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

Aussienurse2 · Jun 25, 2002

LOL!! Hubby had to go tow a car that a woman had driven into the side of the house " I just don't know how the house got there!! It wasn't there when I parked it" Honest to God that was what she said.....BACKED INTO A HOUSE!!!! :roll Mabe we should introduce the car to the house...they could go out dancing sometime:roll

zudy · Jun 25, 2002

Nick, I don't know if anyone was mad about your post, but to be really blunt, it was really irritating. Anyone that works with the public usually has a stupid person story, but the difference with us is, when we have to waste a lot of time with these people that think nurses are thier private duty slaves, we have other pts that need our attention, too. When you waste time with one person at the u-haul store, what is the worst thing that can happen to the other customers that have to wait? The worst thing that can happen to our pts that NEED us is that they can die. That is one of thew reasons we get so tired of the BS from some of these people. This is why we have this thread, so we can blow off some steam. zudy

Peeps Mcarthur · Jun 25, 2002

Yup,

I know what your saying Nick.

These character flaws are present in all the species. I imagine that after you ran out to fix the hitch in the pouring rain, they complained to your boss anyway. :rolleyes: instead of thanking you. In fact, they may have added thier version which would include grand lies in order to make themselves look like a victim and have you "refusing" to help them, telling them you don't care........etc.

Now imagine that because of that you are threatened with a lawsuit, forfieture of your license to practice "U-haul", and put on probation....................even though you followed standard "hitching" procedures, but because you were short-staffed you went out to do the hitch, and you were then written up and reprimanded for "not following procedure".

Compound that with all the responsibility (all pt care) that a nurse shoulders to perfection, and you have a great topic for a bi*ch session.

I can see how this might look to someone that has not experienced day to day patient care. I understand how you are looking at it and encourage you to look for the good in it.

Even though these nurses feel this way on the inside everyday they care for thier mean/ugly/stupid patients and relatives who return thier kindness with threats, in a caring and professional manner. They strive to treat them the same as thier kind, thankful, sweet patients.

The definition of the word "professional".

You would only know that they felt that way if you were another nurse........whose job it is then to listen with empathy and relate.

Brad

nrw350 · Jun 25, 2002

Again I am sorry for the post. This just shows that even with my interest in the field, that I know very little about it.

Nick

nrw350 · Jun 25, 2002

Believe all you just said Peeps has happened. You should have heard the commotion caused by one client whose vehicle I could not fix. They stormed out of the office, then called the owner of my work to complain that I did thousands of dollars worth of damage to their car. When I did not do anything to the car. I nearly lost my job on that occasion.

Then there is the time a family had loaded the largest u-haul with their whole house and then the transmission failed (another rainy day of course). I was the only person on duty (often the case) and they expected me to drive 40miles out of town to get them a new truck, cross-load the new truck from the old truck. And then to leave myself stranded with the old truck for who knows how long and all the while leaving my job unattended. Needless to say, I do not miss u-haul one bit.

I realize that this pales in comparison with what you all have to deal with. But this is about the only way right now I can understand what you do.

Nick

Peeps Mcarthur · Jun 25, 2002

Cruising these posts is a great way to learn about the way it really is.

Nobody but a real nurse can tell it.

No offense taken as far as I'm concerned, but thank you for your kindness.

nrw350 · Jun 25, 2002

Just being myself. I try to treat others how I want to be treated. Although, sometimes I cant always do that.

Nick

PS: Why would I want to piss of a nurse that may save my life one day lol. May get "stuck" with a larger than necessary needle in return lol.

coastin52 · Feb 5, 2004

Originally posted by thisnurse
NOTHING pisses me off more than FLUFF MY PILLOW
or even worse....FIX MY BED.

ever have the patients that ask you to wipe them?
lmao
we get them from time to time. i tell them no...wipe yourself

At my hospital, our standard reply was "Who does this for you at home?"

Well, one lady replied "My daughter does!"

Glad she's not my mommie dearest!!

Larlar81 · Feb 5, 2004

I had a patient one night who was completely ambulatory, young, etc...she was there in a short stay unit (being d/c in the am).

Rings the call bell.

"Go get me some dinner."

me-your dinner is coming soon.

Dinner gets there. She rings call bell.

"Cut up my food and feed me."

me- Who is going to cut your food tomorrow. you are capable of cutting your own food.

Later in the evening. Call bell.

"Go get some lotion and massage my feet"

I KID YOU NOT...she actually asked this. I got out lotion from her drawer, set it in front of her and said here you go. Left.

Thing is...what made me the most angry, other than what she was asking, was she never once used the words "can you" or "please."

She was gone the next day...phew. Wonder who was feeding her and massaging her feet at home.

Lar

justjenny · Feb 6, 2004

Boy, I have enjoyed this thread... haven't done clinicals yet ( in 3 wks) but I have already heard stories like these from my instructors.

Just a note- we have had TONS of lectures, assigned reading, etc. on cultural sensitivity - and I know the hospitals are really pushing it - but it sounds like the pts are the ones that are *really* pushing it - ROFL!

Another student works in a local (very busy) ER and when the "newbies" and students first come in they are yelled at for spending time (talking, massages, etc.) to the pts. because "then they will expect it"

And my only hospital experience as a pt. was in L/D and the nurses there were the reason I wanted to become a nurse (wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!) and, while it didn't matter to me because I had a (respectful) attentive hubby getting snacks/drinks from the cafeteria - the nurses went out of their way to offer my husband a sandwich, etc. etc.

I guess there are extremes in all directions!

One of my instructors has given us a lot of literature which will be helpful during situations like the ones listed in this thread..... mostly about giving your job some "meaning"

While I don't look forward to being ordered around like a waitress (I did that when I was a teenager - I'm DONE NOW) I will just try to remember and cherish those pts. who really appreciate me and the care that I provide......and I plan on using the "you need to ambulate more" as my personal motto!!! THANKS!!

Now some more funny stories - please!

Jenny

greeneggsnham · Feb 6, 2004

Picture the scene: A full code going on and the daughter of a patient at the door yelling, "My Mother has to go to the BR, how do we get some service here?!"

When I did home health, somehow people were always telling me what my job was, yet they wanted me to come everyday and do it, although the patient was living with the family and everytime I was there, you could hardly get to the patient and there as always someone watching you every move.

Lets not forget the families with their notebooks at the bedside documenting everything, and I mean everything!

V. Nightingale · Feb 6, 2004

Picture the scene: A full code going on and the daughter of a patient at the door yelling, "My Mother has to go to the BR, how do we get some service here?!"

Tell me about it. . . I once worked a code in a curtain area (6 patients, separated by curtains) that lasted for over an hour and ended with the patient being rushed to the cath lab while I rode on the stretcher doing compressions the whole way. When we got back to the ER I made rounds to check on my other folks, and the woman two beds down from the code snapped "I've been calling for a blanket for over an hour! What does a person have to do to get some service around here?". . . Well having a cardiac arrest worked for the other guy. . .

My patients tend to learn quickly that if they hear me say "Mr. Jones, I understand that you don't feel well, but. . . " then they're about to be "encouraged" to help themselves just a little. I don't mind caring for and cleaning up after those that truly need help, but I can't tolerate laziness.