Time to admit .. things you've said to pt's/family members that you shouldn't

Nurses General Nursing

Published

In the hospital where I used to work, family members would come up to the desk all the time to say "dad needs a _______ (blanket, cup, straw) and I developed a nasty habit of saying (in a perfectly innocent tone) "Does he know how to use the call light?" Gradually my tone started getting more and more sarcastic. Had to stop that one after a few nasty looks. oops.

Or "that's not real high on my priority list"

I know there's been plenty more....

At least I knew I had to leave the hospital setting for a bit before my mouth could get me in too much trouble. Feeling much better suited to home health, where you can throw whatever you like at me! I'll be out of your house in less than an hour!

Probably the thing I've said to patients that I most regret is "Good morning/evening. My name is wooh and I will be your nurse today/tonight."

This makes me sad. :(

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Specializes in ICU, ER.
This makes me sad. :(

I think it was a joke...

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My pet peeve is when the families come out to the desk to ask for stuff. I also tell them to put on the call light. I know it is not what I "should say", but it is always at the change of shift when it is super crazy.

Umm is that the part where the person who answers the light (if they ever do) then proceeds to ignore or forget the request? I slept in a bed full of icewater once because I was so weak after surgery that I spilled my water pitcher. I called and told them (followed procedure- used the call bell) and no one EVER came. My roomate also called- "we'll take care of it". I slept in that wet cold icy bed. I have seen this happen to patients many times, at work and as a visitor. They call and it rings, rings, rings. Someone finally answers then nothing happens. They call again, again. Thirty minutes to get a bedpan, one hour to get a med, forget it if there is something wrong on your tray or you are cold or can't reach the phone. Is this the case at your facility? If so then try to understand why the family comes out to request things in person. They want to be sure that their loved one is not forgotten.

I can't recall saying anything to patients or family members that I shouldn't have, but I have given them the silent treatment before when I felt like I just could not possibly hold my tongue if I opened my mouth. There are people that make it impossible to try to have a civil conversation, so sometimes I just completely avoid speaking to them.

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I've never said anything to a patient I've regretted. All those "you're an idiot" and "shut the F up, you stupid druggie" were entirely justifieid.

I wish you were my dads nurse!!! I almost got in a fight with his rn at the hospital, because he was taken out of my house and brought to the er because he decided to take 3x his normal morphine sulfate, and then drink beer when i was asleep. He then busted his head and i found him bleeding out of his face every where. The next day when i went to visit him in the hospital his rn told me that he should go home and since im a nursing student it would be good experience for me to watch him myself....meanwhile i have school to go to and a toddler at home and i was in the middle of my divorce. I had to kick my dad out to go live with his sister, but i wished that witch nurse would have called him out like you said so he wouldn't have thought it was ok, and just think that im "not being fair" when i took control of med pass and beer consumption in my house until he was moved out.

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was the woman old enough to remember nursing before Florence Nightingale? lol maybe that's why she thought nurses were like hookers

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Specializes in Med/surg, ER/ED,rehab ,nursing home.

Back when having a private room meant that the patient could smoke, I would explain at the beginning of the shift that they would HAVE to have not smoked for at least 30 min before calling me in to give pain medication. They would also have to part with their cigs and lighters while under the influance. This worked well for me and my patients. I was prompt with pain meds, and I did not have to have an asthma attack while in their room. Also did not have any bed fires to put out! This may not have been the best way, but we were not protected from smoke polution by patients even when federal law made the hospital Non Smoking.

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I'm sending prayers your way and of course the little baby doll's way.

And I just have to know what her genitalia has to do with a bank account? Ick.

Sorry, but I have been wondering the same thing.

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I was working two different facilities within 24 hour time frame----same patient at both facilities presented with same complaint-----Pain-----patient was on disability he said because he was "nervous"---history of drug alcohol abuse and really bad attitude known by history and other staff members------while having him disrobe from waist up for physician it was noted beautiful tattoos on back/shoulders, two beepers, a really expensive cell phone (the kind with email ect) and known bad attitude --- the world owe him ---he had problems not cause by him-----he begins to talk loudly that he pays my salary and he is hurting and needs something for pain not yesterday but NOW---after about 5/7 minutes of persistent rudeness/and verbal threats and abuse---- I had taken all I could -------I backed toward the door. opened the door so there would be witnesses---very calmly straight to the point replied---I am sorry you do not feel good and have had to been seen twice in 24 hours for your problem however, make no mistake YOU do not pay my salary, nor do I care at this point if you yell or hollar at me any more----I work two jobs, feed my family, go to school and pay for him to go to the methodone clinic---pay for his tatoos, cell phone, and emergency room visits----I would help him as I could but he needed to get a job doing anything--sweeping the street/washing dishes his nerves would be better thus he could say he paid my salary but not until then ---turned and left the room he got up and left the department-----did not see for several months understand he went to another county for a while--about two years later died of overdose in local ED---hate to say it but many staff did not mind learning of his death-------:jester:

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Oh but we do work for the patients. Without them there is no income which in turn means no need for you so enjoy your day off.

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Probably the thing I've said to patients that I most regret is "Good morning/evening. My name is wooh and I will be your nurse today/tonight."

WOW! This exact statement is what finally drove me out of the hospital. That's what I said. The patient screamed at me, "What the hell are you smiling at?"

I said, "Just trying to be pleasant, Mr. pooh." He said, "Get the hell out of here!" and I did.

Best nursing move I ever made! :yeah:

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Specializes in OB/GYN.

Patients who have had C-sections do not seem to realize that they've had major abdominal surgery and yes, it hurts. It is not realistic to think we can get your pain level to zero on the 0-10 scale. I must have been in one patient's room every hour, trying to get her "pain" under control (mind you, she was sitting up in bed, watching TV, working her cell phone, and laughing her head off - but her pain level was a 10). I told her, "The only way I can get your pain level to a zero would be to put you into a coma." That got her attention. She was much more reasonable after that.

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another patient---SOBR---ED visit number 2 in 72 hours---late 20's ----place in room -----about 5/7 minutes later comes to desk needs to go outside to smoke " has to have a smoke" coughing her head off-----comes back with family member and small infant---reaking of nicotine ----fingers turning blue----demanding breathing treatment---physician had ordered this before she left for smoke detail------after listening and hearing her lungs across the room screaming for air-----physician came in the room and ordered the infant out of the room told her to go home after treatment take a good soapy bath / clean her house and if she puts another cigarette in her mouth not to come back to his ED in his lifetime---turned around and left the room ---at which point she stated she was calling administration---he was rude-------I looked at her and said he is trying to tell you you will die soon if you cant breathe and it would be your own fault----and the infant's death was also in her hands by not letting his lungs develop as they should---- :jester:----iam not usually this verbal to patients---but after a while more people seem to want someone else to blame for their own neglect---laziness---and need scapegoats to yell at -------:jester:

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