Top three patient complaints?

[AJPV]

Within the span of just 1 shift, we kept repeatedly finding our coffee pot in the break room empty. Several of us staff conferred and determined that among us, we had brewed at least 4 pots of coffee within a few hours! We kept our eyes open and noticed a patient sneaking into the break room and emerging with a large styrofoam cup. The door has a large sign on it that says "staff only." When confronted, the patient said, "I don't drink water; coffee is all I drink."

[MinnieMomRN]

"You people won't let me do ANYTHING in here! I do the littlest thing, and the @#$@ alarm goes off"! This from a confused s/p fall patient. Uhhmm... yea, last night you ripped out your IV and almost fell because you were confused and didn't know where you were. Hmmmm... I think I'll bed-alarm you in case you sun-down again tonight.

[MinnieMomRN]

Within the span of just 1 shift, we kept repeatedly finding our coffee pot in the break room empty. Several of us staff conferred and determined that among us, we had brewed at least 4 pots of coffee within a few hours! We kept our eyes open and noticed a patient sneaking into the break room and emerging with a large styrofoam cup. The door has a large sign on it that says "staff only." When confronted, the patient said, "I don't drink water; coffee is all I drink."

Ha, ha! Did they complain of palpitations later in the shift?

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

Regarding patients complaining about being NPO for surgery...

My dad had to fast for blood work and I told him he could have black coffee with nothing in it. Several MONTHS later he was having heart surgery. I was driving him to the hospital. He asked me if I wanted him to bring me some coffee. I said no, I wouldn't want him to make coffee just for me. He told me that he already made a pot and drank half of it! I was like, "Why would you think that was okay?"

"Cause I had it without cream or sugar!"

Gotta be careful what I tell him. As I expected, from that point it was a solid 6 hours before he got taken to the OR.

[Cul2]

"The upper class, financially speaking, patients think the food is horrible, etc., etc.

The people who don't have all the best things in life, think the food is wonderful, etc., etc."

Yes, let's just lower the standards to meet the lowest possible demographic. I'm sure some of the homeless would be grateful just to have a roof over their heads in the hospital. It's one thing to just be plain ungrateful for anything; another to have high yet reasonable expectations. Perhaps when some patients look at the outrageous bill for a two or three day hospital stay, they expect both competent medical care and good customer service. Oh, sorry, that horrible word -- customer service.

[noahsmama]

Now I'm curious- what sort of demographic does your hospital serve? I work at an inner city hospital in the middle of a pretty poor area. We get plenty of economically disadvantaged folks who are demanding, rude, entitled (yeah, I said it), expect fast-food speed service, think the doctor should be in IMMEDIATELY, etc. Thankfully we get polite and grateful patients too, but it doesn't fall along class lines ime.

Your experience is the same as mine, and I also worked in a hospital in a poor urban area -- but with some wealthy areas not too far away, and patients from all socioeconomic classes. The rudeness and entitlement did NOT seem to fall along class lines in that hospital either.

[maelstrom143]

We have it all. The top three?

"The food is lousy!"

Yes, I know and I am so very sorry. Unfortunately, you are on a cardiac diet. That means low fat, low salt, heart healthy. (I feel bad for Dietary, as most of them strive to do their best and the compliments from patients few and far between).

"These beds are horrible!"

Yes, I agree. Being in a hospital bed is never as comfortable and as comforting as being in one's own bed and surrounded by those things that make a space totally ours. I also think the pillows are sad little affairs. However, maybe an extra one would help you feel more comfortable?

"When is the doctor coming?"

I do not know. Unfortunately, they do not have a schedule of when to come see our patients; however, I will keep an eye out for them. If you are NPO and they are not in by midday, I will call and see if I can feed you, OK? (this for those patients waiting for Cardiology, as we keep them NPO for possible procedures; if not in by midday, I usually call and see about getting them a diet order).

[Texan Danny]

When I worked in PreOp, I had a Patient who was having a 4way CABG, and actually wanted to know if he should cancel his Tee (golf) time that was scheduled 2 hrs after his surgery start time.

[wanderlust99]

The food is terrible. Or when working nights, you wake me up too much how am I suppose to get any sleep? I hate that one the most. Why don't you just go home, and come back in the morning if you don't want 24 hour care?