To be annoyed at a nurse ‘kissing her teeth’ at me?

[FairyF1]

My father is in dialysis today. He hasn’t been well and there have been problems with patient transport so I left work early to help him. When I arrived at the hospital a nurse , before even introducing herself, started shouting at me in front of all the patients saying that my father had been difficult and was very demanding. This is not like him at all (he’s deaf , blind and hemiplegic) I asked him what was up and he showed me that he had been incontinent and left to sit in it (he said for hours). The nurse started shouting (in front of the ward) about how busy she was and started ‘kissing her teeth at me’. I was lost for words. I know she must be under a lot of pressure but was surprised that she had totally lost it in front of everyone. I do also think that someone in a professional position shouldn’t suck their teeth at you- i did ask her to stop but she wouldn’t. What would you do? I think sucking you teeth at an elderly and ill man is especially rude.

I can't understand OP is fine about the (in multiple ways) unjustified shouting & ranting but teeth-kissing is what she finds intolerable. confused

Because it is soooooo disrespectful.

I'm surprised anyone living in London doesn't know what this is, unless perhaps you are in Hampstead and don't get out much other than to watch polo.

OP

Complain, complain and complain again.

The most important person in a hospital is the patient. That is why anyone working in a hospital is there.

Nurses shouldn't take out their frustrations on patients or relatives, that is never acceptable and needs to be addessed with the unit manager. If your dad is blind, deaf and paraplegic shouldn't he have a carer with him, he sounds like he has high care needs and the dialysis day units don't always have the staff or facilities to offer full assistance, does your dad live at home or in a carehome, I am surprised he goes on his own, is this something you could consider asking.

jasjas I was a nurse for 26 years, no matter how bad the ward was or how dire the staffing levels, I was never aggressive or rude to patients or relatives. It’s called being a professional.

It is not professional to shout or behave in such a way towards a patient or the patient’s family. Report it.

As for the expression I had never heard it before but I was able to work it out.

I thought SoupDragon lived in Australia?

Sadly not.

Wow didn’t realise kissing teeth was not a thing everywhere. I grew up in S London and it’s very disrespectful. I would complain.

In my area teethe kissing became popular with teens trying to be a bit ‘ghetto’. It used to make me laugh so much as we’re in a pretty middle class area in the South East but they also enjoy pretending they’re from South London when speaking.
That nurse needs reporting. No doubts at all

As an American I would have no idea that this was a very rude gesture!

I was literally just in the shops today and a lady asked for help finding a book for her daughter, she couldn’t find it anywhere. I got my phone and googled it for her and said I think she’d have to buy it online. She kissed her teeth and shook her head in a ‘this is annoying I really need that book’ kind of way.

I think as with a lot of things it has to be in context. Hope your dad is feeling better today x

I'm surprised anyone living in London doesn't know what this is, unless perhaps you are in Hampstead and don't get out much other than to watch polo.

Oh dear. So not only am I a failure because I lived in London and have never heard of teeth kissing but I'm now also a failure because I spent part of that time living in Hampstead but over never seen a polo match

Haha nokid! I haven't heard of this either though I don't live in London (or England in fact). I watched the video and don't recognise it at all.

I am baffled that the op is more upset about that than the way her dad was actually treated though.

Well that's a new expression I've learnt today. "Kissing teeth". Who'd have thought it.

Oh yes, OP complain about the ignorant beggar.

I live in North East London (have done all my life) and commute to the West End on public transport. I've never heard of teeth kissing, nor seen it. When did it start??? All sorts of rows start up on commuter transport and I've not seen it during any of these either!

nokid Londoner born and bread here, and I've never heard it before.

bred bloody phone!

Teeth kissing is extremely insulting!

The reason some people haven't heard of it is because black people don't go around kissing their teeth all day.

The ones saying "it's extremely insulting" are just trying it on. That's the reason you CAN'T say why it's so insulting. Yet you've the nerve to question people who've never heard it, as if they should have?

No matter what you're aiming to imply - you know no more than anybody else so don't pretend that you do.

Kissing teeth = tutting. That - is - it. Just as I'd think it's rude if you tutted at me, it's the exact same thing. Don't try to make it what it isn't.

Its the kissing teeth that's winding you up more than the poor state this man was left in. Very telling.

A rude person is a rude person period and that's what should be dealt with as the issue, as it led to job not being done properly. Not silly aims to point score and make this about something else

I find it incredulous that anyone in this day and age doesn't know what 'kissing your teeth' means. It is extremely disrespectful.

We all know the stresses experienced by NHS staff but shouting at someone is not on, neither is leaving an elderly person sitting in urine.

Groundhog Day

Some nurses really shouldn't be in this profession.
I've known really fantastic nurses and really shit ones and some that should of packed up the job years ago.

OP, what is your main concern, your dad's poor care, the nurse being rude to him, rude to you or this bizarre teeth kissing.

Love how this thread has been derailed by a rude gesture!

OP - complain about the treatment your poor father received and ask for this nurse to be removed from his care!

To those who say kissing your teeth is generally no worse than tutting, I disagree, but context is everything.

Kissing your teeth involves pursing your lips (a signal of disapproval/disgust) as well as a tutting/ drawn out kissing type noise. I live in north London and would say it is typically intended to be worse than tutting and often used as an intimidating act and a sometimes a precursor to aggression or violence.

Like any body language, how rude the action was depends on how it was performed. Did she do it as an involuntary gesture as she turned away from you? Or was it combined with a long hard stare, long kissing/tutting type noise, squaring off shoulders etc - generally accepted to be a pretty aggressive act.

However it was done, in this case it was clearly rude and unprofessional.

tutting and often used as an intimidating act and a sometimes a precursor to aggression or violence

What a crazy and stupidly stereotypical comment. Where are all these people kissing their teeth and launching into violence?

Im surprised you delicate flowers are still standing and can even sleep at night with all the kissing teeth out there.

Pride in xenophobia is idiotic. Long may multiculturalism reign and you just have to put up with it

No update about the man sitting in his urine really but I don't think that matters, kissing teeth is the priority

Awful behaviour - complain