What would you do?

What do you do when you get a real jerk of a patient, but the charge nurse that shift insists that as a nurse it is your job to do some *** kissing? I have no problem going above and beyond for the patient, but when their demands are taking away from the care of my other patients, I put my foot down. I can think of no other profession where patients are allowed to call you names and the employee is just told to work harder. What are some suggestions as to what I should do, not so much with the patient, but with the boss who insists you be their servant for the night?

I've been known to let the boss do the ass kissing.

I guess it would depend on the details of the situation.

Recently I had a patient lose confidence in the staff over a lack of knowledge in a piece of equipment. I wouldn't say I smooched booty, but when your patient is scared that something isn't right, you go that extra mile to make them feel safe.

So I guess it depends on the situation.

Yeah I don't know. Customer service is important, but not at the sacrifice of any patient safety on your team.

I would say if a patient needs extra "VIP Treatment" I would let my boss do the work.

./shrug

Tait

I guess it would depend on the details of the situation......

I would say if a patient needs extra "VIP Treatment" I would let my boss do the work.

./shrug

Tait

After all, isn't that why they make the Big Bucks?

Reassuring a scared pt is not patootie-kissing, it's taking care of the pt. Kissing patootie is not in my job description.

Ass kissing. What's that?

I know special situations cause for me to ease a little on the matter-of-factness... but in general, I treat everybody with the same amount of respect and patience. If they push my buttons (boy, it takes a lot) or have issues with respecting others, then I "kindly" (always, kindly.. raising voices gets you no where) let them know. I just figure if I'm kind about it, how can I get in trouble? If I don't ass kiss.. what do I have to lose? A grand promotion? That HUGE raise I was expecting? Oh, please...

You can try to explain to them that their rudeness isn't appreciated, and we're humans that deserve the same respect as the next person. And moreso, every patient on the floor is treated equally (you can imagine how that went when I said that to some self-proclaimed big-shot).

By the way, your personal MORAL judgment is telling you that what your boss says isn't okay. And that's GREAT, because some people don't have that. People who deserve golden treatment are those that treat others with decency.. however wealthy or well-known.

I treat all patients the same, whether a VIP or someone from the homeless shelter.... They get the same nursing care. I respond to the character of the person, which has nothing to do with their status or position.

Catering to a manipulative patient will get you nowhere except going to your car angry at the end of your shift. That said....it rarely hurts to figure out what the patient needs to hear to calm the nerves and make them feel like you...

Know what you are doing

Care what happens to them

Are looking out for them

Understand how helpless they must feel....etc.

You may get lucky and find that's all that was needed turn your difficult patient into an easy one and a job well done.

Go back to the basics.......assess, find out why thy are being a jerk. You don't have to literally ask the question that way, but get some back ground information from them.

Here's how I approach my new pt's. While doing their physical assessments I talk to them. "So where are you from?" Now I know if they are far from home and don't have anyone close by. "Have you been to our hospital before?" "Yeah it was a horrible experience" "I am sorry to hear that.....will you tell me what happened?"

Just by breaking the ice in this manner I have been able to discover that the patient isn't a jerk but had some underlying concerns, addressed them and they were much easier to deal with.

It doesn't always work out like this. I have had pts. who were just mean, angry, bitter people and nothing was going to change them. These pts. I try to deal with as best I can and not let them get under my skin too bad. Being human, sometimes this doesn't work but I try.

Hope this helps.

Craig