I was at the hospital yesterday and my husband, my mother-in-law and I were sitting on the observation ward chatting and having a giggle about something, then this young nurse comes storming over and says "confused old ladies a novelty in your area are they? Yeah, must be!" Then storms out! We were like huh? And I was so incensed that I marched out after her and had a go at her. So she stormed off again and I come back and it turns out there's a senile old lady shouting strange stuff but we weren't even paying any attention to her! So I ask the doctor if I can make a complaint and she went and fetched the ward manager, who said I was right to get angry and she'd have a word with her and although she hoped it wouldn't come to it, I could make an official complaint in writing. I told her it may have been out of character so I didn't but now I'm not so sure. My husband thinks I shouldn't have complained at all... I'm wondering if I did the right thing?
2007-08-07 03:05:20 · 33 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
Well I have nothing but respect for nurses usually, strangely enough I have three friends and my own mum who are nurses! I know the strain they're under... by the way I was a patient as well and it was nice to have a lugh on the ward, we were chatting cheerily with the fella in the bed opposite as well. I'd hate to never laugh in a hospital how oppressive! Anyway it seems like I did the right thing nither too mean nor too doormat so that's good. I do over-analyse sometimes!
2007-08-07 03:19:47 · update #1
You probably did. I can udnerstand the nurse's perspective, I'm sure its an incredibly sterssful job and sensitivies will probably lead to tempers being tested. She probably assumed, under the stress of the job, that you were laughing at a senile patient (which, let's be honest, there will be 100 people who would laugh for every 1 who doesn't), the nurse's defensive mode probably kicked in. She felt it was her duty to defend the ill and weak, which is what a nurse ought to be doing anyway.
However, she wasnt right to assume this and make such a snide comment, so you were right to complain to the management of the hospital, but also right not to make it an official complaint.
Nurses have a tough job but need to be able to desensitize themselves from getting emotinoally involved.
2007-08-07 03:11:16 · answer #1 · answered by Sanchez 2 · 4⤊ 3⤋
I think you were completly right to complain. How dare someone try and make you feel so bad and make such an assumption that you'd be laughing at a poor old lady, for having a joke in a hospital. I think the nurse was very rude, and i would have done the exact same thing. I have the utmost respect for nurses and my mother is a nurse as are some of my friends so in no way am i saying anything bad about nurses or the job and i understand very well how demanding the job is and i know everyone has bad days but i think that was unacceptable behaviour for the nurse.
2007-08-07 03:19:03 · answer #2 · answered by mags_dbee 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Not having been there, it sounds as though the nurse was actually sticking up for the old lady. She might have made the assumption that you were laughing AT the old lady, and that is why she made the comment she did. I'm not sure why she would have got that idea, but maybe something happened earlier in the day to upset her ... in a hospital it could be anything, sadly.
While she probably shouldn't have said anything, I'm sure she hears a lot of nasty comments about her patients from some of the cretins and heartless characters in the world, so at least she was trying to do the right thing.
It's a shame she did it to YOU, however, who was really just an innocent bystander.
I'd be inclined to let it go ... You have had your say and advised her supervisor, which should set off alarm bells if she makes a habit of abusing people, or maybe needs some stress leave.
Anything more you did would not only result in a load of paperwork for you but could lead to a quite out of proportion result.
Cheers :-)
2007-08-07 03:36:03 · answer #3 · answered by thing55000 6 · 2⤊ 3⤋
the nurse should know better,that is shocking !your husband is wrong you have every right to have done what you did the lead nurse should reprimand her,although she is trained to work under stress if it was an off day She should have apologised to you both,if it ever happens again and I hope not just say what is your name so as I know who I am reporting also I will sue you for defamation of character?its a terrible world we live in and people like that only bring others down you always get the bad penny you take care and hope your mother in laws OK too?the nurse must be paranoid and think you were laughing at her but no ex use she will get her upincumance?
2007-08-07 08:03:13 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
I think it was fine that you complained. If the nurse had not stormed off in the first place, it would have all been straightened out immediately. She could have said not to laugh at the senile lady and you could have explained that you were not. She was wrong in storming off like that.
I think you made the right decision to complain and the right decision not to take it further by putting it in writing.
I know nurses have hard jobs but it is not her job to reprimand other people. She should already have enough to do.
2007-08-07 03:15:28 · answer #5 · answered by Patti C 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
The nurse was out of line to be rude in a professional setting. She could have addressed the situation in a far better manner if she thought you were making fun of a patient. It is important for these behaviors to be corrected, especially for a nurse. I'm glad you told her supervisor, but didn't make it a big deal by filing a formal complaint. It was just a lapse in judgment from which this nurse can now learn better professional behavior.
2007-08-07 03:11:41 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
Yes you were absolutely right to complain. The nurse was completely unprofressional and abusive towards you. She had absolutely no right to abuse you like that, who did she think she was? I definately would have complained.
The person who suggested sending a sorry card is utterly rediculous! The nurse should say sorry.
Don't listen to your husband, what is his problem? (men always get it wrong).
You did right. If it made you angry enough, make a formal complaint. I would if I was abused like that. She's in the wrong job.
2007-08-07 12:06:47 · answer #7 · answered by Acai 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yea you doing right thing... complain just to the ward manager is enough i think. Then leave it at that. The nurse should not have assumed you were some how taking the piss or whatever...? just because you were having a giggle about an unrelated subject...
2007-08-07 03:10:55 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
You did the right thing as far as alerting her supervisor, on the chance that it was she who was nuts, lol. And once you found out it was just a misunderstanding, it was also the right thing not to file a formal complaint. It's clear the nurse was attempting to protect the senile old lady, she just overreacted - and probably because she's seen people making fun of people like that WAY too may times. It was a misunderstanding, just let it go.
2007-08-07 03:20:27 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 2⤋
The nurse certainly didn't handle that well. She could have simply asked if you were laughing at a patient and asked you not to laugh. If she did that, she could have found out you weren't laughing at the patient. You can also file a complaint with the nurse manager (the "head nurse"). But that may be pushing it just a bit. You may have just caught her at an "off moment." Sorry you had such a bad experience =(
2007-08-07 03:10:03 · answer #10 · answered by ♥ JustAChick ♥ 6 · 7⤊ 2⤋