The nursing profession might be the most trusted according to surveys and polls, but it is certainly not the most respected by a long shot. The intended purpose of this article is to further explore the rampant disrespect of nurses in American society.
NursesRelationsArticle
I was at my workplace earlier this month when my supervisor told me about a volatile situation that was unfolding on a different floor between another nurse and a verbally abusive family member. This particular family member was at the bedside for twelve hours straight and refused to leave when gently prompted. She was confrontational, hollering, taking pictures with her cellular phone, and interfering with procedures that needed to be performed on the patient. Nothing seemed to please her.
And guess what? The verbally abusive family member was coddled by management and allowed to stay well beyond the visiting hours that other visitors are expected to follow. I suppose the old saying applies in this situation: "The squeaky wheel gets the grease." Too many members of the public know that they can act like loudmouthed fools, behave disrespectfully toward nursing staff, and basically get away with it.
I clearly recall another instance of blatant disrespect at the same workplace. A group of surly family members were yelling obscenities and threats at the floor nurse and supervisor after being informed that the patient contracted a urinary tract infection: "You haven't seen crazy until you've seen me!" "I will put my foot up your ***!" "You'd better get my mother out of this place before I get you out of the way!" To keep a long story short, the patient was sent to another hospital to receive the same intravenous antibiotics that my workplace had been providing.
These same instances of disrespect would be totally nipped in the bud at other places of business. For instance, the frustrated traveler who attempts to enter the cockpit and give the airline pilot a 'piece of his mind' will be jumped on by the air marshall. If I start acting out irrationally and refuse to leave the local new car dealership once closing time has arrived, the workers will call law enforcement to physically force me off the property. The customer who threatens the safety of the teller at the credit union will be escorted to the parking lot by security guards. If any of you try to walk to the back of the bakery to harass the staff and take pictures of the employees and equipment with your cell phone, you will not be in the bakery for very long.
According to polls, nursing is the most trusted profession. For the 12th year, nurses were voted the most trusted profession in America in Gallup's annual survey that ranks professions based on their honesty and ethical standards (American Nurses Association, 2012). However, trust must not be confused with respect. While nurses are certainly trusted, we are not respected by the public, management, or administration.
Although it is generally not constructive to babble about a problem without offering possible resolutions, I do not pretend to know of any solutions to this complex problem. For starters, it would be nice if we had the backing of management more often. Do you have any real life tales of disrespect from patients, visitors, families, or other members of the public? If the answer if yes, please share. And most importantly, please stay safe!
