5 worse things a patient can do ...

[Witheney]

what would you say are the 5 worse things a patient can do while admitted in a hospital? 5 bad things that would make his/her stay worse than it needs to be and makes more work for the staff or makes things more difficult than they need to be?

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

Pet peeve of mine, too.

I was sitting engrossed in a chart late one night when this woman came up behind me and screamed, "WHERE'S MY MOTHER?!?"

Scared the crap outta me and my immediate thought was that a patient had wandered off. Turns out that this person was the daughter of a visitor--- who wasn't even a family member of the patient.

I hate people.

Laughing myself silly!

[talaxandra]

I don't know if you've ever had surgery but, even if it's not been done under general anesthesia, one usually feels weak and woozy post-op. Also, fear plays a big part in the life of a post-op patient. And don't forget pain.

I'm kind of stunned by the lack of compassion and understanding of human nature and of the hospitalized patient's experience I'm reading in so many of these posts. I think we need to try to put ourselves in the patient's place so we understand how hard it is being a patient. Yes, some people are totally gross or rude or stupid. But many are also just scared and uninformed. We are there to take care of them and teach them, not get angry at their ignorance or crudity. Yes, I'm human and do sometimes feel annoyed or disgusted by some of the things I hear or see at work but I also try to remember that I am the nurse, they are the patients, I'm there for them, not vice versa. WWJD?

I think the point is that not all patients are actively unpleasant, wilfully combative, deliberately thoughtless, unfoundedly entitled, malevolently crude, or just plain vile. We've all looked after desperately ill patients who have all the grounds in the world to complain but are appreciative and pleasant, and patients who are throughly disagreeable for the joy of it.

I don't think anyone here is saying that this is the case with all their patients, and I'm sure that the vast majority of us take patient pain and suffering into account. And I think that, although we may bemoan the demented fecal artist, we all see the difference between that and someone who's fully capable of appropriate excretion but choses to urinate on the floor but can't be bothered.

I think it's lovely that you're always able to put the needs of your patients first. I'm there not just for today's patient but those in the coming weeks and years - and if I'm to stay in nursing and defer burnout, I'll insist on appropriate language and behaviour from those capable of it - be they patients, relatives or fellow health workers.

[chris_at_lucas_RN, RN]

I guess I was reading this as, what are the five worst things that a patient can do as an inpatient in terms of his progress or comfort....

I'd say #1 would have to be to tolerate pain or other symptom without telling anyone. Increased stress slows recovery and makes for some pretty crappy quality of life.

I'll have to think about the other four.

[ERRNTraveler, RN]

The 5 worst things a pt. can say/do in the ER (in no particular order)

1. Piss, poo, vomit, or spit on staff

2. Tell the nurse "I'm having a seizure"- um... if you can tell me that, then you are not having a seizure...

3. Complain about the wait when you are there for a sore throat or other minor problem that you've had for 2 months.....

4. Complain to the front desk clerk or triage nurse when someone who is sicker than you or who is actively trying to die is brought back first.

5. Complaining about how much it hurts to have an IV put in when you're complaining of pain that's a "10". If the IV hurts more than your HA, abd pain, chest pain, etc, then your pain isn't a "10".

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

i don't know if you've ever had surgery but, even if it's not been done under general anesthesia, one usually feels weak and woozy post-op. also, fear plays a big part in the life of a post-op patient. and don't forget pain.

i'm kind of stunned by the lack of compassion and understanding of human nature and of the hospitalized patient's experience i'm reading in so many of these posts. i think we need to try to put ourselves in the patient's place so we understand how hard it is being a patient. yes, some people are totally gross or rude or stupid. but many are also just scared and uninformed. we are there to take care of them and teach them, not get angry at their ignorance or crudity. yes, i'm human and do sometimes feel annoyed or disgusted by some of the things i hear or see at work but i also try to remember that i am the nurse, they are the patients, i'm there for them, not vice versa. wwjd?

i must admit to being a bit stunned by the lack of understanding and compassion for our peers exhibited by some members of this board. this is a vent thread. if you don't want to participate because you find it ignorant and crude, annoying or disgusting please feel free not to participate. but please remember that venting helps keep us sane. this is not a teaching thread!

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

I agree Ruby Vee, I don't think this thread is to be taken too overly seriously where the posters are to be considered lacking in compassion.

[nfahren05]

I don't know if you've ever had surgery but, even if it's not been done under general anesthesia, one usually feels weak and woozy post-op. Also, fear plays a big part in the life of a post-op patient. And don't forget pain.

I'm kind of stunned by the lack of compassion and understanding of human nature and of the hospitalized patient's experience I'm reading in so many of these posts. I think we need to try to put ourselves in the patient's place so we understand how hard it is being a patient. Yes, some people are totally gross or rude or stupid. But many are also just scared and uninformed. We are there to take care of them and teach them, not get angry at their ignorance or crudity. Yes, I'm human and do sometimes feel annoyed or disgusted by some of the things I hear or see at work but I also try to remember that I am the nurse, they are the patients, I'm there for them, not vice versa. WWJD?

Most of us put ourselves in the patient's place each and every day in the clinical setting, but part of what allows us to continue to do that day after day, year after year is having our own setting: somewhere that we can vent. Few of us have not been patients at one time or another; we understand the frustrations that our patients experience when they are sick and scared, but it's okay for us to feel frustrated ourselves when some of them abuse the "sick role" to get others to do things to an unreasonable degree (or, worse yet, verbally or physically abuse the nurse.) Having this forum to express that frustration is important, and does not mean that a nurse or CNA is uncaring.