This is not your home. It is the place where your doctors, nurses, and therapists will get you better to return home.
Hi new patient's family. Can you please refrain from speaking so I can ask your family member some pertinent questions?
Since this is not your home, do not expects the comforts of home, such as a luxury bed.
Those hospital beds are not the greatest. However, they are designed to help prevent your skin from breaking. You're welcome.
When was the last time someone cooked a whole meal for you? If you don't like it, bring something from home, but don't complain.
Missing your personal slave? Didn't think so. Hi! I'm your nurse and I have 4 other people to take care of in addition to you.
RN. Refreshments and Narcotics. Huh?
Your pain is at a 10/10? Really? So as somebody is cutting your leg off with a saw you make personal phone calls and laugh at a Facebook post?
Actually you do need an IV. And I don't just put them in people because I'm a sicko who likes sticking sharp objects into people. (I do like getting them in though).
If you think you can dictate which order I give your medications (which tend to include Benadryl, Dilaudid, and Zofran), you don't belong in this hospital.
I feed my patients. Not their visitors. Unless I feel bad for them.
You will be woken up. Multiple times. While you're sleeping.
Don't think you can threaten me by refusing to take your medications. Less work for me!
I asked a simple question. When did you last move your bowels? I don't need the extended edition.
Keep your arm straight if you don't want that machine to beep.
Those bubbles in the IV tubing won't kill you.
Wouldn't a family reunion be so much more peaceful in your own home, at a park, or somewhere spacious.
If you don't want to deal with me and my expectations, there's a hotel down the street.
Well just to clarify, I do not in any way ignore problems. I am able to focus on the bigger picture and just don't let the little things irritate me at that level. When you post here not everyone is going to be in agreement and I was only being honest in my immediate reaction to reading your post. I think, if you let these little things get to you now at only 3 years in, you will be heading for an early burn out and that is a real problem in nursing. I am not trying to be catty or condescending. AN is a forum for our nursing profession to vent and seek advice however, as I said you can't expect to only receive feedback you agree with.
Perspective, perspective, perspective.
What you deem as "the little things," someone else may align more importance to, and vice versa. Simply because you don't place the things the OP finds irritating high on your priority list doesn't mean they aren't annoyances to the OP.
Feeling annoyed by a patient's inability to act logically or rationally doesn't necessarily equate to burn out. It's sad and redundant that I see this statement as often as I do. One person kvetching does not mean their career is saturated with disdain or "burn out." You're seeing a five second snapshot into someone's day, not their entire career.
What you deem as "the little things," someone else may align more importance to, and vice versa. Simply because you don't place the things the OP finds irritating high on your priority list doesn't mean they aren't annoyances to the OP.
Feeling annoyed by a patient's inability to act logically or rationally doesn't necessarily equate to burn out. It's sad and redundant that I see this statement as often as I do. One person kvetching does not mean their career is saturated with disdain or "burn out." You're seeing a five second snapshot into someone's day, not their entire career.
Exactly!
And don't you worry, I will be far away from the bedside before burnout sets in. Burnout is not going to come from a patient making comments about bubbles in their IV tubing, believe me.
Ok, I'm not going to engage those with (self)righteous indignition. If you want a thread about the benefits of going along with customer service expectations make one. If you want to talk about how terrible it is that 3 year nurses are going to be burnt out early because they care so much about having to feed the patient, her three kids, her boyfriend, two aunts, and 4 cousins, make a new thread.
I'm going to see if I can come up with more one line blips for patients.
Not directly with management but I do see you points and are well taken. My opinion here is that nothing is ever black or white, there's lots of gray areas in healthcare. I meant no disrespect, I was just offering another point of view :)
Here are some more...To My Patient -- From Your Nurse
The hand that feeds you (your own) can also help you use that urinal.
When you push the call bell next time, make sure to come up with something you need BEFORE I get to the room.
No you cannot have anything to eat or drink yet and that answer won't change in 10, 20, or 30 minutes. In fact it won't change til your doctor puts an order into the EMAR.
There's only so much narcotics your can take before I have to pull out the "medicine that starts with a N" - Narcan.
I know that you practically live at this hospital, but that does not give you the right to change your IV fluid rate, especially if you are here for sickle cell crisis and need NS@150ml/hr.
> Please choose one family member to call and receive information regarding your condition, and note that said family member can update additional family members. When I have to field 1,000 phone calls from each and every single one of your close and extended family members, I cannot possibly place my attention on you, or give you the care you deserve.
> Please do not "adjust" your IV pump because "it's loud." If it's alarming, it's for a reason, and I need to come to your room to assess why. When you turn off the pump, or change the rate, you may be doing more harm to yourself than assisting me in solving the problem.
> As an addendum to my previous point, please do not attempt to operate or manipulate any of the tubes and lines coming from you, even if you feel you're "just moving it." That line is connected to some place invasive and moving it without my knowledge or assistance could really, really hurt you.
> Please understand that waking you up "q4hr" for vital signs is essential to monitoring your illness. It is neither fun nor amusing for the techs and/or nurses to wake you up every 4 hours, especially if it causes you to lash out at us, and we only do so because it is a physician's order and it allows us to monitor for acute changes.
> To that effect, your physician has ordered lab work because it is necessary in assisting to either a) diagnose you or b) monitor your response to therapies. I understand that venipuncture is uncomfortable, but it's only for a moment, and it's *why* you came to the hospital.
> Your physician has ordered a specialized diet for a reason. Please adhere to your dietary restrictions. You'll likely have a better outcome if you do.
> Please, DO feel free to ask me questions at any time about your care. Please DO NOT argue with me ad nauseam over a point that I can prove to you 7 different ways. It's a waste of both your breath and my time.
> Please understand my scope of practice. Yes, I know you want Morphine IV, but it isn't in my scope of practice to order that for you, nor is it in my scope to order you an MRI, CT ...
> Please understand that I am a HUMAN BEING first and foremost. Regardless of my profession, my oath to maintain a professional appearance at all times, my constant smile, and my cheerful tone of voice, I have bad days like everyone else. I expect (and deserve) to be spoken to as a human being, not someone less than.
(I figured I'd add some to your list there, Lev! )
Specializes in EMT since 92, Paramedic since 97, RN and PHRN 2021.
1. Nobody chooses to be sick. You chose this job.
2.Everybody reacts to illness differently.
3. A hospital stay can run up to $100s of $1000s of dollars because of the skilled professionals.
I have friends who are nurses and I have loved ones who have been in the hospital.
Reading this story made me sad. When I'm with someone I love in the hospital, the last thing I want to think about is if I'm bothering the nurse. This makes me think of those jaded policemen who treats everybody rude. If you dislike what you're doing find a different line of work...oh wait..you'll encounter all kinds of people in every field.
Elevate your field don't drag it down with petty complaints aimed at vulnerable scared people.
Specializes in SNF, Home Health & Hospice, L&D, Peds.
Ok, I'm not going to engage those with (self)righteous indignition. If you want a thread about the benefits of going along with customer service expectations make one. If you want to talk about how terrible it is that 3 year nurses are going to be burnt out early because they care so much about having to feed the patient, her three kids, her boyfriend, two aunts, and 4 cousins, make a new thread.
I'm going to see if I can come up with more one line blips for patients.[/QUOT
Well I am neither indignate nor self righteous. You are projecting your irritation, that I had the audacity to state my own opinion that did not parallel yours on "your" thread (never mind this is a public site) onto me. Alrighty, got it, no one may have a differing of OP's opinion and be treated respectfully...good luck with that BTW to me it isn't "customer service expectations" it's called nursing and maybe if you did explain some of these things to the patients and families you could cut out some of these issues. That's what I mean about finding a solution rather than complaining about the issue, but to each their own and I'm out.
)
nynursey_
642 Posts
Perspective, perspective, perspective.
What you deem as "the little things," someone else may align more importance to, and vice versa. Simply because you don't place the things the OP finds irritating high on your priority list doesn't mean they aren't annoyances to the OP.
Feeling annoyed by a patient's inability to act logically or rationally doesn't necessarily equate to burn out. It's sad and redundant that I see this statement as often as I do. One person kvetching does not mean their career is saturated with disdain or "burn out." You're seeing a five second snapshot into someone's day, not their entire career.