welcome to the hilton...please dont forget to tip your waitress

Brownms46 · Jun 14, 2002

Originally posted by zudy
Thank God those idiots at least know they are too stupid to do pt care.

:rotfl:

live4today, RN · Jun 14, 2002

Originally posted by zudy
The hospital I used to work in had a VIP "policy".................. The suit would always walk around and tell us that a VIP was coming in so we could be "ready". I always told the suit the same thing, " Oh, that's OK, you don't need to tell us about this pt because in our ER, ALL the pts are very important people!!! I never got any response but a blank stare.

I actually lost out on a job opportunity because I answered their question about VIPs the way you did....and I would do it again and again and again and again... To hell with the VIPs wanting preferential treatment. I would never classify patients into two categories...the VIPs and the non-VIPs as far as the way I would treat them. I, like you, have always treated ALL my patients as VIPs because they are in my humble opinion. VIP my but - tocks! :chuckle Sick is sick, and the sick will all get the same treatment by me regardless of their money...or lack of. :rolleyes:

purplemania, BSN, RN · Jun 14, 2002

I have learned to tell people on my first rounds that I will not be back for 1-2 hr, or till rx, etc. is due. If they need me,call. When they call for snacks, etc. and say "Can you bring me..." my answer is "Not right now. I make rounds again in x minutes". I work pediatrics. My pet peeve is the Mom (sometimes the Dad) who gets in bed on admission and STAYS THERE, expecting me to wait on her. Worse, she brings sibs for me to babysit and provide snacks and entertainment. I have finally learned to ignore the sibs and tell Mom she is not the one who is sick and she is welcome to go to the visitor's room for coffee but snacks are only for pts and per the diet ordered. I try to say this in a calm, non-belligerent voice and rarely do I get complaints.

nrw350 · Jun 14, 2002

Boy I am glad I do not remember my visit to the hospital when I was 4 or 5. I broke my elbow and it had to be set with pins. Although, I have to wonder what all went on lol.

Nick

mattsmom81 · Jun 14, 2002

Whenever the suits and the pumps and pearls girls would fly down the hall to tell us a VIP was coming, my pat answer was a blank stare and "But ALL my patients are VIP's." :)

I LOVED how they didn't know quite how to respond to that.

fedupnurse · Jun 14, 2002

gr8nurse4u, I couldn't agree more about the VIP issue. It is sickening. I saw it first hand. We had a VIP (dying and fighting it every step of the way) and a ward (no insurance) patient on the unit at the same time. We begged for the ward patient to be trached, if for no other reason than comfort, for weeks. The VIP agreed on a Friday and was trached on Saturday. There were so many instances of how this self pay guy got the blow off and the VIP who wouldn't be payng anything other than what his insurance would cover.

I also work in ICU and when I was working days I routinely had families/firends running out of the rooms q 3 seconds about "the line on the monitor moved!!! HURRY, it MOVED!!!!" SO I would go in and give the patient the once over, check the monitor and press the Patient Data buttin which displayed a typewriter screen. I would then turn to leave the room and always heard the same thing: Started with a gasp and then "But we can't see the lines!!!" To which I would say, "you don't need to see the lines. All the lines I need to see I can see at the nurses station or in another patients room. The monitor still works perfectly fine, you just can't see pictures you know nothing about and will drive all of us crazy over if you continue to update the staff on the lines every 5 seconds. You are here to visit with this patient and that is what you should be doing. Do not look at, and don't even think about TOUCHING, any piece of equipment in this room."

Usually worked. Rarely got reported to the suits and my manager at the time backed me up when a family complained that they couldn't see the lines. Even though I am back on nights, I still do this to the obnoxious families.

Has anyone noticed that it is the people who shouldn't even be in a hospital that are the most obnoxious and /or have the most annoying visitors???

MQ Edna · Jun 14, 2002

Originally posted by mattsmom81
"But ALL my patients are VIP's." :)

The hospital where I work and truly love every minute is on the "po' side of town", so we aren't likely to be graced by the presence of "VIPs". They'll go to our sister hospital WAAAY across town. But frankly, I wouldn't want to work at ANY hospital if the management didn't APPLAUD when a healthcare professional gave the above response.

Brownms46 · Jun 14, 2002

Has anyone noticed that it is the people who shouldn't even be in a hospital that are the most obnoxious and /or have the most annoying visitors???

Y E S

mattsmom81 · Jun 14, 2002

I agree Nancy..I HATE visitors that think we should give them a crash course in medicine and wave interpretation in the ICU.

THIS IS NOT FOR YOU TO WORRY ABOUT. THIS IS FOR ME TO WORRY ABOUT. THIS IS MY JOB. LET ME DO IT. I CANNOT DO MY JOB WHEN YOU CALL ME IN THE ROOM EVERY 5 MINUTES WHENEVER A MONITOR BLIPS. IT DOES NOT MEAN HE IS DYING WHEN IT BLIPS. TRUSSSSST ME

mattsmom81 · Jun 14, 2002

Originally posted by catlady

Yes, it makes me wonder why you bothered to go into nursing, since you apparently haven't got the compassion of a gnat.

Kinda harsh here Catlady....I think the original poster was speaking of obese patients who COULD wipe themselves but preferred NOT to....and those types bother me also...

I've had quite a few obese and MORBIDLY obese patients...and quite a few are women, and they usually are dragged in on a tarp with 4 firemen filing for workers' comp following transport.

They invariably have had their families waiting on them hand and foot at home for years (morbid obesity is a family sickness) bringing food TO them where they lay. (some haven't been OFF the tarp in years.) Many get quadruple portions of 'Meals on Wheels' delivered to them at the taxpayers expense.

Many have told me they just sh*t and p*ss on the floor until family comes to clean them up. They expect the nurses to do the same. They call on the light: "I need to be cleaned up". I agree with the posters who said if they can tell they need to be cleaned up they can tell when to ask for a bedpan. (if we have one strong enough---sometimes we pile 4- 5 together for strength)

I can only feel so much pity for someone who lets themself get in this kind of shape, to be honest. I will give them good basic care within my power and limits. I am NOT going to break my back or by staff's back lifting and dragging on this 500# patient. If they can't scoot on the bed or use an overbed trapeze, then they roll. I do NOT lift them. Sorry if this sounds compassionless, but don't be surprised when they don't care if they're hurting us...they don't care that they're eating themselves to death either.

This has been MY experience with the morbidly obese. How do the rest of ya'll feel about them? I'll step down off my soapbox rant now (sorry) :imbar :imbar

Brownms46 · Jun 14, 2002

I agree...I also thought the response was over the top. But I had decided to be hang on the side...because I knew someone would speak on it. I was just waiting to see who...:)

As for the poster who told the pt to wipe their own behind...I don't blame her a bit!! After dealing with the 47 yr old I wrote about...I and everyone of my co-workers expressed the same sentiments! this woman had no problem...getting the food off her tray...and putting it in her mouth! In fact this woman would call and want to be TURNED...BUT HAD THE ABILITY TO WALK!!! But she wanted us to hurt ourselves pulling her FAT butt up in the bed!!! :confused:

But mattsmom...I have to tell you...that the part about:"if we have one strong enough---sometimes we pile 4- 5 together for strength) "...I :rotfl:. Good thing no one is home now....:rotfl:

Edited d/t deciding my first assessment of the poster I previously referred to was totally correct the first time!

RNIAM, BSN, RN · Jun 14, 2002

I have to say something being an obese nursing student to be. Let the first perfect person cast the first stone. I think I have made my point. I may not like doing certain things for patients that, I deem able to do it for themselves. My job is to be a help and that is what I did as a tech. That will be what I do as a nurse. I have lifted many obese paients, some that could move and some that couldn't. I have washed a drunk, I have cleaned the soiled linen of a drug addict. I will care for anyone who needs me. I may not like some of the things I will have to do but then again I am not perfect. When I start becomming perfect will someone please smack me back to reality! I try not to be harsh but on occasion I do like to make people think by asking this one simple question. Are you equal to GOD? If you don't believe in God then, how about the person who inspired you? Is that the kind of thing we want to teach our children. that someone different from us is not worth helping? I have a skin condition would you stare at me as well? Please explain to my children why their mothers nurse says to them " Too bad she died" If only she hadn't eaten herself to death. Hmmm. Now imagine saying this to an12 and 8 year old. Not that this has ever happened but it sure makes you think doesn't it?I doubt what I say here will make a difference in anyones life. Maybe it will, it sure won't hurt to try.

A foot note. I do agree that a patient should be encouraged to do for themselves what they can. This can be done with kindness and compassion. This does not have to be mean spirited and nasty.

:o