By the way... this was literally based on a real patient that I had last night who called me 5 times in a span of a minute to get me to pick up her glasses for her off the bedside table. Oh, and did I mention she could turn herself and reach them? Because she could. It was bad enough that the young man across the hall from her, who had been in the room half an hour, had already caught on. When I went into the room to start his IV, he said, "Oh, you're gonna start an IV? You better hurry up before room 6 calls you again! That lady's got you runnin!" Wow.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
The prepaid plan.
Really, really. I think we need to start allocating call light calls like cellphone minute plans. You get a very large and reasonable amount for free, and after that we start to charge you an additional fee. That way you use it responsibly. And you don't call me on the call light after I was in the room literally 3 minutes ago because you refuse to take your shoes off in the bed and your sandal fell off your foot and you want me to put it back on your foot. No ma'am. That'll be 10 cents a call for that. It'll be a dollar a call if you specifically request a nurse to find you a kleenex, even though the secretary just asked you if there was something she could bring you. REALLY?
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I think I had that same patient of yours over and over.....I think she goes from hospital to hospital, country to country just trying to annoy the heck out of us. ;)
ReplyDeleteGood idea about the "prepaid plan" for call bells. I wonder if that idea would fly with management..... :) you know, as a cost-saving thing.............
Sometimes I wish I could break the call lights. I have an exceptionally crazy patient (with an exponentially crazier daughter) right now. Last night the CNA comes to me to tell me she "wants to talk to you about her medications". At that very moment the pharmacy delivery guy came, so I had to go sign the forms, put meds in med room, etc. This took less than 3 minutes. As I was walking out I heard the phone ring. The other nurse tells me its her daughter and she wants to speak to me. I told her to tell the insane daughter that I am literally walking into her mother's room and if it is urgent I will call her back. As I am walking the 30 second walk to the room I hear the patient's phone ring. It was the daughter calling to make sure I went into the room. This entire thing took under 5 minutes. I've got other patients with real problems. I don't have time for this foolishness. Then the patient tells me that "oh, there was no rush". Then why are you harassing me? I tell ya, sometimes I wonder how I get through the day. People are ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteHood Nurse, I just found your blog. You are a bamf. That is all.
ReplyDeleteThat is the best idea ever!!!!!!!!! My hospital has the call light connected directly to our phone & on a timer. Ugh, so ridiculous!!!!
ReplyDeleteFirst this would never work in the hood hospital where I work cause no body pays their bill anyway and if we tried to make them prepay we would be discriminating against them for some made up reason. Second my absolutely favorite call light request is, "I need my nurse" No sorry tech, unit secretary, other nurse or 10 family members who are in the room, you just won't do I need MY NURSE...could you get me another blanket...this is what I went to college for.
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