50 Secrets Your Nurse Won’t Tell You

PERFECTLY STATED!

These are not “Dirty Little Secrets!” Instead, these are just common sense statements about everyday life in American medicine. …oh, I didn’t read anything on when asking the patient, (who has overdosed on their narcotics and benzo’s), if they smoke/drink/take any street drugs…that they inevitably remark, “Oh, no, I only take what’s prescribed by my doctor!” …of course they didn’t mention that they are NONCOMPLIANT with the Rx’s! When will patients have to be held accountable for their choices? We nurses run circles around patients like these to keep them alive, and with the red carpet too so administration gets all the government money they can from Medicare/Medicaid as long as our “patient satisfaction” scores are highest. There’s something wrong with this picture! We are not helping people by serving them in this way! It seems to me that it’s all about money and not about helping people at all. We as nurses are in fact, ENABLING bad behavior. (Something I detest!). Where’s the “tough love?”

My dad was apparently a very good patient when we was admitted to the hospital with a pulmonary embolism. On his last day, the nurse was fighting back tears. Now my dad understands why his friend thinks hospitals are horrible and they don’t want to treat you… because all his friend does is tell the nurses how to do their jobs, yell and scream at them. No wonder hes not getting the proper care. Thank you nurses and doctors for all that you do!

My dad was apparently a very good patient when we was admitted to the hospital with a pulmonary embolism. On his last day, the nurse was fighting back tears. Now my dad understands why his friend thinks hospitals are horrible and they don’t want to treat you… because all his friend does is tell the nurses how to do their jobs, yell and scream at them. No wonder hes not getting the proper care. Thank you nurses and doctors for all that you do!

My dad was apparently a very good patient when we was admitted to the hospital with a pulmonary embolism. On his last day, the nurse was fighting back tears. Now my dad understands why his friend thinks hospitals are horrible and they don’t want to treat you… because all his friend does is tell the nurses how to do their jobs, yell and scream at them. No wonder hes not getting the proper care. Thank you nurses and doctors for all that you do!

My dad was apparently a very good patient when we was admitted to the hospital with a pulmonary embolism. On his last day, the nurse was fighting back tears. Now my dad understands why his friend thinks hospitals are horrible and they don’t want to treat you… because all his friend does is tell the nurses how to do their jobs, yell and scream at them. No wonder hes not getting the proper care. Thank you nurses and doctors for all that you do!

My dad was apparently a very good patient when we was admitted to the hospital with a pulmonary embolism. On his last day, the nurse was fighting back tears. Now my dad understands why his friend thinks hospitals are horrible and they don’t want to treat you… because all his friend does is tell the nurses how to do their jobs, yell and scream at them. No wonder hes not getting the proper care. Thank you nurses and doctors for all that you do!

So true!  I am an MD.  If you want to get top quality care, be nice to all.  Demanding patients and fanilies, who think they know everything because they read it on the internet, and are pushy, who try to tell the nurses and doctors what to do actually get worse care.  Why?  We don’t want to walk in your hospital room and listen to your ranting or your hovering family’s ranting.  We are going to go in there as infrequently as we can, and spend as little time as possible because your attitude and demeanor is irritating and time consuming over things that are not important to reaching the final goal.  We actually DO know what we are doing, despite what the media tells you.

So true!  I am an MD.  If you want to get top quality care, be nice to all.  Demanding patients and fanilies, who think they know everything because they read it on the internet, and are pushy, who try to tell the nurses and doctors what to do actually get worse care.  Why?  We don’t want to walk in your hospital room and listen to your ranting or your hovering family’s ranting.  We are going to go in there as infrequently as we can, and spend as little time as possible because your attitude and demeanor is irritating and time consuming over things that are not important to reaching the final goal.  We actually DO know what we are doing, despite what the media tells you.

Well Jnt_cnwy, the “tough love” must get used up on the elderly like my mother who in Edison, N.J.  was nearly killed by nurses giving her broken tablets of Potassium Chloride while laying down, and then couldn’t understand why she repeatedly vomited up the food she had just pushed down. This was on the 2nd admission after she was sent home with a raging infection after having a hip replaced! She arrived in an ambulance and was then dumped in a wheelchair and left for HOURS. She finally wet herself and the male “nurse” annoyed at this roughly rolled her to remove the wet then tossed a sheet at me (I was wearing 2 wrist splints at the time) told me I was the “carer” and left me to try to make my sick and delirious mothers bed with her on it.
 Perhaps you should refrain from interfering in natural selection. But then, what would you have to whinge about?  If drugs were not illegal they would not be so exciting, and they are illegal thanks to bigotry, not a desire to keep people from self harm.

THIS IS GREAT. I hope my patients can read this.

I can not express how much I enjoyed this article.  These are ‘thoughts’ I have had for years when caring for ‘my patients’.  Most are common sense statements, but we hear them over and over again from all types of patients.  I feel you have made many great points about nursing care that if more patients took to heart, they would understand just a little bit more of what nurses actually do.  Thank you for gathering these ‘stories’ from other nurses.  I LOL through almost all of them.  I will share the articles with my ER department.  Thank you!!!   Julie Frossard RN, Anderson, Indiana

I have, as a labor coach, been told we could “get a second opition”. Thanks for that. I asked for a traslator and , since it was two in the morning, the baby was born with just me, a nurse, and a monetress, well before the on call could over medicate the mother in question. (She wanted to leave ‘on time’)  In addition I have seen an old and dying man left gasping without his pressured oxygen mask, because of a room change. A wet hen of a respetory therapist told me he had indended to do it after his dinner break. The desk nurse changed his plans pretty quick. Thanks for that. I have also heard the words, “Dr thats not your patient!!” yelled in ICU when  a Dr. went into the wrong room to take someone off life support. I am sure their family would thank you for that, if they knew.

Sorry that you had such a terrible experience!  Having been a nurse for over 20 years and still loving EVERY minute of it, I would say that you should have called the supervisor and perhaps the administrator “on call” if you were not satisfied with her care.Also, you should have clarified each person’s position- just because they are wearing scrubs doesn’t make them a physician or nurse.   There are a few who enter this arena with the idea of stardom and glamour, while the rest of us have chosen this profession as an act of Christian service/human service.  I transport critically ill patients to just the same facilities that you spent your time in and have seen the apathy, myself, however, in deference to your situation, I have made waves when I saw a patient treated badly, held the hand of the dying and comforted survivors in the tragic moments at the loss of life from a senseless act of violence.  Get educated and find out EXACTLY who was caring for your mother- learn their names, write them down, keep a journal of her days infirmed as well as each and every time you go to the doctor’s office with her. Perhaps you needed legal counsel! 

With regard to the articles mentioned, I could add a novel of ideas and anecdotes from my own experience.  These are true and fact…. DOCTORS DON’T SAVE YOUR LIVES- WE DO, THROUGH OUR ACTIONS, AND REACTIONS. 

The one and only time I have ever been hospitalized, was for 17 days following a near death work accident and almost total bleed out. I had three surgeries in the first week. I am a FIRM believer in making good friends with your nurses. They are the people who take care of you….doctors give orders…nurses heal. I was on an IV morphine pump and the nurses were kind enough to make sure to dose me while I was sleeping each night…so I would not wake up in any pain. Nurses are the salt of the earth. RESPECT them, and THANK them.

One more thought…I was laying there one night, and it was time to have my IV changed.  IV service showed up , and wanted to put the new IV into my very infected left arm…the one with four surgical wounds in it…. I hit the button for my nurse , she came in and chased the IV service person out. She then gently put in the new IV herself.  Once in awhile , I may bump into one of the nurses who cared and healed me while I am shopping. I always introduce myself , and thank them once again for the care and kindness they gave me.

I sadly saw nurses who offered very little compassion for my dying grandmother. They made us feel as though her life didn’t matter because she was old. They kept saying there was no reason for her to complain, she should be able to eat, she should be able to walk, that SHE was not making any effort. She was dead weeks later. The woman was DYING and all they did was tell her to stop complaining. I’m glad to know there are others who do truly care.

If your family member  is upset because you got your pm  medications a 20 minutes early, and they want them at an exact time…then that’s when I’ll give them, because your family member made an issue of it.   Otherwise, I have a 2-hour window in which to pass evening medications, and there are so many, that often I can’t give someone who really wants to get to sleep, their sleep medications, because the diabetics and heart patients come first.  ……Indiana

I had this exact situation with my grandmother. Also overheard them complaining about patients being lazy and rude. They’re not lazy, they’re in pain and they’re drying slowly, they need compassion and good care – they wouldn’t be rude if they got it!

Gotta disagree with you there, Doc.  Whereas I agree about demanding pts and family members being a pain in the you-know-what, we have to give credit to those who are trying to find out as much info about their own or their loved one’s illness to be sure they’re getting good care.  Though they may be getting erroneous information at times, good intentions are behind the action.  That callous attitude is precisely why you are a physician and why those of us who have chosen the nursing profession are proud to be where we’re at.  I’m not really sure where you’re coming from about having to avoid patient rooms, because during a 12-hour shift, I hardly ever see the doc in the room any longer then 3-5 minutes so unless the poop has hit the ceiling.

Unfortunately, you would have to drag me to a Doctor. I find that many are incompetent. Many are arrogant in their practice. Some are no better than drug pushers. So many people have died due to their pushing drugs with a license. They hardly ever cure any disease that is fatal, with the exception of by pass surgery. Almost any lay person could watch a heart by pass 5-7 times and perform it just as well. I speak of these things for I have much experience with these drug pushing, money worshiping, arrogant Doctors. My apologies to the few that are not as described.

Gotta agree with RNinMaine. I was admitted for ruptured membranes (maternity ward). Taking a sip lying down I sneezed – and out went my back (I had a history of slipped disks.) That was 1 pm. The nurses were nice, but no doctor came to see me all day.  The next morning at 4 am I went into labor.  I finally got an epidural at 9 am. (baby at 9:45) So, 19 hours in incredible pain, I couldn’t even turn my head, then when contractions began I just wanted to die it was so painful. Do so wish I had been more vocal. Being nice got me nowhere. (The nurses could only give Tylenol, which is insignificant with pain from sciatica.)

good to know

My husband was in the hospital for 5 days after a near fatal car accident. I stayed with him the whole time. Thankfully he walked away with only a scrape on the knee and pnemonia (after being unconcious underwater). He hates hospitals so after he ‘came to’ he was just ready to get home and was sometimes rude to the nurses. I did let him have it for that even while still being at the hospital. He didn’t see how much they put up with him (he had episodes of being combative while he was sedated) and how much care he got. Now there was a nurse here and there that either didn’t seem to know what they were doing or just took care of him when it seemed convenient to them. And yes I said it cause there was one nurse who thought she was little miss prissy. I wish I would have let her have it after she did nothing for him when I went home to bathe and get him some belongings. I told her on my way out I was running home for a while. 2 hours of her not once checking on him, emptying his urinal, getting him ice or water, or anything!
But on another note, I do want to say a big THANK YOU because it DOES NOT go unnoticed all the good you all do. Nurses do save lives and I am very, very thankful for you!
M.R. Shepard, Austin, Texas

I truly enjoyed those very accurate nursing hints.  We should put that in a manual and hand them out to patients upon admission along with the other facility literature.  Nurses, take it easy on Texas Doc.You know you are going to take care of all of your patients, but don’t tell me you won’t complete your tasks and exit the room as quickly as possible when dealing with patients who are “demanding” and “pushy”.  We’ve all met the type.  We care for them as best we can, but don’t say you haven’t had one get under your skin.  Also,nurses have more time to soften these attitudes and build trust than docs, who have any number of hospitals and nursing homes to hit before the day ends.  They don’t have an oncoming shift to take over.  Texas Doc has a point when he says “If you want top quality care, be nice to all.” 

My dad died at St. Francis Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Missouri on 2 October 2011.  He spent several days in the intensive care or critical care unit and the nursing staff there was OUTSTANDING.  They checked on him every few minutes and made sure he was as comfortable as he could be while dying of cancer that had spread from his lungs to his liver and ultimately to his heart.  His last few days were hard for us (my mom and me) but I really believe the nurses at St. Francis made all the difference in the world.  My mom and I knew he was dying and we had to make the hardest decision of our lives to place him on “Comfort Care”.  But during his last few hours on comfort care the nurses still checked on him every few minutes and were there instantly when we asked them for something.  I have more respect for nurses than any other person in any medical facility anywhere in the world.  They do the hardest job there is.
James StokesDover, TN.

#51: When we say “visiting hours are over!” we mean it!

I was placed in an “all nurse wing” of the hospital when I had hip replacement 8 years ago. RNs and LPNs, no aides, etc. What a difference! So professional, so competent and careful, and I overheard them whispering, proudly, “We have no infections…” It is true that we often think we are dealing with a nurse, but it is a minimally trained aide of some kind.

James, Im sorry you lost your Dad.  My sympathy to you and your Mom.

I agree with all but 2 or 3. And remember there are nurses that do treat you as a family member everytime they see you

#42 
I wish more people were realistic about the “end of life”. My oldest sister, age 90, said enough is enough and refused any more poking and prodding. My other sister age 84 has been lying in a nursing home for 2 years on a feeding tube and can’t talk, after a stroke. She is paralyzed on her right side and just lies there. When she was filling out her directive, I asked if she really wanted to
live in that condition and her reply was “Welllllll, if there’s a chance.” There is hall after hall and bed after bed of people just waiting for the same chance. (Or miracle) It just seems like “big business”
to me. She pays $7000 a month and $700 out of her pocket. She and one other person, in the whole facility,have Long Term Care so I guess taxpayers pay for the others. It seems the money could be better spent.

I’m so glad I happened on this article! I’ve wanted to vent for a long time!!

I have no responsibility for her decisions, her children do.

I used to be a nurses aide and let me be the first to say, they have one of the hardest jobs. You wouldn’t believe all the mistakes that they catch. And they have some of the most hands on care with the patients. It’s the aides that will see first that something is wrong. They may not be as fully trained as the licensed nurses, but some of them know just about as much. Ive seen several situations where if it wasn’t for the aide, a patient would have died.  

I am NOT in the medical field. I have always said that in the event of an accident I would rather have a nurse come along than a Dr. 

Most of the nurses I have had are uninformed, behave like juveniles, act and speak unprofessionally disrespectfully towards each other as well as patients.

Most of the nurses I have had are uninformed, behave like juveniles, act and speak unprofessionally disrespectfully towards each other as well as patients.

I just cringe when I see Nurses/aides with their pants dragging on the floor and filty. Carrying germs and more room to room. Dress codes should be in force.

I just cringe when I see Nurses/aides with their pants dragging on the floor and filty. Carrying germs and more room to room. Dress codes should be in force.

I have never been a nurse, I was one of the “Other” ones.  Worked feverishly in a Cath Lab and eventually in an E.P Lab.  I would work sometimes for 22 hours straight without a break for the bathroom or to eat (I’m a Diabetic).  I also, like some of my Patients, had bad knees that eventually required surgery.  Did these things ever matter to anyone?!  Nope.  What I’m getting at, is I still did the best work I knew how to do, I literally went 9 yards and then pulled 3 more.  I worked with Physicians that would “Swear” at anyone, for whatever, would lie, cheat and one even came in drunk. I still hold Nurses up, because they DO care, in most cases!  Are they PERFECT??  No, a human like me, working their butts off, with Physicians that could care less, unless it impacted their wallet.  This type of work, is truly for the young, it’s physically demanding and the stress is through the roof.  Last place I worked, they would tell me “Don’t make a mistake!”  As if I wanted to make a mistake?!

Yes, it is true, Nurses save others……they also think they are better than any other human, just like Physicians.  No matter I had done this work for 40 years!!  I was at one time, in the top 1% for my abilities and attention to detail, I know I was good.  Down time was when I finally got to go home and sleep!  It is one thing to spout “Good Intentions” or “What the work ethic SHOULD BE!” it is another to be humble and hard working.  I would have to guess the one thing that always got to me, others never cared what they said or did, they were this or that.  When are people going to understand, ALL OF US ARE JUST ORDINARY PEOPLE, JUST PLAIN OLD FOLK!!!  NO ONE is better…NO ONE is more worthy than another…regardless of the situation, Nurses, Doctors, or R.T III, C.V.A. II, E.P.T. III, did you see that??  It’s only important to me…no one else would know what these are or why.  In The Medical Field, there is always pain and suffering…it is never just the Patients…having said that, where is the Love….for all?!?!?!

As a nurse for 34 years (and still in love with the job), I have encouraged my friends and family to always be nice to the nurses. I remind them that nurses are the ones that choose the size of the catheters and needles!

Be sure to go to a different hospital next time! Attitudes on the units are a direct result of Administration. If there is a good administrative staff who truely care about their employees and empower them to be the professionals they are, you will see a distinct difference. I am lucky to be working at a Magnet facility and that really makes a difference. We are encouraged to participate in every aspect of the organization, including policies, quality issues and protocols. I don’t think I could ever work at a hospital that wasn’t Magnet

I am glad to see nurses speaking out. Oh the tales we all could tell. Doctors may call the shots, but it is the nurse telling him which one.

The first thing I learn while a patient in the hospital is: the nurses’ names. They are people who are caring for ME. Treat them as Very Important People (VIP) because they are. I have spent too much time in hospitals due to a myriad of serious medical issues. It is amazing how their faces light up when you call them by name even if you haven’t seen them for a few days.

The first thing I learn while a patient in the hospital is: the nurses’ names. They are people who are caring for ME. Treat them as Very Important People (VIP) because they are. I have spent too much time in hospitals due to a myriad of serious medical issues. It is amazing how their faces light up when you call them by name even if you haven’t seen them for a few days.

Nurses, like teachers and other service providers, are under-appreciated and taken for granted. My experiences have always been positive. The nurses attending my father while he was dying were genuinely concerned for his and the family’s welfare and made his passing tolerable, especially for my mother. When I was hospitalized for a heart condition the nurses were especially helpful in calming my anxieties about the procedures I was to undergo. I can never say enough about the intensive care nurses who helped my wife through her recovery after a severe car accident and all those who supported us through her convalescence. Nurses are truly deserving of the accolade, angels of mercy.

I am a nurse practitioner and I love my job! I treat all with respect and dignity even if they don’t treat me the same way. It is an oath I took and will stand by. I became a nurse practitioner to make a difference in the lives of children. Sometimes we forget that we don’t see people at their best, rather at their worst and we need to be understanding and kind!

In the past 13 months I have been hospitalized 3 times for peritoneal cancer and a hole in my stomach resulting in an abdominal infection. I was a patient at Fairview Hospital and the Cleveland Clinic(24 days at 1 visit) and I had THE BEST NURSES EVER! I was out of my mind with pain and babbled about the wildest things and still had excellent care. These hardworking people deserve more thank you’s than they get, I’m just sorry I couldn’t fill out more star cards for everyone who cared for me. The lab people were great and I only met 1 person who didn’t seem to care about her job. I always HIGHLY RECOMMEND The Moll Center for cancer care,The nurses in chemotherapy were so wonderful, and I miss seeing them. I’ve learned that if you are polite and mannerly you receive excellent care. Thank you so much to all of my caregivers!!!

Very well stated!! a nurse in Pgh

Well why don’t we just fire all the doctors and let the nurses take care of everybody, and deal with all the insurance and lawyers and hospital CEOs and family members–since you are the ones saving all the lives anyway?????

Well why don’t we just fire all the doctors and let the nurses take care of everybody, and deal with all the insurance and lawyers and hospital CEOs and family members–since you are the ones saving all the lives anyway?????

Well when all the doctors get run out of business by the government and they lawyers, then the insurance companies and the nurses can treat all the patients. Since “you’re the ones saving the patients’ lives anyway.” Good luck with that!! Because you also will be dealing with the government, the lawyers, the insurance companies, the family members and the techs from all the ancillary departments who also know everything about how to care for the patients!!!! Have fun!!!!!

Yeah, doctors don’t know anything. We should just fire all the doctors and let the nurses and the insurance companies treat all the patients.

An addition to this list would be if your nurse is being rude to you that you can ask for a different one .I didn’t know that when I went in to have my first child (something not discussed at the prenatal classes)I was having contractions at 3 minutes apart and my nurse told me to go home (I lived 45minutes away) because I wasn’t dilated to a 4 or 5 yet even though I wasn’t dilated to a 1 the day before I wasn’t given the option to stay I went to my aunt’s house and was back at the hospital 90 minutes later dilated to a 7 (too late to ask for an epidural-or so I was told)She then did not call my doctor to come in until 3 hours later & when my doctor got there she didn’t even have time to change into scrubs she had to put them on over the top cuz I was ready to push I had my baby less than 15 minutes after the doctor got there – I know this was all because of the nurse because when I had my second child the nurses told me that the other nurse should have never told me to go home should have only been an option if I wanted to & my doctor was at the hospital(same doctor as with first)shortly after I got there and stayed the whole time

If I may interject, I want all the nurses here to know, that I would prefer to tell you what is wrong, and ask you the questions.  IMO you know as much, if not more than doctors, and usually have better people skills to get to the root of my issue.

Your obviously from the old school. Maybe you should go and review the Evidenced Based Nursing info regarding family members visiting. Many times the patient reports feeling more at ease knowing family is watching over them. Same goes for the ER according to EBN it is also acceptable to have family present during critical situations in the ER (i.e, Resucitation), there is less chance of family wanting to sue and family is more at ease feeling and knowing that everything possible was done to save their loved ones.

Your obviously from the old school. Maybe you should go and review the Evidenced Based Nursing info regarding family members visiting. Many times the patient reports feeling more at ease knowing family is watching over them. Same goes for the ER according to EBN it is also acceptable to have family present during critical situations in the ER (i.e, Resucitation), there is less chance of family wanting to sue and family is more at ease feeling and knowing that everything possible was done to save their loved ones.

RNinMaine you sound a little jaded. Do not forget that medicine and nursing are different, and while you have your full workload at 4 or 6 on your shift- please remember that those are your only patients and those docs sometimes have lists of 50+. Put yourself in their shoes and do the math. The nurse is supposed to be in and out of the room, keeping an eye on things. The nurse is supposed to advocate for the patient and communicate professionally with the docs. Texasdoc was supporting all the things that were posted about how great nurses are and you reply saying “that callous attitude is precisely why you are a physician and who those of us who have chosen the nursing profession are proud to be where were at”. Who’s callous now? Do you not think MDs are proud to be where they’re at as well? Keep in mind these are two very different professions that need to work together… not a competition for being the patients “favourite”

I think it is funny how aides, nurses and doctors all think they are the ones catching the mistakes and blaming others for not knowing. Did we all forget that we are all human? 

I actually did not enjoy reading this article. Like you, I am very frustrated at the way some of the nurses (and patients replying) trash talk doctors and think nurses can save the world. I am a nurse- and proud of it. But lets be real. I know what I don’t know. I recently went back to school (PHCNP) and am shocked at the amount of stuff I am learning. Makes me feel that all my years as an RN were scarily uninformed. Hats off to the docs…. especially in hospitals. Its a physically demaning job (running all over; rediculously long hours) and mentally exhausting. Everyone seems happy to criticize… but who’s the one figuring out the puzzle and diagnosing? Yes, nurses drive the car, but who is giving you the direction? 
Bottom line: we all need to work together in order to work at all. 

I agree with the Doc.  I avoid the rooms with demanding, unfriendly and rude patients and visitors for as long as I can and I get out as fast as I can.  Could I miss something-you bet, but nobody should ever be abused, be it verbal, emotional or physical.

I do know that medicine and nursing are different.  I have worked in both the hospital and doctor’s office.  I don’t think my comment had anything to do with keeping tabs on who was in the room more, but was more about thinking it was funny a doctor was complaining about having to go into a room with ‘ranting, hovering, and complaining patients and family’ when they only spend a total of a few minutes with them.  And the majority of patients are not like that.  His attitude was callous in that he had no sympathy for the fear and unknown that was putting these patients and families into the state they are in.  I never said MDs weren’t proud of their profession.  But they are more medically drivin to fix the problem, whereas nurses treat the patient as a whole.  You should know that.  Are you saying that docs are exempt from compassion and understanding simply because they practice ‘medicine’?

How did we go from demanding, irritating patients to those who abuse?  My whole comment was based on the fact that yes, those patients/family who think they know everything or demand certain things be done, are a pain and difficult to deal with.  My point was that a lot of the time these people are just scared and feeling loss of control.  There are always the abusive patients, yes, but I don’t think that’s what this comment started about.  I was just saying we need to sometimes have a little understanding, cut these folks some slack and try to put ourselves in their position.  So what if they look stuff up on the internet?  They’re trying to make sure they understand their condition and want to make sure they’re having all the right things done.  The media scares people with reports of medication errors, wrong site surgeries, and missed diagnoses.  Then you get medical staff that blow in and out because they’re too irritated with your questions and requests.  Doesn’t instill much confidence, does it? 

 Agreed, I’m a big believer in 24hr visiting, as it the hospital I work at. Patient centered care! my dad was in hospital for a month with a stroke and we were there first thing in the morning and last thing at night providing him with most of his care, which the nurses were thankful of. Of course ppl need to use common sense and be respectful of other pts…and not crawl into bed with the pt!

As a patient, I’ll add that one thing a nurse can do to make a big difference is just hold a patient’s hand for a few moments.  I was rear-ended when my husband was out of town– not seriously injured but banged up and in pain and upset– and someone, maybe an aide or volunteer rather than a nurse, held my hand for a minute, and it calmed me down and made me feel so much better.

As a patient, I’ll add that one thing a nurse can do to make a big difference is just hold a patient’s hand for a few moments.  I was rear-ended when my husband was out of town– not seriously injured but banged up and in pain and upset– and someone, maybe an aide or volunteer rather than a nurse, held my hand for a minute, and it calmed me down and made me feel so much better.

I just read this entire article for the first time and I have three observations: First, I agree with the need to communicate politely with your nursing staff for the best results. Second, sometimes nurses forget that while they have several patients, that lady in room 7 is one person’s mom who is medically inarticulate and afraid. That will make a person curt irritable and uncomfortable to deal with. Third, doctors bear an enormous legal burden for each patient they treat. It would be lovely if patient care was all that mattered, but with our litigious culture, and insurance executives deciding what treatment is worth and what will be covered, it is understandable that some physicians are less than overtly compassionate. I have been fortunate, my personal physician will spend as much time as I need answering questions I have. Last office visit to discuss lab results was over 30 minutes. As a result, I am more confident in managing my own health, because I have more information. 

i be enlightened. seriously, sometimes we know not what we do not know till the curtain is pulled back.

I agree Evidence Based Practice shows that family is critical to good patient outcomes. I know having family underfoot can be frustrating but we’re not the ones that are ill! There is nothing wrong with asking family to leave the room for a brief time during treatments and/or ;assessments. If the patient is not getting enough rest, talk it over with them and come up with a plan. ‘Nobody’ needs to brush up on their nursing skills.

I agree Evidence Based Practice shows that family is critical to good patient outcomes. I know having family underfoot can be frustrating but we’re not the ones that are ill! There is nothing wrong with asking family to leave the room for a brief time during treatments and/or ;assessments. If the patient is not getting enough rest, talk it over with them and come up with a plan. ‘Nobody’ needs to brush up on their nursing skills.

What ever happened to “Health Care TEAM?” We are the ones supposed to be professionals. Yeah, there are always the few that everyone could do without, but we all work together for the good of the patient!

What ever happened to “Health Care TEAM?” We are the ones supposed to be professionals. Yeah, there are always the few that everyone could do without, but we all work together for the good of the patient!

Called a nursing dose :)