Nurse commenting on house

[BellyAching19]

My neighbour had a community nurse around today while I was there. When the nurse walked in she commented on my neighbours photo on the wall of a dog and asked who the dog is/was. Neighbour told her. She then used the bathroom and came out saying it was a beautiful bathroom!! Neighbour thanked her. As she was leaving she commented on a painting on the wall and asked her who had painted it.

AIBU to think healthcare professions shouldn’t comment on people’s houses? What does she say if she walks into a shithole?

She was being pleasant OP

Here's a grip:

She was putting your neighbor at ease/making conversation. Is that not a thing anymore?

This cannot be real

She was being pleasant FFS.

You are being ridiculous

God, I do feel sorry for people who work with the public. They must feel terrified to utter a word. Everything is offensive.

Absolutely needs a report to PALS and 111. Horrible making polite conversation with your patient and not just staying silent, doing your job, and finding a public toilet somewhere to pee......

You should report her to the NMC for making pleasant conversation.

Honestly, you sound like a nightmare.

Bloody hell. Really? Really?

Give your neighbour some privacy when she’s having any personal care. Step out for a bit unless they’ve expressly asked you to be there.

She sounds like a lovely nurse. I really don't see what the issue is.

Wtf.

She was making conversation and being nice. I can’t think of any reason why someone would oppose this.

This is why I’m leaving the profession. Sadly the amount of public scrutiny has left us vulnerable to mad complaints like this. I remember as a student working with an older nurse who had been struggling to building a supportive relationship with a palliative care until she spotted a painting of a poet she loves on his wall. They struck up a brilliant friendship and she was asked to sit next to his widow at the funeral. Without that chance comment he would have refused treatment and possibly died a painful undignified death. We’re not robots and the human element is a crucial part of nursing.

I've had health visitors asking how much my house cost, I don't care! Although I'm slightly niggled as they were obviously thinking she is young this is a big house, is it cheap. Obviously it is not. Nurse say stupid things. My father was a chronic alcoholic I went to visit him in hospital once age 14 on my own and the nurse said"he's here a lot can you not do something about him and his drinking". Talking about a picture/bathroom is delightful and good manners!

This is what I used to do in my district nursing days 1988-2004 ish.
It's called building a relationship and if used properly can give you valuable insight into your patient's state of health,significant relationships etc.

She was just being nice? Would your friend have preferred some chewy faced Nurse Ratched type?

ohhelloitsyou

Give your neighbour some privacy when she’s having any personal care. Step out for a bit unless they’ve expressly asked you to be there.

Exactly this!!

I've always done that as a carer
"Oh what a lovely photo, is that you/relative/friend?"
Or complimented the house or garden or...
for some people 2 x 15 mins conversation is all they get all day and especially if you're bed bound you need that communication and connection, more so for personal care
I've been to someone who hadn't showered for years because she wouldn't let the carers see her naked. It took a LOT of work and laughing and tears but I built up enough bond that we managed and she felt so much better

What does she say if she walks into a shit hole

I would hazard a wild guess at absolutely nothing.

How very dare she!
Making pleasant conversation to make people feel comfortable is totally unacceptable and nothing to do with having a good bedside manner!

This has to be one of the oddest nurse bashing threads I have ever read

🙄
Did you think she was ‘casing the joint’ op?

Get a life OP, really.

BellyAching

I can tell you that as a nurse people like you are the reason I'm contemplating leaving my career. Busybodies who expect nurses to be inhuman, work without food or toilet breaks and not speak unless spoken to.

Nurses are human, we interact with our patients human to human. A comment to a patient about a nice bathroom or dressing gown is a way to build a rapport, to get to know our patients. It shows them we care about them as a person instead of an illness, so that when they're embarrassed or worried about a problem they feel they can speak freely to us, because we're interested in them.
Sometimes I can be the only person whose spoken to my patients all week, if I only spoke about their illness I'd be doing less than half my job.

Do you honestly think we'd tell someone we thought their house was a mess?

Are you unable you hold your tongue to avoid hurting someone's feelings? Most members of society can and do only a daily basis.

Sounds like she was making conversation and being a nice person. Would you prefer she cane in, barely spoke and toddled off like a good girl rather than be personable and good at her job and making her patients feel secure?! Is your neighbour bothered by this ‘behaviour’? 🙄

I went to visit him in hospital once age 14 on my own and the nurse said"he's here a lot can you not do something about him and his drinking

@soapona

How terrible. I had an alcoholic parent too...a hcp told us as teenagers not to let him have alcohol