The Customer is always right

wooh, BSN, RN · Jun 1, 2008

It comes down to 2 choices:

1) Today I'll get in trouble for allowing patients to break hospital rules.

2) Today I'll get in trouble for not allowing patients to break hospital rules.

Nidawi · Jun 1, 2008

i agree with discussing it with your supervisor again about it, so perhaps next time something like that happens, perhaps they'll back you up. i would think the hospital policy was created for a reason and should be followed. if they allow one person to go against it, then others will demand to as well. then what?

[color=#483d8b]and another thing. umm....i think staying in a hospital when you have to isn't exactly a "good time", and those people who insist on staying when they aren't even patients but visitors just aren't right! i don't understand why they would even want to. (the exceptions, i think, would be if it was your young child, or if it was a life or death type of thing, you know)

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Jun 1, 2008

Why have a policy that the nurses have to enforce if the hospital won't back them up?

Same issue with cell phones at our hospital. Policy says they are not allowed, but when I ask that they be turned off the doc says "just for a minute" and the call continues. I've stopped bothering to notice cells now.

flashpoint · Jun 1, 2008

As a night-shift House Supervisor I will have to say that I will "stick-up" for the staff. Even if I personally do not agree with the decision that has been made, I will back them up 100%, UNLESS it goes against hospital policy or good common sense. Then I will talk with the R.N. in private and see why they chose that route and base my decision on that. I may not get the "rest of the story" from the pt. or family, as we all know, the truth can be stretched.
I have worked for Supervisors with no backbone and had decisions reversed on me...It is humiliating and I will do my best to not do that to anyone I work with.

It's a shame that not all supervisors are like that. I've had more than a few times that I am just following the rules (or am letting the patient exercise their right to refuse) and a supervisor will jump in and do the exact opposite of what I was doing. I work in LTC and we have a resident that just doesn't want to get up sometimes...she isn't sick or anything, but she likes to lounge in her pajamas and watch TV all day. I see no reason not to let her, but our old DON would not only go to her room and "make" her get dressed, she would also make her come out for meals and she would badger her like crazy to go to activities. It made me look stupid for being willing to let the resident just lounge all day and it really violated her rights.

SusanKathleen, RN · Jun 1, 2008

Wow, it really gets me down to read stuff like this. Trying to reason with boors like this is like trying to reason with a drunk. Same results. You get nowhere. I guess the lesson here is to 'skip the middleman', (especially if you're likely to get no backing), and simply call security yourself.

Thanks for the post, mom2bears, because you have helped all of us who may run into these kinds of people. :icon_hug:

SchnauzersRock · Jun 1, 2008

last night we had a group of rude patients and family members. i work on a post op elective joint replacement floor. none of these patients are in critical condition post surgery, if so they go to the icu. i tell you this because it goes along with my story.
we had a woman in her 40s fresh post op knee replacement. complaining the moment she hit the floor. why didn't she have a nurse in her room providing near constant care, why was her room at the end of the hall, etc etc.
we have a policy regarding overnight visitors, unless the pt is critical, terminal, or unable to speak for themselves(mute, mental retardation, etc) no overnight visitors.
the family member of above patient asked if she could stay. it was nicely explained "unfortunetely we are unable to allow visitors unless...." family and patient got upset wanted to speak to someone else. this is where i come in. i again as nicely as i could explained our policy and apoligized. the pt and the family went nuts. started yelling told me i was just feeding them a line, shoving crap down their throat etc. then proceeded to threaten me stating if i knew what was best i would leave the room and shut my mouth. sucker for punishment i am i stayed and tried to reason with the irate people who in turn basically told me i suck and should choose another profession, i was never meant to be a nurse etc. etc.
i took this personally. i calmly left the room and called my supervisor. she said just let them stay.
ok what burns my butt is i am sooo tired of the patients and their families walking all over us:nurse: and we are just supposed to smile and kiss some more butt. why couldn't the supervisor just have some balls and stand behind her nurses and reinforce the rules? its all about damn patient satisfaction and &*#*ing press ganey.
sorry for the vent. i feel much better now. thanks for listening.:redbeathe

your manager is totally worthless. she should have backed you, but as always, this happens to the ones who have to work the floor and take abuse. secondly, security should have been called on these nit-wit visitors. you were threatened with bodily harm! your employer doesn't care if you get assaulted or not! i can assure you that these people act like this in thier daily lives, so try not to take it personally, even though i know how hard it can be to just stand there and take it. people like this need to be shut down fast every time. i am sorry you went throught this. you did your job, followed policy, and got **** on anyway.

MoopleRN · Jun 1, 2008

Frustrating from all sides. I truly cannot comprehend this kind of behavior towards the OP from the family or the supervisor. Had I been in her shoes, I would've explained our policy and called a security code if they still wouldn't leave. I wouldn't even think of calling the supervisor at the time; she can find out later from my documentation and my verbal report. Calling a security code is a nursing judgment that I can make on my own without clearing with my supervisor. The situation needed to be handled immediately and decisively.

If I uphold policy and my supervisor doesn't back me up, I'd go over her head. I can't do my job if you don't let me follow policy.

FireStarterRN, BSN, RN · Jun 1, 2008

I long for the days of a more respectful society. Our culture is so consumeristic and demanding. It really gets old.

FireStarterRN, BSN, RN · Jun 1, 2008

And, why is it that competant adults need someone to stay with them overnight in the hospital, like they are infants?

IndySkies · Jun 1, 2008

This is not a rare situtation at all. The nurse gets caught in the middle. I cannot believe people think its safe to bring infants on floors, much less an ICU.

If the floor nurse says nothing you get reamed by the supervisor. If you try to enforce the rules, and the family member/patient complains, the supevisor will inevitability allow the infraction, then you end up with a 'smug' 'told you so' patient or visitor.

AngelfireRN, MSN, RN, APRN · Jun 1, 2008

Because while those competent adults are asleep, they need a watchdog to stay awake and watch for something to sue over.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jun 1, 2008

And, why is it that competant adults need someone to stay with them overnight in the hospital, like they are infants?

Because Ophra told them to. You can't leave a loved one alone in the hospital because an error will occurr and they will kill your loved one.