The Customer is always right

Nurses General Nursing

Published

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.:cool: thanks for listening.:redbeathe

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

Did Oprah have a show on that?

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sorry to read about your supervisor drowning you.

totally worthless.

and people wonder why we nurses are so danged frustrated and disgruntled.

imo, in spite of the abuses we endure, our jobs would be a heck of a lot easier w/support...any support.

dang, at this point, i'd take a pat on the back from joe the housekeeper.

leslie

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Specializes in EMS, ER, GI, PCU/Telemetry.

sorry that happened to you. i am disappointed in your nursing supervisor for not backing you up.... i agree with the PP's about calling security. it is hospital policy for not sleepovers and you are completely warranted to call security when you are being verbally battered... no one deserves that.

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.

Your supervisor really fell down here; you should have been able to count on her support. She caved, and the family feels justified in speaking to you in the manner they did.

Next time? Don't involve the supervisor. Family won't leave, I'd be calling security so fast, their foul mouthed, abusive little heads would snap right off their scrawny little necks. I'm guessing.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
Did Oprah have a show on that?

It's been a few years and I didn't see it, but during the published studies a few years ago of the tens of thousands of medical error deaths she did a show about it. But it wasn't just her, a lot of media focused on those studies and mentioned staying overnight with your loved one to protect them from danger.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.
It's been a few years and I didn't see it, but during the published studies a few years ago of the tens of thousands of medical error deaths she did a show about it. But it wasn't just her, a lot of media focused on those studies and mentioned staying overnight with your loved one to protect them from danger.

In my opinion the press media is sensationalistic and feeds the victim mentality in the public at least as much as they inform. I would like to see more promotion of both rights and responsiblities of the healthcare consumer. They also need more education on the fiscal and logistical realities of modern medicine.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

Sometimes, calling hospital security makes the situation worse when the AOD and nursing supervisors are also called and then, there is still no support for the nurse. I have seen this too many times. In fact, hospital security in my place of work will usually call the nursing supervisor to ask them what the call should be-can the family stay or what? And, if the PTB say 'of course, they can stay', then, who has egg on their face? The nurse that initiated what she saw in policy and procedure.

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Specializes in CTICU.

We have a patient right now who is so RUDE it drives me crazy. I avoid her at all costs. The people in my program are the nicest people you'll ever find, always smiling, positive and friendly. She is constantly rude, condescending, and just plain beyotchy. She actually tells us what times we are allowed in her room to check her.. and we have to abide by it! Grr.. just burns me up to think of her.

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Your supervisor should be fired. If one of "her nurses" really needed the support of this bozo, then you will know where she stands, NOT ON YOUR SIDE.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

I was thinking...

If the customer is wrong, you're wrong ALWAYS.

^

This is management and administration's thinking. When are they gonna get it together and stand up to these abusive families. Do they honestly think families are not going to come back to their hospital? If its the only hospital in a 50 mile radius and the family had a "bad" experience at that hospital, do they really think the family is going to make the ambulance go to another hospital over 50 miles away. Give me a break. They need to stop living in fear that they will have no patients coming to their hospital.

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Specializes in vascular, med surg, home health , rehab,.

Yep, had this happen too; be a jerk on a plane and they have you arrested, file charges. No messing around. Lives are at stake. Hmm, be an idiot at the hospital and the supervisors apologize for the nurses "manner", let them know being jerks pays off, of and send up a courtesy tray from the kitchen while their at it. Never mind that your other 5-6 pts have been ignored while you deal with this crap, and one of those nice, polite people who wouldn't call you with chest pain because "i know your so busy" might actually be in real trouble because you didn't get to assess them soon enough. Sweaky wheels, etc. Rules only apply when it doesn't make managers have to deal with it. Only had one manager deal with it and back us up, pt hollering because a nurse was "short" with him while tackling his post op, DT'ing room mate ripping out his drains etc and he was complaining about the noise. Threatening to sue. So she explained that the nurse had other concerns at the time, as he could well see, was perfectly within his rights to call his attorney, and if he didn't have one would he like a copy of the yellow pages? All said with the upmost politeness. He shut up in a second and went back to Inside Edition latest scoop on Britney and issue resolved. They eventually fired her, of course. 4 managers in 4 years, the usual. Still, how refreshing it was to be backed up, and I wasn't even the nurse he was complaining about. I have learned now, state the rules, any issues, call the supervisor and throw the ball to them in the first place, they always seem to cave anyway and if they don't, well they deal with the result.

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I see two issues here. The first is the verbal abuse and threats from the family. This should never be tolerated! Security should be called to escort the offending visitors out as soon as something like that happens. The second issue is not so clear cut. It's never a good situation when a nurse gets in a power struggle with patient and/or family. It's compounded when a supervisor does not support the staff. I agree with others that suggest discussing the situation with your supervisor because it is bound to come up again. If she is not going to support your decision to uphold hospital policy, I would not waste any time trying to reason with unreasonable visitors. I would simply tell them, "I'm sorry, I don't have the authority to bypass policy. Let me call my supervisor." And call her EVERY time. Just wash your hands of the situation and let her handle it. Your time is better spent caring for other patients. It will also save you from a lot of unnecessary frustration because, as you said, the customer is always right.

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