Just a thought that keeps popping into my head... How long has it been OK to be rude to your nurse? E.g. Demanding more warm blankets, sneering they didn't want ice in their water, etc.... I feel like the patient's perception as a professional has changed; from a respected nurse to a waitress.
Do you think the emphasis on patient satisfaction scores has changed this perception? Also, how is that every patient seems to know about socks, blanket warmers, sandwiches, bus/taxi vouchers, and that they are entitled.
Ugh, I don't know but the same thing goes on at my hospital. I was hospitalized recently (ER to MICU to general floor) and a few nurses thanked me for being so patient and respectful. I just said "I'm a nurse too." and they knew I got it. Especially since the ER was packed with flu patients. Though I was really too sick to bug anyone in the ER as I was in DKA due to insulin pump failure. On the floor I heard people putting on the call light for ice chips though, and I just shook my head because it was so familiar.
Foragreater: NO! You are not wrong. That's what vending machines are for. And besides, it sounds like your compassion remained intact while you carried out your ultimate objective - to get all those people triaged so they could get to the back (and order more snacks, lol).
Sorry - joking, just joking! I do love my patients and I am happy to help them, but I dislike carrying out frivolities when I have truly sick people who need me. That's when it becomes ridiculous. Our pink ladies (volunteer candy stripers) have been out for the holidays (and probably because they don't want to catch the flu). I do wish they would come back soon!
I also get miffed when they wont put down their cell phone when we come in to assess/etc. If you are so well that talking to whoever is just fine, maybe your truly a level 5 and lets discharge you now.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
If they are now overly entitled, what were they before this fundamental change?
Not saying I have an answer, but changed from what? Sick people now have . . . better status? Higher status? I've been told by a chick coming down from meth that SHE is paying MY WAGES so I'd better call the doctor for her Ritalin. Entitled people have always been entitled . . . that hasn't seemed to change over the last 24 years I've been doing something with healthcare. Are there more entitled people than there used to be? I think so.
I don't ever remember patients being 'more' polite and respectful to be honest. The differences I see are more between ethnic groups and age groups, but those have held fairly steady.
I think the new 'customer service' attitude has changed ME much more than 'patients' in general.
I've been in nursing for nearly 40 years, and I remember the more respectful, politer patients.
Specializes in Float Pool-Med-Surg, Telemetry, IMCU.
My patients must have gotten that memo today although I am not an ED nurse. I got an earful from the patient that wanted to leave the unit to wander around (nope.). (Sure, you just go ahead and screw around outside; just check in when you want your IV narcs, benzos, etc, if you pass out in the lobby, I'm sure someone will eventually scrape you off the floor.) My confused guy gets a pass for being confused but my first name does not begin with an "F" nor does my middle name begin with a "B". And when I explain to you that I am not your nurse so I don't know what time your doctor is coming or what the plan is but I am happy to ask your nurse for you, don't stage whisper to your son every time you see me how unhelpful I am. I'm going to go scream into a pillow.
Psych nurse here. I have a borderline patient who has been with us for about a year but has used our services frequently previously. A sitcom could be based on her. Very demanding. She has gotten many staff members in trouble because we try to set limits but being the borderline, she is very good at spinning situations. This one day, I can't really remember what prompted the exchange, but I remember her telling me after I told her, "no, not right now" she says, "you do realize that I chose to serve this country and for your freedom." This infuriated me. So I said back, "If you really wanna use that argument, I chose to take this job to take care of you who have served this country. I mean, if you really wanna use that argument"
She isn't combative so I wouldnt say she is the one of the worst....but if she was a private sector patient, you all would be fired. I work at a place where we are regarded as such peons because such a place has given these patients the power to become enabled to use the system up as they please. "frequent flyer" isn't a term we use at our place because being a repeated patient is the norm. Don't get me wrong; there are many patients who I appreciate. Oh wait. For my even having to add a disclaimer excusing the "good" patients is a bit telling. Yeah, I work for a pretty crappy entity. If I didn't have such awesomely great co-workers I would say peace out.
I had a patient that hit the call button 3 times today angrily demanding orange-flavored jello. I finally walked into her room and explained there were other patients that needed medicine, and the jello will have to wait. She got her jello eventually, but she made it known she was angry she had to wait.
Specializes in Pain Management, FNP, Med/Surg, Tele.
I work on a Med/Surg/Tele unit so our patients are very colorful. Also, let me remind you it's a kosher Jewish facility as well. I had this patient the other day who was insisting on me getting him a grilled cheese sandwich (remember, kosher). I called the kitchen and finally after some coaxing they agreed to make it so I sent a CNA to go get it. She arrived with it and low and behold, the bread was on one side of the plate and the melted cheese on the other, he freaked the hell out and made me throw it in the garbage. Can anyone believe this?
The demands are increasing and getting more and more unreasonable: chairs at the stretcher side in a jammed ER. Pt just arrives via EMS at 1700hrs 1st words out of there mouth " I haven't eaten all day..get me something", really, really?
I remember in nursing school back in '77 my instructor telling us " There's a movement afoot to cheapen the nurse patient relationship, referring to patients by different terms.
This is all you need to know; Macy's and Sears have customers.
Lawyers and prostitutes have clients. Most importantly Nurses and MD's have patients. That is the final words on this subject."
The admins and nurse managers keep trying to ram "customer service" down our throats, my reply " sorry we do patient care, unless we're running a BOGO CT scan offer this week.
Sometimes I just want to ask patients soooo bad how they would handle someone coming into their job and acting the way they act and how it makes them feel. Then I remember that most of them are unemployed.
The demands are increasing and getting more and more unreasonable: chairs at the stretcher side in a jammed ER. Pt just arrives via EMS at 1700hrs 1st words out of there mouth " I haven't eaten all day..get me something", really, really?
I remember in nursing school back in '77 my instructor telling us " There's a movement afoot to cheapen the nurse patient relationship, referring to patients by different terms.
This is all you need to know; Macy's and Sears have customers.
Lawyers and prostitutes have clients. Most importantly Nurses and MD's have patients. That is the final words on this subject."
The admins and nurse managers keep trying to ram "customer service" down our throats, my reply " sorry we do patient care, unless we're running a BOGO CT scan offer this week.
Well said.
All of those chairs jammed into a small space is one of my pet peeves. It is truly a safety hazard in case of a code or other emergency. There is no good reason to have a gathering of people in a pt room unless we are providing end of life care.
summeroflov
14 Posts
Ugh, I don't know but the same thing goes on at my hospital. I was hospitalized recently (ER to MICU to general floor) and a few nurses thanked me for being so patient and respectful. I just said "I'm a nurse too." and they knew I got it. Especially since the ER was packed with flu patients. Though I was really too sick to bug anyone in the ER as I was in DKA due to insulin pump failure. On the floor I heard people putting on the call light for ice chips though, and I just shook my head because it was so familiar.