Reply #19: Stand Back....Another Nursing Rant..... [View All]

[AnneD]

I hope some other Nurses weigh in on this....

But this is more of the same pure unadulterated C.R.A.P. that Nurses have to endure. The hospital administrator go to some cheesy all expense paid in service(which your raise paid for...do you think they billed your 2% raise to the insurance company? They charged 12%, gave you 2 and pocketed the rest). The military is a bit different but I am sure some military contractor sold brass this as a cheap easy solution-instead of getting to the source of the problems.

At this in service in Orlando, your CEOs were told that people are bitching because of poor customer service. You should be more like Disneyland or the Hilton. They then try to superimpose the Hilton model on the hospital model. They are chiral patterns and can never be superimposed on each other.

Your numb nut bosses then come back and brow beat you with customer service. You're not a good Nurse because you treat your patients as patients and not customers. Sometime they literally give you a stupid ass script to regurgitate-'would you like some fries with that enema?' :eyes:. I didn't get a degree and maintain a license just so I can read your cheesy script to a captive audience every morning.

I don't know about the rest of you Nurses but I don't treat customers, I take care of someone more inmportant.....A PATIENT. It is a sacred trust and duty and I am duty bound to do what I can to speed your recovery. I am sorry you are in for that triple bypass, and you can write me up, but I will not be getting you a cheese and cracker snack you asked for. And you with the liver transplant-no seafood from your family. We have finally got your blood sugar straightened out, your family cannot bring in several Krispy Kreme Donuts.

I am not here to kiss a patient's ass-I'm here to save it-and these days-it's more crucial than ever that I keep my eye on the ball. That means I need to be watching everyones lab work so I can call the Doc if they are heading south-not delivering food trays for the kitchen. I need to be giving medicines on time and giving pain medications in a timely manner-not getting coffee and snacks for your entire family when they drop in. If you want your pillow fluffed and a mint on it at night....go to the Hilton-not the hospital.

Now does this mean I never do these thing-of course not...when I have time. But Numb nuts manager cuts all the hospital support staff to increase his profits. For example-they cut back on the cleaning staff. Who is suppose to pick up the slack and clean the patients room...the Nurse. Respiratory decides not to have a tech at night-who does the treatments-the Nurse (even though respiratory bills and gets the money). Lab decides they can cut their staff so who draws the patient labs but never gets the money from the lab billing....all together now...THE NURSE.

If they really want to improve the 'customer service' they would adequately staff. If I could give patient care the way I wanted, I would have time to truly asses each patient at the start of the day. I would have time to help them take their meds-not just fling pills at them. I would have more time to teach them and their family how to care for them. And more importantly, I would have time to listen to their concerns and fears.

If they really wanted to improve customer service-they would come up the first time when I tell them the AC is out to fix it and not give me a fan for the room of the patient that finally complained (forget that I have to work like a dog in that heat). If they really cared about customer service....they'd not make me beg for the most basic of supplies. A slide show about Mickey doesn't cut it.

From my understanding Walter Reed Hospital was doing well-it was the quarters they had these guys staying that was the pits. And that is something beyond the power of the medical folks. It sounds like a contracting and maintenence issue. Perhaps some competitive bids for a change??????