Money Talks

[PuckLizardRN]

This happened many years ago, when I was a relatively new nurse, but it still burns my butt when I think about it. My hospital is relatively small, and our rooms are mostly semi-private. Because of that, there are some priority diagnosis that get the private rooms first, such as certain infections that require isolation, patients with decreased immune systems, etc. Although we do not double rooms if we don't have to, when we are very busy/full it happens.
One day I got an ER admission of a patient that I guess you could say was supposed to be a "VIP". Her daughter had donated millions of $$ to the hospital ER. We were pretty full at the time, but managed to come up with a private room for her. The ER brings the patient, and her daughter, to the floor and the daughter immediately began complaining about the room. It was too small- I believe she called it a "shoebox". She then brings up that she is friends with the hospital CEO, and DEMANDS I call him right NOW to get them another room. I think I just kinda stared at her for a few seconds, then went to get my manager. They ended up moving her to another room on a different floor (thankfully!). I know she donated money, but that really does not mean she should get treated differently. I don't care if you are homeless or the president.
Maybe miss EW should have instead donated money to have a special wing put on just for her mother.

[Sapphire Silk]

Yeah, I've had patients who were "VIPS"; like the patient whose dad was the sports anchor for our local news station. I was told to give him the red carpet treatment.

My response was: I treat him like any other patient or family member. With caring and respect unless they turn into raging dicks. Then I set limits.