When the nurse becomes the patient

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It is amazing the things you notice. Perhaps my expectations were too high? I was admitted for observation and it was not a good experience. I had a nurse admit me to the room. Then I was hooked up to machines and left for 5 hours. I met the aide when I called to go to the bathroom, it took her 25 minutes to come. Never saw her again, the things that stood out to me as a patient? No one introduced themselves or told me their name. No one told me what they were doing or monitoring. No one showed me where the call light was or how to use it. I was there from just before 10 until after 3. I was starving. No one checked on me. I ended up unhooking myself the second time to go to the bathroom, then calling the dr myself to see if they were letting me out ever. I called the nurse but she never came. I literally did not see her again until I was discharged. I asked what my lab results were, she told me to ask my dr.

I think it was good to see the other perspective. I was scared, alone, and just left there. Not pleasant. I will remember that feeling every time I go to work. I'm happy to say on my floor we round hourly.

Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

Is this just a thread about OB experiences?

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Specializes in Nephrology.

That's what you call business, not healthcare!

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Is this just a thread about OB experiences?

No not at all! That just happened to be where I was admitted to. I was just horrified at the bad care I got. It really was a bad experience for me! I know it will help me to be a better nurse though. I can honestly say I have never treated patients that way and I never will no matter how busy it gets!

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I've only been an inpatient in the hospital once in my life. It was a short stay on a women's med/surg unit after an elective procedure in 2008.

Although the floor nurses worked 8-hour shifts on this unit, none of them checked my vital signs. The only time my vitals were checked was upon admission in the radiology suites. However, the four different med/surg floor nurses that cared for me on the women's unit did not obtain my vitals or even drop a stethoscope on me.

I had a small incision to the right groin after having had a catheter inserted through my femoral artery, but only one of the floor nurses looked at my dressing to monitor for drainage.

However, I'll mention that all of the nurses were pleasant, which made a difference. Also, I understand that many nurses take shortcuts to get through their shifts.

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Specializes in Adult ICU/PICU/NICU.

I think that introducing yourself and your title to your patient and/or family is very important. That's one of the few things that I still use from nursing school from many years ago that I feel isn't obsolete. In fact, I think it would be wise for all nursing schools to teach this. I would always start my shifts with introducing myself either to the patient or the family "Good morning/good afternoon my name is Mrs. H. and I'll be your licensed practical nurse until (end of shift), so and so is our charge nurse today who is a registered nurse and many help with your care and so and so is one of our nursing assistants who will also be helping. So and so is our unit clerk at the front desk and he/she will be will answer the call light which is right here".

When I had my knee replaced some years back, I would always ASK the person's name and their title if they did not tell me. In general I feel that I got very good care. My daughter (she's an RN) was with me much of the time. I highly recommend to anyone who has to go into the hospital to have a patient advocate there for them who has some medical training when you are so snowed on pain meds that you can't advocate for yourself!

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

The last time I was admitted to the hospital was for severe n/v; my BP was 50/42, HR was in the 50s. I stayed for 3 weeks, and had every test under the sun.

One of the tests was a lower GI endoscopy. Fent/Versed by the GI nurse. I remember every single aspect of that nightmare-I felt the scope ramming through a turn, and heard the doctor cursing when the scope didn't budge. He kept trying, and I kept crying. It was horrible. The pain was like none I have ever experienced. The nurse kept telling me that "if you just relax, things will get better."

To this day, I cringe when I hear a nurse/tech/EMT/doc tell a pt to "just relax". To me, relaxing is defined as being on a boat in the middle of the ocean, the soft waves rocking me, and the gentle breeze caressing my skin.

There is no such thing as "relaxing" when a painful procedure is being performed. You can encourage your pt to do deep breathing exercises, guided imagery, soft touch, and reassurance. You can give them anticipatory guidance, and inform them of everything being done BEFORE it happens, and comfort them as best you can.

"Just relax" is about as helpful as telling a dog to read the paper to you.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

I had one significant hospital stay. I was in the hospital for 11 days, and I spent 5.5 days in the ICU...That was TOP nursing care. It was near death, and I was hemodynamically unstable for 4 of those days, but I was talking, AAO the while time, in pain, and they really tried their best to keep my pain in control by giving me breakthrough pain medication while I was on a Dilaudid PCA drip.

I got transferred in the middle of the night. I spent a day with a room mate who had end-stage dementia who fell at home-I only knew about it because the nurse kept telling the woman she fell at home, and the family talked about her history with the dr, I overheard. She ended up dying that night/ early morning. I rang the call bell and let the nurses know when the woman was dying...I don't know how long it took for someone to come in, but by the time the 4 am vitals/rounds came, I had spiked a fever and yelled out, "she's dead." They probably thought I was dramatic and delirious, but there checked on her, and the next thing I know, they moved me out of that room...I had pretty much had no roommate the rest of my stay there, from one for a few hours that left who was recovering from breast cancer, and another older women who fell and kicked her son out of the room the night before I was discharged.

It was subpar, from a male tech leaving me on a bedpan for two hours...I fell asleep on it, and having another accident in bed, I peed and pooped on myself this time, the 4 am magic hour occurred, and this nurse came in and cleaned me up, bed bath, wound changes and all...and that made everything up.I could call her an angel of mercy lol....her methods were similar to mine. It got better from there. I was able to get out of bed to go to the bathroom, and even get into the shower. The nurses got better. I had a student nurse; I suggested to her to do hourly rounds and never disappear from your pts and give them the "script, 'I have other patients, I will come back as soon as I can'"....It sounds insensitive as a patient...I told the same thing to a new grad nurse when I was rooming with my soon-to-be deceased roommate. I could smell the generic scripting, it was condescending to me.

They said I "could stay a little longer" and I knew it was due to the private insurance I had...Great hospital insurance 100 percent paid. The hospital acted like I had given them a sizable donation (when you have a nurse out of recovery from a life-saving operation talk about how your insurance is "great", you know you are in the land of Oz...) and I wanted out.

There were a majority of EXCELLENT, seasoned nurses, subpar nurses, and new and yet to be new nurses that needed direction.

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I was just diagnosed with endometrial adenocarcinoma. I feel like a cow being herded through gates to the slaughter house. Partly because I am a basket case. But I was not presented with any options other than we are scheduling you for a hysterectomy. First they changed the doctor on me without telling me. Now they have changed the surgery date without asking for my input. -Geeze, I have all kinds of arrangements made for the original date. Now I have to change everything.

When I met the gyn/onc, he did an exam, told me the grade, wants to do the di Vinci procedure, explained I will have 4 holes and that is all. No pre op directions, no, post op directions nothing in writing. I called and told them I was a basket case. I asked if they would prescribe anti-anxiety meds, the nurse said no- but I could ask for something the morning of the procedue. I ask why not before- "because it might interefere with your anethesia. That is stupid to me. Why would it not interfere if given in the hospital, but will interfere if I take it at home. I asked if I could have something in writing about post op instructions, she said you will be given that after surgery before you go home. But I don't want to have to stop at the store on the way home. I think I should know ahead of time what stuff to have at home. She said, you will be given a pain medication prescription. That is all.

I was not given any written materials to review about the procedure, or directed to any web sites. I think it is pretty poor patient preparation.

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It wasn't busy either. That is what was so frustrating. The person who did my

Lab draw was very nice. He was friendly and made the room warmer for me. So at least one good thing. I am now dreading my delivery. I am getting close to my due date and am dreading this hospital stay.

I am not a nurse (yet), but I wanted to reach out to you because of this comment. This is YOUR delivery, this is YOUR baby. If you would feel more comfortable at another hospital and you can do it, DO IT. Although in the end all that matters is that you and the baby are healthy, labor is your moment.

The hospital I had my son at my night nurses were wonderful (to this day they are still my heroes), my day nurses were AWFUL. After they broke my water they never once changed my sheets, they were very slow to come help me to the bathroom, I passed a HUGE clot that was way above "normal" and got brushed to the side for hours before I finally got a nurse to come help with it (it actually broke stitches and I was in pain), I asked for a pump to start breastfeeding since my son would be immediately put in the NICU and they didn't get that in time (my mom brought a hand pump in for me which took fooreevvveerr).

Labor is your moment, you're not asking for unreasonable demands. You're asking for good/qualified staff to help you and help bring your baby into this world. I agree with pp that they may treat you differently when the big moment comes around.. but I think you should listen to your gut and decide what to do. This is your decision after all.

Best of luck to you and your family when you welcome another family member into your home :)

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It is amazing the things you notice. Perhaps my expectations were too high? I was admitted for observation and it was not a good experience. I had a nurse admit me to the room. Then I was hooked up to machines and left for 5 hours. I met the aide when I called to go to the bathroom, it took her 25 minutes to come. Never saw her again, the things that stood out to me as a patient? No one introduced themselves or told me their name. No one told me what they were doing or monitoring. No one showed me where the call light was or how to use it. I was there from just before 10 until after 3. I was starving. No one checked on me. I ended up unhooking myself the second time to go to the bathroom, then calling the dr myself to see if they were letting me out ever. I called the nurse but she never came. I literally did not see her again until I was discharged. I asked what my lab results were, she told me to ask my dr.

I think it was good to see the other perspective. I was scared, alone, and just left there. Not pleasant. I will remember that feeling every time I go to work. I'm happy to say on my floor we round hourly.

Wow. For you to barely see the cna or nurse IS scary. If that were to happen at my job we'd be fired without question lbs. Another thing I'm learning is to be more understanding towards the mean patients. I have to look at it from their perspective: in a hospital bed is the last place they want to be. Some feel abandoned because they never get visitors or phone calls which makes them more upset and want to be left alone then here I come to take vitals every x amount of times or here comes transport to take them down for a test, then the guy to draw blood, the doctor, the nurse when all they want to do is sleep.

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Specializes in ICU.

Reading these stories is scary. I don't get it. There would be a lot of people fired if these stories came from places I worked. I get that some nurses are in it for the money, but let me tell you something: that's why I wanted to be a nurse, and I do everything possible to make sure that I don't screw it up for myself including hourly rounding, holding my patient's hand while he or she is crying, talking with the family and treating them like my own... that is part of the JOB, and it should be done by every nurse whether they're in it for the caring or they're in it for a stable job because it's what the job IS. I don't understand how anyone can just blatantly walk into a room and not do his or her job, regardless of your motivations for not being there. That's like a waitress coming into work and deciding not to wait tables or a bartender deciding to clock in and not touch a bottle of alcohol all day... why are you even at work? So weird.

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At first I was ok, just waiting and waiting. Then when no one came by, I really was terrified. I kept thinking there was something wrong with my baby. I just cannot imagine not checking on a patient for that long. I was a wreck by the second or third hour, so that did not help. I usually have no problem speaking up for myself, but I was not myself that day. I was scared and upset and didn't feel good. I was terrified they would come give me bad news. But 5 hours, really? I see the doctor tomorrow and I am telling him about my lovely stay. And making my husband stay home from work to come with me in case they send me back to the hospital.

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