You want me to wipe his... what?!

[StarSong]

As some of you know, I used to work in a doctor's office. As a receptionist. Which means I have had no medical training whatsoever. This fact comes into play in this story that another post just reminded me about.

Me: yep
SN: sucky nursing home nurse

One day, things were moving along as usual, when a nursing home nurse brought in an elderly patient for his doctor's visit. Even though the nursing home nurses weren't employed by our office, they were still allowed to go into the back and help get the patients through their visit. So, when I saw this nurse take the elderly man into the back, I thought nothing of it, until she came marching up to the desk and said:

SN: I need you to go help Mr. Patient.

Me: Help him... do what?

SN: He needs help in the bathroom.

Me (with a sinking idea of where this is going): What do you mean?

SN: He needs HELP. You know, someone needs to wipe his bottom () and help him get his pants back on.

Me: Ummm...

SN: Well? Get in there and do it! His appointment starts in five minutes!

Me: Ma'am, I can't do that!

SN: And why not?

Me: Because I'm not a nurse. I'm a receptionist. I have no medical training.

SN: Oh, it's no big deal. You just need to...

Me: Ma'am, first of all, this is not my responsibility. Second, I have no training for this and even if I were to try and assist Mr. Patient, I don't want to get sued for doing something wrong. If you'll just be patient a moment, I'll try and find a nurse...

SN: FINE! I'll do it MYSELF! (giving me a death glare from hell)

Me: (under my breath) Good, since that's your job anyway.

I mean what the crap? Why would she ever have thought that would be something a receptionist would do? Something tells me she was in the wrong field. I felt sorry for all those poor nursing home patients that had her as a nurse.

[draftermatt]

I don't think a call to her nursing home would have been out of the question there.

My wife is a nurse in a nursing home. They are sent to take care of their patients, not to pass off work to anyone else, especially not someone without medical training.

[StarSong]

I don't think a call to her nursing home would have been out of the question there.

My wife is a nurse in a nursing home. They are sent to take care of their patients, not to pass off work to anyone else, especially not someone without medical training.

I told the doctor about it, and he said he was going to call her manager over there. I never did find out what happened, though.

[LifeCarnie]

I told the doctor about it, and he said he was going to call her manager over there. I never did find out what happened, though.

To be honest, probably nothing. The nursing industry is short handed as it is at the moment.

It sounds like the nurse was a bit of a prima donna, at the home, it's not her job, it's the nurses assistants job. Given the fact that she didn't have a nurses assistant with her to perform the task, the responsbility became hers, she was just trying to pass the buck to an "underling".

I have a friend who is an electrician at a nursing home, he told me that due to union restrictions it's unbelievable. Janitors can't screw in light bulbs and electricians can't sweep floors. Everyone just stays in their own little world of responsibility.


One of the biggest misconceptions in the medical industry is that people do it because they're compassionate. There are some people who are in it, because the hours are great and the money is better.

Nurses? Most only work 3-4 days a week, 10 hour shifts.

[Bliss]

There are some jobs you do NOT get into if you're princely or easily disgusted, Nurses, Policemen, EMTs, Bouncers and even security... damn...

[Bright_Star]

I wouldn't have done it either. That's a job for a nurse. They're trained to do unpleaseant things like that. That's not a task for a receptionist.

[XCashier]

Me: Ma'am, first of all, this is not my responsibility. Second, I have no training for this and even if I were to try and assist Mr. Patient, I don't want to get sued for doing something wrong. If you'll just be patient a moment, I'll try and find a nurse...

SN: FINE! I'll do it MYSELF! (giving me a death glare from hell)

Me: (under my breath) Good, since that's your job anyway.

What gall, trying to make you do HER job! Good for you for standing your ground. I hope the doctor ripped her manager a new one!

[marasbaras]

"Ma'am, the closest I'm going to come to his shit is when I have to fight with his insurance company over payment for today."

[donruss]

"Ma'am, the closest I'm going to come to his shit is when I have to fight with his insurance company over payment for today."

Nicely done Marasbaras!!!

[PepperElf]

My wife is a nurse in a nursing home. They are sent to take care of their patients, not to pass off work to anyone else, especially not someone without medical training

i actually use to be a nursing student but didn't make it past 2 months.
and even I know that you need training on how to lift patients and help them stand, body mechanics. they told us in school that some big muscular guys almost threw their backs out trying to keep patients upright, while tiny women would hold them easily since they knew how to do it properly.

if he falls, it's your ass.
she needs to do HER job.

[Anriana]

Nurses? Most only work 3-4 days a week, 10 hour shifts.

4 10 hours shifts is still 40 hours... not really "great hours."

[Miffed]

That is some kind of bold to tell a stranger to wipe a strangers butt! I wouldn't have even given her an explanation, just a simple forceful "No."

[KnitShoni]

Nurses like this are one major reason I stopped working in a nursing home.

[draftermatt]

To be honest, probably nothing. The nursing industry is short handed as it is at the moment.

It's short handed, but I've never heard of a nursing home or hospital who keeps abusive people. My wife had a co-worker who got mad and quit during the middle of a shift and lost her license for "abandonment". She's seen people get fired for 1 no call no-no show, good nurses get the ax because someone said they were abusive and later found out to be false. Not to mention the strict rules and regulations, and numerous visits by the state to make sure things are right.

Also, the nurse in the OP was probably a nursing assistant since they often get sent off to appts since nurses are too busy.

Also, not all places are union so it's union rules that require all that crap your friend was referring to.

And it is true that some doctors/nurses do it for the money, and she was probably one of them, but please don't paint the whole industry with one brush.

[protege]

And it is true that some doctors/nurses do it for the money, and she was probably one of them, but please don't paint the whole industry with one brush.

My mother works in the nursing industry. (She's a supervisor for the county's health department.) She hates it. It has nothing to do with the money, or having to take care of messes like that. No, all of it has to do with county politics. Too many incompetent assholes...that simply can't be made to "disappear." However, she doesn't show it while at work, no matter how much it sucks.

For example, she had one guy who was simply abusive to patients. He would actually file grievances with the union when repremanded. Because of that, none of the higher-ups would deal with him. At least not until he was seen slapping a patient...who just happened to be the *mother* of one of those higher-ups Needless to say, he soon found himself unemployed.