Just....walk out of the room

[u/NursingManChristDude]

Here's a PSA for my fellow nurses, in case anyone hasn't realized they can do this:

If a patient is being rude to you, just walk out of the room. If necessary, don't even say anything beforehand. When you return, at the time of your choosing, simply ask them "Are you ready to be more respectful?"

I haven't had to do this often, because I am aware of he misogynistic attitude patients have in treating me, a male, with more respect than my fellow female employees.

But, it's like having a secret weapon in your back pocket at all times, and you should never feel disrespected/mistreated/abused by your patients. They need you, not the other way around. This certainly falls under the category of "nursing hack".

[u/Specialist-Most-7152]

I'd done it. It can go both ways. Either they respect you more and are pretty nice after (rare) or they complain to their family or patient relations and you get pulled into the office asking what you could had done differently. Honestly there is no winning that situation.

[u/Jerking_From_Home → u/Specialist-Most-7152]

That’s why right after you leave the room you put a note in their chart and let your charge or manager know.

It’s not about who’s right, but who complains first. The first person to say something puts the other person on automatic defense in the eyes of the unit manager/patient relations. Let someone know there’s a problem before they complain.

[u/TurtedHen → u/Jerking_From_Home]

If there’s even a hint of an escalation of behavior, my Charge RN is the first to know. I do not have time for these people’s mess, lol!

[u/Kbear200219 → u/TurtedHen]

Make sure you all document their behavior and inform the provider via chat! If their medications or treatments are late because of this behavior it could raise concern.

[u/Economy_Confusion221 → u/Jerking_From_Home]

This. Newer manager here, you Have no idea how difficult it is to keep a pulse on what’s going on the floor. We have a huge sign on our fooor saying this is our workplace and disrespect to staff will not be tolerated. Tell me right away and I’ll have you 10000%. It’s hard to handle from my side when I hear about it from patient relations first, a couple weeks after it happened. You did good!

[u/outofrange19 → u/Economy_Confusion221]

I did charge in a trauma center ED for a year (technically I probably will do it again but I am taking a step back in a chiller role for a while) and I had to tell staff this constantly. I cannot reasonably know everything happening with 40-100 patients and (if I'm very lucky) a dozen staff members unless I am informed. If it's something really egregious, write an email. Immediately. Or if you don't have the time to sit and type it... use your words and tell me so I can fix it.

[u/Medicp3009 → u/Jerking_From_Home]

The titles have me 💀 bro.

[u/Jerking_From_Home → u/Medicp3009]

You can put the medic through nursing school, but you can’t stop him from getting in trouble at the hospital bc turning off the medic personality is impossible.

[u/Medicp3009 → u/Jerking_From_Home]

Facts. We are cut from the same cloth. Medic to sicu RN.

[u/Jerking_From_Home → u/Medicp3009]

It’s all fun and games until someone complains.

[u/gasparsgirl1017 → u/Medicp3009]

Me: all 125lbs of me sitting on a PCP patient in the ED while PD, security, the EMS crew that brought him in and Fire that followed them are also trying to also restrain him while my coworkers are trying to figure out what to do. "Hey, we don't act like that here! Knock it off!"

Older and seasoned PD to me: "So... you used to be on the street, huh? Medic?"

Me: "Used to? Still do. For fun. I SAID KNOCK IT OFF. Jesus, I hate waiting for orders, can we take him back in the truck and do something then start over?"

Everyone but my coworkers, none of whom were first responders: "Hahahahahaha! No."

Me: "Fair. This is payback for waiting to push the rest of the narcan until I rolled into the ambulance bay."

Fire and EMS: "Hahahahahahahaha, yeah."

Coworkers still standing back waiting for orders: "That's not funny."

Me: "Well it isn't NOW, it is when I'm not in scrubs."

We are just feral and when you put EMS in a hospital setting, it's just a trap and release program. A very expensive trap and release program.

[u/NursingManChristDude → u/Jerking_From_Home]

So true! It's crucial to be the first one to say something. Otherwise it's like fighting an uphill battle 🙄

[u/KaterinaPendejo → u/[deleted]]

100% this. I can find another job. They can't find another me. And I'm a damn good nurse.

[u/Specialist-Most-7152 → u/[deleted]]

"Would that fly at a grocery store? Any other possible workplace? No."

🤣🤣😂

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Yeah!  They CAN get fucked for all I care too!  😂

[u/pnutbutterjellyfine → u/Specialist-Most-7152]

When I was younger and learned this it was 50/50 but now that I’m a little older the patients and management resist much less. A lot of this is society’s disposition to disrespect and disregard young adult women, mark my words. Despite your education or training, you are expected to absorb hate. Nurses, residents, it’s still a part of healthcare that is completely ignored. By the time you get respect, it’s hardening. At almost 40, I would not dare be asked what I could have done better in a situation I got hurt, bet.

Do not let anyone disrespect you. I spent so many years absorbing so much thinking it was part of the job. No. No no no. It’s not.

[u/iopele → u/Specialist-Most-7152]

Notify your charge or house sup right away and document everything with quotes. Put the problem patient on the buddy system--no one goes in alone, so you have a corroboraing witness to their behavior and it's not he said/she said. Not saying you won't ever get called in to discuss the situation, but doing that covers your ass.

[u/murse_joe → u/Specialist-Most-7152]

I think winning is providing the better care when everybody isn’t all angry and crazy. Cooler heads can prevail and everybody can write whatever reports they want later.