I am looking for a witty response for hateful patients that have white supremacist tattoos...
I had a patient that had a double lightening bolt tattoo in his arm... everyone else involved in his care SAW the tattoo, but didn't understand its meaning. I did. During a neuro assessment, he actually said "Heil Hitler" and laughed a couple of times, as though he were joking. But I know he wasn't. I was so horrified, I didn't say anything, and spent all last night kicking myself for not having anything clever to say.
If it ever comes up again, how would you handle it?
Once took care of the wife of a well known white supremacist. He was with her the entire time. He never made any remarks of a questionable nature, never flashed any hail hitler signs, no tattoos or clothes to give his beliefs away. We all knew who he was anyways, and our one minority and one jewish nurse stayed out of their room.
I treated him and her no different than other family. Neo-nazi or not, she was sick and in need of compassionate, competent care. I am not the judge and jury, just the nurse. Everyone gets the same care. I just tried not to think about who he was.
If you let them get you worked up or angry, then they have won.
Ignore it and continue to give this patient care as his nurse. It's not up to us to judge our patients. If it really goes against your beliefs to care for this person, ask another nurse to take him over.
In nursing we encounter people from all walks of life, many of whom we will not agree with. Unless this person was harassing or assulting you, I think it's best just to keep your thoughts to your self and move on.
I feel this quote says it best. You may disagree with their beliefs but ultimately its not you job to make a judgement, your job is simply to treat the patient as well as you can. Try and keep it as simple as that!!
Specializes in ICU/CCU/Oncology/CSU/Managed Care/ Case Management.
I am looking for a witty response for hateful patients that have white supremacist tattoos...
I had a patient that had a double lightening bolt tattoo in his arm... everyone else involved in his care SAW the tattoo, but didn't understand its meaning. I did. During a neuro assessment, he actually said "Heil Hitler" and laughed a couple of times, as though he were joking. But I know he wasn't. I was so horrified, I didn't say anything, and spent all last night kicking myself for not having anything clever to say.
If it ever comes up again, how would you handle it?
I think you handled it well. :nurse:Just continue to remain sane and professional. I have encountered a patient that had a swatika tattoes and rebel flag tattoes and as I assessed him I stopped and looked at it then looked at him while he was looking at me and said hmmm interesting...and continued on. He never said 2 words to me unless I would ask him something and even then he appeared reluctant to talk.
But knowing me if I were in your situation I probably would have belted out a religious song will giving him his meds...I probably would've sang Jesus loves me cause the Bible tells me so while giving him his percocet LOL. :DHe probably would've gotten angry and asked for someone else...I wonder if this would reallly work:D I never knew about the double lightening symbol....
I am Jewish and have dealt with a number of white supremacist pts, because I grew up in an area where they are common.
I generally say nothing - I am not likely to change their mind. What gets scary is when they flirt with me or ask for dates. My appearance does not fall within their stereotypes.
A bigger problem, is when I have coworkers that make racist comments - quite common in GA and FL. You call them on it and they give it the, "Oh, you know what I mean - I wasn't referring to YOU".
I now live up North and work in a teaching hospital with a very diverse staff and pt groups thus it is no longer an issue.
Yes, I am Jewish, too. I also lack the stereotypically Jewish features, and in fact other Jews often ask if I am gentile. haha
To clarify for other posters in this thread, this guy wasn't trying to bait me. I believe he was trying to get a sense of whether or not I would be sympathetic to his beliefs. And he was very happy with the care I gave - he even asked if I could be his nurse the following day.
Also, I think it's natural to make a judgement about this sort of individual, and as long as it doesn't interfere with the level of care I give, I see no reason to dehumanize myself. The place I work is near a prison, so we get a lot of inmate patients. It's not as though I am unaccustomed to dealing with unsavory people. But really, "Heil Hitler"????!!?!?!? Come on! There HAS to be a limit to what should be tolerated.
I find it kind of interesting that (generally speaking) nurses seem to be much more up-in-arms about being hit on by patients (where we are encouraged to react sternly) than dealing with truly hateful ones (where we are encouraged to just keep quiet). In any case, I DID keep quiet. I just wish I didn't.
IN response to OP's post about their patient, what's the big deal? You don't have to be his friend, only his nurse. Just treat the guy. Oftentimes "these people" are just that, people.
The patient is demonstrating their own ignorance. The patient should be quite glad that is not the world we live in today. Those with illnesses typically fared quite poorly in that regime. Kind of makes you want to tell the patient "I couldn't agree more! I will let the physician know that you are ready to die now; we wouldn't want your illness to pollute the gene pool."
Ok, I admit it isn't nice and I wouldn't say it. But I would want to say it.
Since I'm a visible minority, I would ask to change assignments. I'm a nurse, not a saint. At the end of the day, this is just a job. I wouldn't tolerate it at McDonald's and I certainly would not tolerate it at a hospital.
If I couldn't, I would do the bare minimum required and stay out of the room if I had no tasks to do. Other people deserve my time, energy, compassion, and above-duty care.
I am a member of a minority group. Once i had a patient who had a swatstika on his "member". In report i had been told that he was difficult and had made remarks containing racial slurs to several members of the staff. In my interactions with this guy he was very civil. I did my assessment,etc.....all i could think during that time was, i dont know if the tat was the evidence of a misspent youth or part of his current ideologies. But either way a tat in that area shows great commitment.
Patients in the hospital have very short stays usually. During that time we are expected to do teaching which will change behaviors that impact their health. I dont fool myself into believing that (if i were so inclined) i would have changed this guys basic beliefs. Unless it was relevant to his diagnosis, i see no reason to even broach the subject. Our patient populations come from many environments some similar to our own, with similar beliefs, morals,mores,etc. others are very dissimilar. While we may find some of their habits wacky, distasteful or just plain questionable. Our task is to provide them all with the same standard of care.
There were a few staff that requested not to take care of this patient. I wasnt one of them because he wasnt a problem. I dont have a problem with patients that dont believe as i do, i think it is their right to believe what they want. Unless it presents itself as a safety issue, his belief that he is supreme is ok with me. When my daughter was three she believed she was sailor moon. One persons belief doesnt make it reality.
I hadnt thought about this guy in a long time until i read this thread......but i have to admit even today, Im impressed by the commitment.
I don't know, probably wrong, but I feel sorry for anyone that is that hateful. I think there has to be some underlying trauma to people who hate others blindly for whatever the reason. That being said, I couldn't judge him for his beliefs any more than I could someone wearing a cross, a star of david or any other symbols of their beliefs. They are just that, his beliefs. Its not my job to judge whether they are right or wrong, moral or immoral. It is my job to provide them the most compassionate care I can.
i actually had a pt with a swistika on his forehead... he told me he was in prison and had to join one of their " gangs" or life in prison could be very uncomfertable for him.. he said he really didn't believe in those values and wish he cold have it taken off... he apolgized for it
I am looking for a witty response for hateful patients that have white supremacist tattoos...
I had a patient that had a double lightening bolt tattoo in his arm... everyone else involved in his care SAW the tattoo, but didn't understand its meaning. I did. During a neuro assessment, he actually said "Heil Hitler" and laughed a couple of times, as though he were joking. But I know he wasn't. I was so horrified, I didn't say anything, and spent all last night kicking myself for not having anything clever to say.
If it ever comes up again, how would you handle it?
Well, let's flip it around; suppose you're laying in that bed, and the nurse has SS tattoos all over his or her arms; how would you expect them to take care of you? Would you care to listen to his or her witty commentary about your Jewishness?
By looking for a "witty" response, I question your motivations as something to "get under his skin" so to speak; to subtlely confront, reject, repudiate, or humiliate the patient for his point of view.
That is not what we are at the bedside to do, no matter our disgust at his chosen philosophy. Granted, his allegiance to the tenets as professed by his symbols of well known hate groups is detestable. But, that is the patient's choice in his life.
Politics, like religion, is something that nurses should never bring to the bedside. We're not there to judge patients, some of which may also be rapists, murderers, terrorists, or tea party republicans, (not to mention neo-nazis). We should treat them like any other patient; respect their rights, provide for their safety, advocate on their behalf when necessary, and safeguard their privacy. If one cannot approach such a patient with a neutral clinical stance, then one should not be involved in their care. I know that some nurses do decline to participate in certain types of cases (eg. in termination of pregnancy for religious or philosophical reasons). If you feel that caring for this individual violates personal standards of some sort, then speak with your superiors to request a different assignment.
We live in a world that is getting smaller and smaller all the time, and sometimes, the reality is that every individual view that we encounter, may not be to our personal liking or the best that humanity has to offer.
HappyNurse2005, RN
1,640 Posts
Once took care of the wife of a well known white supremacist. He was with her the entire time. He never made any remarks of a questionable nature, never flashed any hail hitler signs, no tattoos or clothes to give his beliefs away. We all knew who he was anyways, and our one minority and one jewish nurse stayed out of their room.
I treated him and her no different than other family. Neo-nazi or not, she was sick and in need of compassionate, competent care. I am not the judge and jury, just the nurse. Everyone gets the same care. I just tried not to think about who he was.
If you let them get you worked up or angry, then they have won.