Attitude

I was taking care of this relatively young (20 years old) patient last night who was having her first baby. She had quite a few visitors in her room. The technical rule of the hospital is 6 visitors in a room, but I'm pretty easy going and I'll let more in as long as I can move around and get to the things I need to get to. I think this patient had 7 or 8 visitors.

It was time for her to get her epidural. I explained to everyone before hand that only one person was allowed in the room during the procedure and that everyone else would have to go to the waiting room. Well, the time came to kick everyone out, so as they were leaving, I said, "I'll send J to come get you when it's ok the come back in." They said ok and left.

We do the epidural and I lay the patient on the bed when we were finished. I go to the cabinet to get something, and I see a few of the visitors standing by the door. I say, "I need you to go to the waiting room. Remember I said I'd send J to come get you when it was time?" They kinda roll their eyes and slowly walk away.

A few minutes later I go to the cabinet again and I see them waiting in the hallway. I make eye contact, point down the hall and say, "Waiting room please."

Finally I have the patient all settled in and I'm ready to leave the room. As I go to the door, I see them waiting in the hall again. I decide not to say anything - you have to pick your battles, and this one I was obviously losing. So as I exit the door they push past me and enter the room. One of the girls, as she passes me, says, "Kiss my ass."

WHAT?!?! I'm already fairly fired up by them, so I call her on it.

"Excuse me? Who exactly was that comment directed toward?"

"What comment?"

"Kiss my ass?"

"Oh, uh, my cousin."

I hold eye contact with her for a few seconds, slowly nod my head and leave.

It amazes me how people think the rules don't apply to them. It also amazes me that people cop an attitude and ruin the experience for the patient. I know my patient was bothered by it because she later apologized to me for the girl's behavior. I told her that was sweet, but not her job to apologize for someone else's behavior.

And normally, that's not me at all, to be confrontational and call people on things, but I had had enough and didn't care anymore. I almost hoped to really piss her off so that I could have security take her out and she couldn't come back in at all.