Sitting down to calm an upset patient is unprofessional?

[kristandrews]

I got reprimanded by a supervisor at work last night for pulling up a chair and sitting down to talk to a patient who was upset. I was told that it's UNPROFESSIONAL for a nurse to ever sit at bedside and talk with a patient, and that a nurse should get in and out of a room as quickly as possible. Nevermind the fact that it was 2am, all of my other patients were ok, and I only had to take 2 or 3 minutes away from charting to get this patient calmed down. She went from bawling to smiling, and when I walked by a little while later she was back asleep. How can sitting down to talk to a patient be considered unprofessional? It just doesn't make sense to me.

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

this is what life really is all about. i hate going to hospitals for these reasons. i have severe anxiety and i know that nobody will give a crap about me. honestly,if people were not getting paid,they would never take care of strangers. and that is reality.

Huh? "If people were not getting paid, they would never take care of strangers"? Oh...well that explains why my happy butt is going into the eye of the hurricane tomorrow morning to set up an alternate care facility for total strangers-cause I don't give a crap about them and have nothing better to do during the weekend.

BTW, I am NOT getting paid.

In times of disaster, people rely on strangers. I am honored to provide for them. THAT is reality.

[Do-over, ASN, RN]

Well, aside from all the therapeutic benefits :hug: - I get off my dogs any chance I get! hanging blood, passing meds (especially when the patient is sitting in a recliner - often easier when I sit also). They like it, my feet like it - everyone is a winner.

[Do-over, ASN, RN]

In times of disaster, people rely on strangers. I am honored to provide for them. THAT is reality.

True, and good for you. Thank God for the kindness of strangers.

Please be safe.

[erroridiot]

Time to start looking for a respectable supervisor.

There is one out there just waiting for you. Go forth and find a supervisor you deserve.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

Huh? "If people were not getting paid, they would never take care of strangers"? Oh...well that explains why my happy butt is going into the eye of the hurricane tomorrow morning to set up an alternate care facility for total strangers-cause I don't give a crap about them and have nothing better to do during the weekend.

BTW, I am NOT getting paid.

In times of disaster, people rely on strangers. I am honored to provide for them. THAT is reality.

WOW!!! Bless you, canesdukegirl. I totally respect what you are doing, and I'm sure your patients and family members will appreciate the sacrifices you are making.

[eagle78]

Everyone has a truth- right or wrong, this was the supervisor's. Bashing or calling the supervisor names changes nothing- he/she still holds on to that uncaring view.

What I would suggest is in a less volatile moment(after the initial shock:), you might want to ask the supervisor why he/she thinks that. Human beings mostly want recognition and the most important topic to us is well...us.

Asking your supervisor for more info. could have him/her open up and in so doing, communication can be had. Who knows, you both might have a common interest or if not, at least it frees communication and prevents malice, mostly.

As it is, you're stuck in your ways( rightly of course, of comforting a patient) and the supervisor is stuck in his/hers.

This is good, communication works. Maybe the supervisor had his/her own stresses and wanted the OP to comfort them??? Really, sometimes just asking opens the door to an enlightening opportunity to really understand what the person is really upset about, may not have been the OP's performance at all, just projected that way. Just a thought...

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

In psych we HAVE to sit with our patients. And when not in psych, I do the same.

I would PERSONALLY have a confidential chat with this supervisor, give him/her a complaint re their unprofessional attitude to you, then go higher.

Unless u confront her, she will keep on at you and do it repeatedly too.

How utterly ridiculous telling u off for something like this. Of course this is part of ur job! Maybe u should remind him/her of the duties a REAL nurse does.

[tntrn, ASN, RN]

Back in Nursing Schoool, I was taught the exact opposite about sitting. We were told that constantly standing hovering above the patient puts the nurse in more of a position of power and can be intimidating. It is better to sit when you are talking to a patient, for instance when taking a history. In this case, it was absolutely appropriate and professional to sit and comfort the patient. Good work!

I was taught the same thing, and I was out of nursing school before you were even born.....Of course, they want us to do hourly rounding now, so getting in and out of a room asap is sometimes necessary. sometimes it's not possible. Period.

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

I swear nurses get dinged no matter what they do, at times we truly cannot win.

Dee, this has to be the most truest and accurate post I've ever seen on AN.

[gigglymo]

Our hospital told us that sitting down with the patient makes them think you're a better listener and that you've spend 2x as much time with them as you actually have.

Good for you for being on top of it enough with your other patients to be able to do this - and for having the intelligence to recognize that you needed to. You really helped someone that night.

[Brea LPN]

If sitting down to talk to any patient is unprofessional, I'm proud to be a great unprofessional nurse who cares about her patients.

[guest430699]

I'm graduating in Dec. Not only are we taught to sit and talk to our patients, we are taught how to sit properly. = Both feet flat on the floor, facing them directly.

It makes me wonder how my first job will turn out. I know how challenging co-workers can be. I've just never dealt with a nursing co-worker challenge. It does make me happy to know that there really are caring nurses out there!