What's the meanest thing a patient has said to you?

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Jun 8, 2015

KatieMI --

was HR aware that your manager supported such a hostile work environment? Seems like something they would be careful of.

Twinmom06, ASN, APN · Jun 8, 2015

not I but an old co-worker when we worked for an insurance company (call center so we were faceless to the customers) - co worker would not waive a fee assessed - customer told her "I don't know how you can sleep at night treating me like this - I hope your children die in a car accident"

Farawyn · Jun 8, 2015

not I but an old co-worker when we worked for an insurance company (call center so we were faceless to the customers) - co worker would not waive a fee assessed - customer told her "I don't know how you can sleep at night treating me like this - I hope your children die in a car accident"

What the effing HELL?!

KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN · Jun 8, 2015

Here.I.Stand,

:roflmao:

when things like this happens in our times, it means that the whole place is rotten through and reeks of bigotry and xenophobia, starting from the very top and including HR and everything else. After I got terminated from there (and after many more such and worse episodes) I found out that the facility was known for ages for being, to make it politically correct, "difficult to work" for those who are not satisfying certain social "criteria", including race, religion and national origin.

I got a few lessons home from this experience, including never, ever to seek employment in any place that proudly shows off its "embracing diversity" politicos, because only one reason why one would spend any time on such stupidity is either having an order from EEOC to do so or expecting to get it soon.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jun 8, 2015

Wow, some of these people are not mean....they are pure evil! I mean, I've had some nasty things said to me, about me, to me about someone ELSE, etc....but when they're from people who are confused/demented you can let it go. Their "inhibition button" is stuck

But from people who are A&O? Not a chance in hell I'd take that garbage, I PROMISE you!

So what DO I say? When it was something rude, I've said "I'm sure I couldn't have heard you correctly...no WAY you'd actually SAY what I thought you just said". Don't remember ever having the offensive remark repeated.

I've had someone say something off-color, and then I'd look at the embarrassed family member and say "When your Mom is feeling more social, I'll be back. Until then.....have a GREAT visit".

Red Kryptonite · Jun 8, 2015

We had a man with a known hx as a child molester on the tele unit I worked one time. The other aide I was working with that night came out of his room white and shaking. Apparently she had unwisely responded to what seemed like small talk we have with patients everyday. He asked if she had kids and she responded that she had a daughter and her age. The guy said, "Why don't you bring her down here so I can do her."

The one male nurse on duty that night volunteered to take total care for that patient for the rest of the night. Going forward, only male personnel were assigned to that room, because apparently he didn't try any of his crap on the guys.

All of us got a lesson about being mindful of who you're talking to and adjusting interactions based on known issues. She was young and probably never even thought about small talking with patients until that happened.

RatchedAfterMidnight, MSN, APRN · Jun 8, 2015

"Your size 12 a** is bigger than your pea sized brain."

Sticks and stones.

cardiacfreak, ADN · Jun 8, 2015

I had a 20 something male who was admitted for BAL 400, threaten to kill me, my "retarded" kids, and my ******* dog.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jun 8, 2015

Patient tells me, "You need to go back to where you came from, you black #$%^&!" (BTW, I am from the US and have never been anywhere else).

I respond, "I don't deal with racist bigots, so this conversation is over forever." And I leave the room.

Jensmom7, BSN, RN · Jun 8, 2015

This happened in Gero-Psych:

I was sitting at the Nurses' station waiting for shift report. One of the patients came to the door. Usually when she saw me her greeting was "Here's the Nurse with the beautiful red hair." (She was a retired beautician).

That particular night, however, she looked me dead in the eye and snarled "Well look who's here. It's the red-headed w***e. My first two questions in report? "Did she take her meds tonight? And when was her last PRN?"

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Jun 8, 2015

I was 18 or 19, working as a CNA in LTC. A lady w/ dementia didn't believe something I'd told her, and I said, "I wouldn't lie to you." She said, "I don't trust you!" I asked why, and she said, "Because you have pimples on your face." Not a racial slur or anything THAT vile, but I was extremely self-conscious about my skin. At the time I was heartbroken to hear that. :sorry:

NursesRmofun, ASN, RN · Jun 8, 2015

We had a man with a known hx as a child molester on the tele unit I worked one time. The other aide I was working with that night came out of his room white and shaking. Apparently she had unwisely responded to what seemed like small talk we have with patients everyday. He asked if she had kids and she responded that she had a daughter and her age. The guy said, "Why don't you bring her down here so I can do her."
The one male nurse on duty that night volunteered to take total care for that patient for the rest of the night. Going forward, only male personnel were assigned to that room, because apparently he didn't try any of his crap on the guys.
All of us got a lesson about being mindful of who you're talking to and adjusting interactions based on known issues. She was young and probably never even thought about small talking with patients until that happened.

omg. I might have lost it on that one.