, it's obvious"

This surgery will help me be a better nurse for my patients.

When I go back to work I will keep in mind what happened and try and be patient with my patients.

[leslie :-D]

we often learn from those, as to how we don't want to be.

blessings abound us, whether we recognize it or not.

hope you're feeling better.:)

leslie

[TDCHIM]

The best thing anyone can do with a mistake is learn from it. It can be your own or someone else's, but never lose a chance to learn from one. I'm really glad to hear you'll be putting this new perspective and understanding to work. Good for you! I hope your surgery went well and you're feeling better.

P.S. What is it about water/ice after surgery? I'm never coherent until I can get the nurses to give me ice chips; however, once they do, I'm totally back to normal within a minute. Weird. I don't know enough about general anesthesia to even hazard a guess.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Interesting....once our post-op patients are out of PACU and aware enough to ask for water, we give it. Granted, sparingly at first, but we give.

Nevertheless....it is always good to hear a patient's perspective. My facility actually prides itself on treating all alike - MD's, nurses, etc. We educate all as if they know nothing (which, given the various medical specialties) is often the case.

[bear_mom]

I don't understand the no water thing, espically as an outpatient. I work on a surgery floor and almost everyone can at least have ice chips when they get back on the floor. The only ones who can't are the bowel surgery patients and they come back with an NG tube. When we get recover and go patients the sooner they are drinking and eating, the sooner they get to go home.

[onetiredmomma]

Unless I see something horribly wrong happening I never identify myself as medically trained for me or a family member. Illness, procedures are different when you are a pt. I hope you are feeling better! Glad you were able to recognize and act on a learning experience.

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

The nurse didn't need to be rude, but I know for a fact that in the drug-induced haze, you are NOT a nurse....you are a patient. Not only will you not remember certain things, you must've asked the same question over and over and over and over and over and over again. And I know for a fact, that as a recovery room nurse, I would've repeated the answer over and over and over and over again. That's the way of anesthesia...until you have come out of the "fog"...

As for family members, I am not against them being around because they are the people who will eventually take you home, but they need a lot of education to the process because it is not straightforward. You don't just "wake up" and feel normal...that hangover is 24-48 hours and it can be nothing (no side effects at all--lucky you) or horrid (intractable vomiting)--let alone the pain, the side effects of all gases, the paralytics, the sedation, the narcotics, ON TOP of whatever co-morbids you have.

As for the ice thing, none if you have nausea. You have to wait. I'll give you something to try and "undry" your mouth (remember, you got Robinul to dry you up--the half-life of it stays a bit)...but none if you're going to just throw it up.

I'll tell your husband WHY...you have to explain the whys, so they don't think you're just being "mean."

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

Unless I see something horribly wrong happening I never identify myself as medically trained for me or a family member. Illness, procedures are different when you are a pt. I hope you are feeling better! Glad you were able to recognize and act on a learning experience.

I'm finding that unless you understand anesthesia and the post-op recovery period, identifying and INTERFERING with the care based on your own specialty, can become a problem.

No matter what kinds of drugs are used to avoid nausea and vomiting, sometimes it is INEVITABLE AND UNAVOIDABLE.

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

I don't understand the no water thing, espically as an outpatient. I work on a surgery floor and almost everyone can at least have ice chips when they get back on the floor. The only ones who can't are the bowel surgery patients and they come back with an NG tube. When we get recover and go patients the sooner they are drinking and eating, the sooner they get to go home.

Please speak with your recovery room nurses--so you understand the immediate recovery period, and why certain things are done and certain things are not done.

[tokidoki7, ASN, RN]

You couldn't even swab your mouth with ice water?

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

You couldn't even swab your mouth with ice water?

We have swabs..and if the patient insists on the water-swishing--that's fine, I'll let them...until they start puking just from the motion of having something inserted in their mouth.

Then they stop asking after their dry heaving makes things worse...

[chenoaspirit, ASN, RN]

Shame on that nurse. Maybe she will be placed in a situation where SHE is the patient and may change her attitude. Im so sorry you went thru that. I hope you feel better.