r/nursing • u/NursingManChristDude BSN, RN, FoC, CRRN, CBIS, PCCN • Sep 16 '24

Nursing Hacks Just....walk out of the room

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".

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u/Specialist-Most-7152 Sep 16 '24

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.

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u/iopele LPN 🍕 Sep 16 '24

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.