The Hospital Spa

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Specializes in ER, IICU, PCU, PACU, EMS.

I was working in the ICU the other day and was in a patient's room preparing to perform a procedure. Some family members were there visiting and were about to leave.

One of the visitors said to the patient, "Enjoy yourself here, it's like a spa. Let the nurses pamper you. Let them do everything and just relax. I would love to have a few days here and have someone else pamper me."

This comment really rubbed me the wrong way. An ICU is the equivalent to a spa? I haven't been to a spa in a long time, but if it's like a hospital, then I think I'll pass on a day at the spa!!

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Get off of the computer and get to work! Mr. Jones hasn't received his complimentary foot massage yet. STAT! STAT, I said!

:sofahider

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

LOL. Yes, the spa ICU is wonderful. People crashing left and right. Poop to clean up. Oh yes, we are really pampering our patients as we perform chest compressions on them or stick them with various needles and tubes.

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I hear ya - at least from a nursing perspective. However as I read it I sort of thought this sounds like something I would say... not knowing what else to say, trying to lighten the mood and make my family member laugh and feel better. Of course I didn't hear "how" it was said and I'm sure that would determine how I took it. :flowersfo

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No, really! It's totally relaxing...You don't even have to breathe for yourself, they have fancy machines that'll do it for you! You don't have to get up to go to the bathroom, or eat or anything. If it's something you need to do, they have a tube that'll do it FOR YOU! Yay! Good times! (/sarcasm)

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

And they have tubes that go in your butt so you don't have to facilitate a poop.

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It could be that they were trying to comfort the patient and making light of their being in ICU. If that's the case it was sweet and caring even though I'm sure the patient knows the ICU is no spa.

There are of course others who really don't have realistic views of hospitals and/or the staff employed there. Some of the blame for that however is on the hospitals for presenting themselves in a less than realistic light.

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

I always thought it might be relaxing to have a few days with a remote control and a morphine PCA! Just a little vacation from reality would be nice now and then. ;)

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Specializes in ER.
I was working in the ICU the other day and was in a patient's room preparing to perform a procedure. Some family members were there visiting and were about to leave.

One of the visitors said to the patient, "Enjoy yourself here, it's like a spa. Let the nurses pamper you. Let them do everything and just relax. I would love to have a few days here and have someone else pamper me."

This comment really rubbed me the wrong way. An ICU is the equivalent to a spa? I haven't been to a spa in a long time, but if it's like a hospital, then I think I'll pass on a day at the spa!!

That's hilarious. Obviously they haven't been a sick patient or experienced anyone who has been in the hospital. Otherwise they'd never go back to a spa with that comparison.

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Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.

at our spa, we cater to your needs and tastes. our drips come in a variety of flavors - insulin, dobutamine and heparin, just to name a few! your veins won't know what hit them...and neither will you, thanks to your very own ativan protocol! you may desire a martini, but your body won't know the difference...just as you won't be able to tell the difference between a los angeles day spa and our hospital! push a button, we come running to your side...try to get out your bed and a magical alarm brings us to your side...go into a heart rhythm incompatible with life and we will be there!

jess

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Grrr.

I would have laughed and said something like "Gee...don't get your hopes up, we are a hospital. I'd love to provide 1:1 care and fluff pillows and stuff, but I actually got sick people to take care of...." and laugh again.

Now...on the other hand, I told everyone that I would enjoy my stay at the hospital for baby #4 and I would stay the full 48 hrs if able to. Now, I'm the type of person that never rang her call bell (even when I should have) but enjoyed my stay just for the fact that I wasn't at home, running after 3 other kids, making meals etc. By no means was it a "spa vacation" I guess if I actually took the percocets, it could have been. LOL

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Specializes in Psych.
at our spa, we cater to your needs and tastes. our drips come in a variety of flavors - insulin, dobutamine and heparin, just to name a few! your veins won't know what hit them...and neither will you, thanks to your very own ativan protocol! you may desire a martini, but your body won't know the difference...just as you won't be able to tell the difference between a los angeles day spa and our hospital! push a button, we come running to your side...try to get out your bed and a magical alarm brings us to your side...go into a heart rhythm incompatible with life and we will be there!

jess

in white bikinis!!!

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