Saw this on Facebook. Felt the need to share.

Nurses General Nursing

Published

the post:

"seriously...do you really have to change out the freaking latex gloves at 1:40am?? i bet that freaking box can stay empty until 7am without any problems!!!!"

the replies:

"they do crazy stuff in the hospital to keep the patient and visitors from getting any sleep that's for sure. i hope your brother is getting better. thinking of you and praying for him and the family. hugs."

"oh i'm with you girl! you can not get rest in a hospital. it's either checking bp,or waking you up to give you meds come on people!"

i understand this person is distressed with their loved one in the hospital, but it is a hospital, not a hotel. ok, maybe changing out the gloves can wait, but you never know when there is an emergency, and people need them. and, we are required to make sure the patient is stable during the night and check in on them. at times, it seems you cannot win...either not doing enough or doing too much. we do some "crazy stuff" to purposely keep you awake, like checking bp and giving medications. :rolleyes: i think the replies bother me more...so rude, unappreciative, etc... what happened to respect for caring for you or your loved one? guess they would have to walk in our shoes...hate that saying, but most medical staff have empathy, and we have also been in the hospital, and/or we have had a loved one there.

Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.

Look, I'm an ICU nurse, when my daughter (18) was in the hospital and giving crap to the staff to wake her up for vs and assessment at 3am.... You've got the rest of the day to cat nap, ""THEY"" need to be assured your healthy and safe, they trump you. "next time you thank them instead of being snarky".

Enough said. The public, including my own daughter needs to be educated that nursing is there to pick up complications to ward off a serious event... so suck it up, comply and go back to sleep.

Want a good night rest, as many others have suggested... book a hotel!!!!!!1:devil: I'm here to save your behind from crashing , you'll wish I got there faster when you don't feel so well. So you can't have it BOTH ways!

My kid shut up and remembered her manners.

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Specializes in Med Surg.

We have a few two bed rooms and I can understand why the swingbed patient whose vitals are only taken QS gets upset when the CNA comes in at 0400 with the loudly beeping nurse-on-a-stick to take the vitals on the acute care patient lying next to them. When they complain about this I usually give them the extension number of the person who makes bed asignments and tell them to call this person first thing in the morning.

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I am required to do a head to toe on you during my night shift. I am required to administer scheduled meds. I am required to round on you at least q 2 hours and you may be a q 2 turner. Having said that, any night nurse worth the ambien that was more likely than not given at 2000 (per request without any patient education about how it might be better to wait off on that sleeper unless they want to wake up at 0100 or simply as a part of the PM med pass, grrrrrr!!!) learns quickly the following:

Your pen light is your friend. Dimmer/bathroom lights are your friend.

Noticed the room is low on gloves/tp/whatever when you're in there? Bring them to the cubbie/iso cart asap so the next time you actually do go in, the supplies are right there for you to bring in.

Wake them up at the start of your shift and explain to them you must do an assessment. Tell them you'd rather wake them up at 2400 than 0400. Tell them you'll be rounding on them at least q 2 and you'll try not to wake them.

If you've got an 03 piggy, do your head to toe then!

There's LOTS of other things a savvy night nurse can do to provide the care she needs to and still let the patient sleep. Most patients who have a problem getting woken up by the nurse understand once it's explained to them. If they don't... too bad. I gotta do what I gotta do and waking you up is not my idea of fun.

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Specializes in ICU, Telemetry, Neuro, Ortho, Med/Surg.

Patients have the wrong idea about night shift. They assume we pass meds at 9pm and tuck them in. They assume we sleep on duty. When collecting dinner meal trays, Often I get asked "Would you like to finish what I didnt eat"? (cross-contamination in a MRSA isolation room - not even for a million dollars!).

So funny. I was once asked by a patient if I got any sleep last night...ummm...no, I was WORKING.

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Specializes in NICU.

Seriously am SO GLAD I do NICU. Funnily enough, I haven't had hardly any problems with parents who sleep in the room with their sick baby about me turning on the lights to do my assessments q3-4 hours.

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Not that the entire responsibility of educating the public should fall to nurses...but I do think we could do a better job educating and communicating with our patients. Informing them of needed interruptions, explaining procedures and their necessity, explaining what we're doing and why we're doing it; it takes 20 extra seconds. "Lab will be in at 0500 to draw your blood, so that the physician has the latest information when he makes his early am rounds." "We want to keep a close eye on your temp, pulse, blood pressure, and oxygen level, since those numbers can indicate your infection is becoming worse/life-threatening. So I'll be waking you up at midnight and four to get your vitals." "You have IV meds orderedat 10, 03, and 04. You have a couple of different antibiotics ordered, and to keep the level of antibiotic up in your blood, you have to get them at certain intervals. I'm sorry to disturb your sleep; I'll try to be quick and quiet during the night!"

It's little comments like those that make a big difference. What you're going to do, why it's important to do it, understanding and empathy regarding the disrupted sleep. You can be sorry that you are interrupting their sleep without minimizing the importance as to why their rest will be disturbed.

Some people won't get it no matter what. But most folks are reasonable sorts.

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