Who is going to wait on me????

Guttercat, ASN, RN · Feb 11, 2012

Oh, I need a bus pass home." (OK, so the last one was not exactly what they would ask a waiter/waitress for, but you get the idea).

I'm amazed at the number of patients that expect us to find them rides. In fact, in my specialty (renal) we are required to assist patients in finding rides.

Next time I go to the dentist, I wonder if they can find me a ride...

...there must be a social program for that somewhere...

Guttercat, ASN, RN · Feb 11, 2012

Actually I have no problem with this. My dear old Ma was a waitress for many years and she worked long hard hours. They're a respectable bunch. Today I'm a nurse, sure, but it doesn't go to my head, meaning I know I'm here to help patients. And they are what they are; some are rude, some are nice, some demanding, some along with their families and descendants should be sealed up in a rubber room at the bottom of a deep dark hole. Some call me names, some think I'm a handmaiden, so what, it's part of the job. I'm not going to get into a ******* contest with someone in a sick bed. I'll put on whatever mask they need me to wear and do what I need to do.

I like this.

Because it's true.

dudette10, MSN, RN · Feb 11, 2012

I really do not understand why saying, "I'll get that for you, but I have to check on my other patient(s) first" is an awful, awful thing to say. It provides an explanation and sets an expectation for why the person has to wait a little while for the water refill.

s1helipilot · Feb 12, 2012

To be at the pt's mercy regarding quality of care for reimbursement is the beginning of the end...

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Feb 12, 2012

This doesn't exactly fall into the "get me a Coke" category, but how about the fully capable patient who suddenly pretends their arms are too short to wipe their orifices?

Quite seriously, soon after I began working med-surg, I had a patient who "required" assistance hauling her fat butt off the bedside commode, even though she really was quite capable of doing it; she liked the attention. So, I did that. But I drew the line when she bent over, hands on the bed and orifice in the air, so I could wipe her butt!! Are you kidding me? I handed her the roll of paper and told her she could take care of that herself; call when you're ready to go back to bed. She said she couldn't reach! I asked her who wiped her butt for her at home, and of course she said she did BUT she was SICK now and couldn't. I informed her that her foot wound did not prevent her arms from reaching around and taking care of business, and that we did NOT create invalids in the hospital--she was expected to take care of her personal hygiene just like she'd do at home. Then I left.

Of course my manager told me she got the complaint, then told me she struggled to keep a straight face as the complaint was being relayed. If nothing else, at least my manager saw the idiocy of the situation.

Morainey, BSN, RN · Feb 12, 2012

This doesn't exactly fall into the "get me a Coke" category, but how about the fully capable patient who suddenly pretends their arms are too short to wipe their orifices?

Oh my gosh! I had the most miserable patient a couple of nights ago, had a knee surgery and all of a sudden, couldn't wipe anymore?? REALLY?!? :uhoh3:

Nascar nurse, ASN, RN · Feb 12, 2012

I'm in LTC. Years ago we had a family member (yes I said family member - as in a visitor) come in daily, use the public restroom and hit the call light in there for a staff member to come in and wipe her rear. It amazed that some of the staff would actually go do it - I absolutely refused. That lady had the audacity to talk about me to other staff that I was to stuck up and "too good" to help a person in need. This lady was fully functioning and lived in her own home. Didn't so much as use a cane to walk. Craziness.

My teenagers have been well coached by me...when the day comes that I can't not ever reasonably clean my own rear again (or permentantly lose the ability to feed myself) they are to immediately put me on comfort measures only.

nulife4good · Feb 12, 2012

It always helps when my phone never stops ringing--seriously. I'm caring for the demanding patient and my phone rings with lab results, transport on the unit for another patient, another patient calling, etc. It lets my "needy" patient know that they aren't the only person that I'm caring for during my shift. I also don't understand why it's considered poor taste to set these parameters for your patient--I've said it a few times to patients myself.

applewhitern, BSN, RN · Feb 12, 2012

Well at my hospital we aren't allowed to tell them that we "have other patients to tend to." They take every complaint very seriously, no matter how frivolous it is. And everything is the nurse's fault. Patient NPO? Blame the nurse. Food bad? Blame the nurse. Radiology took too long? Well of course it is the nurse's fault. And for some reason, if a male nurse or male acillary staff member enters a room, they are automatically "a doctor" and if a female doctor enters a room, she must be a nurse. And yes, I have had my share of those who could fish the call bell off the floor, just to call the nurse to "give me a sip of water." And wipe their orifice. Patients are actually encouraged to complain because every morning we have people to stick their head in the doors and ask "How are they treating you?"

Fiona59 · Feb 12, 2012

I've told patients, "I'm a nurse not a waitress". We don't have meal selection. Special diets are a given. Otherwise you eat what you get. Our hospital doesn't even have a "kitchen". The food is trucked and reheated.

It's not uncommon to see patients coming back with a take away bag from the coffee shops in the building.

The saying is if you are well enough to complain about the food, it's probably time to go home.

Lucky for us Canadians, the patient satisfaction surevey doesn't exist. We all know hospital food leaves a lot to be desired and is a great motivator to get people moving and out of the place.

Oh, and soda? What is this? You get ginger ale for nausea. You want a Coke? The machine is by the elevators, hope you have a loonie for it.

lockheart678 · Feb 12, 2012

This is a huge reason I don't think I could ever leave the OR. I'm only with my patients maybe 10 minutes while they're awake, and they're not exactly thinking of many unreasonable demands to throw on me. I do get it from the doctors at times though. One anesthesiologist expects the nurse to do everything for him. One day I was on the complete opposite side of the room doing something when he demanded I plug the patient's bed in so we could lower it and I politely pointed out that the plug was right next to him. The surgeon laughed that he didn't "realize" it, but he knew good and well where it was, he's just too lazy to do anything for himself. Then we have the brand new residents who will try to interrupt me when I'm counting for the procedure just to make a simple phone call to pharmacy, even though their phone is within arm's reach. Luckily these ones are trainable to be more self sufficient though. I guess it doesn't matter how much direct patient contact you have, if they're not in a state to bark orders at you, you'll get it from somewhere else.

psu_213, BSN, RN · Feb 12, 2012

I'm amazed at the number of patients that expect us to find them rides. In fact, in my specialty (renal) we are required to assist patients in finding rides.
Next time I go to the dentist, I wonder if they can find me a ride...
...there must be a social program for that somewhere...

Well, where I live there is a social program run by the county. However, using this means they actually have to take an active role in their lives and fill out paper work (gasp!) to use the service. The paperwork just asks them basic demographic info. I had one pt say to me "I have to fill that out? Shouldn't you be doing this?" Umm, no. I didn't make you come in by ambulance for a toothache--you can fill the paperwork out.