Come on old maggot legs

[CocoChan]

Took my grandma to an appointment earlier ... leg dressing. The nurse came out and said “come on old maggot legs!”. My grandma smiled awkwardly and went into her appointment. Another bloke in the waiting room said “she calls me mouldy toes”.

When My grandma came out I asked her what the maggot legs was about and she hushed me and said in her last app she had maggots on her dressings.

My grandma was dead against me complaining. WIBU to complain anyway?? I’m feeling bad as my grandma doesn’t know she’s the centre of a complaint but the nurse said this in front of other patients!!

It’s just her way of keeping a sense of humour and rapport with her patients I guess. I would find it very hard to complain about someone working in the NHS nowadays unless they were medically negligent as they do such a hard job for such little reward.

i would have called her an ambulance!!

sense of humour? what now
imagine if she worked in plastic surgery, oh come on in saggy tits

I think its inappropriate and would want them to have a word with her, do some retraining on how to speak to people but not go in all guns blazing

OP the nurses behaviour is embarrassing. But far more concerning that the dressing had maggots. That is not normal. That’s what would happen to a limb that needed amputating. Why is she is such a bad way with her dressing?

It’s just her way of keeping a sense of humour and rapport with her patients I guess.

I bet she wouldn't have spoken to a younger person like that.

Missing the point but why were there maggots?! Good grief!

Maggots are often used as a wound dressing. They are specially bred, are sterile, and come in a little teabag type thing so they don’t wander off.

@Sentos Thank god for that! I assumed they were there due to infection! Bleurgh.

It’s just her way of keeping a sense of humour and rapport with her patients

Not if it embarrasses her patients though and it seems ops nan did not like it. Neither would I!

BubblyBarbara I come from a family of NHS workers who know the importance of a sense of humour, but it's never done at the cost of patient dignity.

Maggots are often used as a wound dressing. They are specially bred, are sterile, and come in a little teabag type thing so they don’t wander off.

And just like that you've put me right off my dinner

A bit weird!

No idea, my grandma said the maggots were discovered on her last visit so clearly not meant to be there

Imagine doing that as a job all day :(

I think that type of comment is foul. It’s totally unprofessional. I would complain!

I’d kick up a huge stink actually !
Your poor granny!

I would complain, it's awful.

No that's weird.. I have looked many a person with leg bandages, never in my life have I called someone "maggot legs" or "mouldy toes".

Building a rapport is asking someone jokingly if they've managed to stay out of trouble this week, or chatting about how nice it is to see them again, learning the names of their grandkids and asking after them, sharing some information they ask about your life.

IMO, one thing you definitely don't do is call them by a name which makes fun of whatever condition you are treating them for.

I probably wouldn't make a formal complaint, but I would let the nurse know that it's not appropriate. If any of my team did that, I would want to know and I couldn't defend a complaint like that - it would be made absolutely clear it's not appropriate.

This was absolutely unacceptable and very cruel to humiliate someone in this way. Joking at someone's expense is something that should always be reserved for people you know well enough to be sure that they will be in on the joke. You most certainly do not make jokes like this in a medical setting about a patient. And definitely not in a public space such as a waiting room in full view of other patient. It's wildly unprofessional.
I hope your grandma isn't too embarrassed or upset, OP. I would have complained about this as well.

That's awful.
Nonsense about not being able to criticise NHS staff. A nurse needs to treat their patients with respect and dignity. There's plenty of other things to have a joke about while you're treating a patient or dressing their legs.
Given that she calls people to their appts using these nicknames then any complaint you make doesn't need to reference your grandma directly.
I mean, I know people need some light relief during tough times but what does she call the incontinent patients, Pissy Pants??
Unacceptable imho

Should add that my grandma really likes this nurse but doesn’t like the maggots name said in front of other patients as it makes her feel dirty. Mouldy toes didn’t seem happy either

Doesn't make sense.

That's dreadful and really sad for your poor grandma. I would definitely try and speak to someone in management about if your grandma doesn't want you to make a formal complaint. It may be an attempt at misguided humour but it must be damaging to the self esteem of the person on the receiving end.

I just think it must go against confidentiality as she’s announcing patients conditions in the waiting room?