Why why why don't people understand...

carachel2 · Nov 15, 2009

A lot of it depends on how the message "you aren't getting antibiotics today" is delivered. I've been with providers who just flat out say it like I wrote it and they don't take the time to present this properly. I've also been with providers (I'm an NP student) who sincerely and genuinely take an extra 5 minutes to explain to the child and the parent WHY and the response is overwhelmingly positive. When people learn about the real risk of antibiotic use from a provider who genuinely cares and reflects that in a patient-centered discussion, the patient response is usually MUCH more positive.

kaiasunshine · Nov 15, 2009

I really, really, really wish that I could, just for 5 minutes, send these people to a hospital in the Congo or Sierra Leone...

RhiaRN75, RN · Nov 15, 2009

Some people don't want to understand. To understand will require some responsibility on their part, and people don't want it. That's what they 'pay' us for!! They want the McDonald's version of healthcare.

Until people learn some basic self care and take a little bit of reponsibility for themselves... healthcare is doomed. When the 'big one' hits, a pandemic that's truly killing many of the people who are infected, we'll be in anarchy. I see people everyday who won't take the responsibility and initiative to try tylenol/motrin for the > 24 hours fever. What will they do when chaos ensues? I see people who have no clue what medications they take- can't we just call the office? Not at 0200- common sense should let someone know that's not possible.

It's just an overwhelming sense of entitlement. The media can cover the H1N1, heathcare issues, reform, and the like ad nausea- it does no good. People then feel that since everyone is aware of the issues, we should have it fixed and be able to accomodate them. The ER is busy? Why can't you just call in another doctor? More nurses, more lab, more radiology- after all, we knew it was coming! We have no excuse to not be prepared. I've heard 'this ER needs to be bigger.' Yeah, it does- let's start building a new one tomorrow. Maybe WalMart has a rollback on an 'instant ER' kit this week. It should be close to the 'build a heathcare worker' workshop, and around the corner from the magic wand dealer.

My saving grace is that when I feel I just can't take it anymore- someone comes in and we save their life. Someone comes in 'ER sick', and we start them on the road to recovery. It's better then prozac!

meadow85 · Nov 15, 2009

People are often uneducated and that's when patient & family teaching comes into play. I was watching Dr. Oz the other day and was surprised by the simplest questions audience members were asking. Then I realized they have no medical background so everything is strange & foreign to them.

MissBrahmsRN · Nov 15, 2009

i was in the ER one day in the clinic area. height of the H1N1 panic so all of us were masked, pts all masked, etc. one patient came in with flu symptoms, tested positive for seasonal flu (not H1N1) we are waiting for a quick lab to come back before we discharge her, her mom's on the phone and VERY angry. Turns out mom's a RN at another hospital in town & is demanding a MRI RIGHT NOW. MD & rest of us are like, what?? A MRI for flu?? seriously? MD says flat out: no. Mrs Mom RN says, "well, fine i am going to leave work right now and come down there and i will get what i want, i'm a nurse!!" MD on duty is a nice girl, but if you push her she will let you have it...sadly my clinical was done before crazy Mom RN came in to yell at MD...that might have been entertaining!!

i reread the influenza section in my text, still can't figure out why a MRI for uncomplicated flu... :rolleyes:

rnto? · Nov 15, 2009

Yah, it's crazy when nurses are the ones with outrageous demands. It's like, what are you talking about? When my husband had surgery I couldn't look objectively at the situation, so I didn't try to demand things of the staff. I was out of my element (i'm not an OR/SDS nurse) so I let them do thier own thing. I asked questions and educated myself.