2 days ago, a thread that promised to get interesting went south and got locked, and other recent threads could end up that way if they go south. Within the last 6 months, some others nearly ended up the same way. This is a good place to vent and share stories about PITA pts./family members, and share coping strategies on how to deal with the nonsense. It's possible for people to respectfully debate and disagree without letting personal attacks shut down a good thread. (I've even respectfully disagreed with a moderator.)
But there really is no need to bash people who vent, especially when there are multiple threads on the same subject, indicating that what people are venting about is a widespread problem. (Maybe someday, Allnurses.com will have a PITA pt./family member forum of its own.)
Society has changed a lot over the years. It used to be that people respected nurses and treated them with respect. Now, there are more and more people with the "Burger King" selfish entitlement mentality. They want what they want when they want it----right NOW!! They don't care or think about other peoples well-being or feelings as long as they get what they want when they want it, and to heck with everyone else.
The healthcare industry has changed a lot over the years. Now, instead of focusing on peoples health needs (anyone remember the Quiet-Hospital Zone signs?), they focus on "customer service" to attract profits. And the "customer service" focus feeds into peoples attitude of selfish entitlement, instead of setting limits on behaviors that compromise other peoples health and safety.
This scares me, since I have family members who could come to harm because a selfish entitled person bullies the nurse so much with their ridiculous demands and drama, that the nurse doesn't get a chance to check on my family member in time to catch something serious and maybe save their life.
Years ago, there were no specific laws against assaulting healthcare workers like there are now, and there should be laws like this for all healthcare workers. Years ago, no one thought about the need for metal detectors in the ER or hospital, now they are in some facilities and they are badly needed.
There is a shortage of nurses willing to put up with abuse, and it's only going to get worse unless the healthcare industry gets their priorities straight and holds people responsible for their own behavior instead of blaming it on how a nurse "presents herself". Years ago, a woman in an abusive relationship had little resources and protection (and got blamed for the abuse). Now, they do; and nurses should have the same resources and protection also.
Therapeutic communication does help with pts. that are scared, angry, etc. most of the time. It won't help with people that have selfish entitled personalities who don't care about life-threatening emergencies, since their own "wants" are far more important to them than someone elses health or life.
I truly think that if "customer service" and "have it your way" is the future of healthcare, then heaven help us all as we get older and need healthcare.
