Fed up of patients who clearly having nothing better to complain about than how I look

[fedupofnightshifts]

NC for this.
It's probably me being oversensitive because I'm relatively new in the job, but I've just finished a crappy nightshift in A&E, really busy and hardly stopped since yesterday evening. And I'm really pissed off that a really rude and entitled man decided to seemingly single me out for complaint, initially because he'd been waiting for hours because he'd been triaged well down the list, and secondly because he didn't think I look 'professional'.
So he commented about an hour after he got there and I'd spoken to him that I had a hole in my tights. Nothing new, happens all the time to me at work. I'd apologised and then of course totally forgotten about it. Fast forward to 4am when he eventually got seen (by me) and he was clearly pissed off that he'd been waiting all night so not in a very co-operative mood. Of course he would notice again that tights are still holed because I've not fucking stopped and no chance to change them, and I'd also undone the top press stud on my dress because I was boiling, still totally decent because it zips right up but I guess it's the equivalent of loosening your tie a bit.
Then he made some comment that my dress was really creased and maybe I should consider ironing it. Not the creases that you get when it comes out of the washing machine, but like lap wrinkles from sitting and just general wear creases.
I know it's stupid but I just felt like shit. I didn't say anything to anyone. I don't know whether it constitutes harrassment or whether to just put it down to dealing with shit from the general public?
Not sure what my AIBU is, just tired and fucked off.

DD works in a pharmacy, and nearly all of their customers/patients are breathtakingly rude, so I feel for you.

Thank you for the job you do

I think you may look back on this and laugh at yourself for even caring one iota about this, op.
He was obviously a dick though.

Yes, you are tired and fucked off.

It was one twatty patient tho (who was possibly also tired and fucked off but definitely should have kept his trap shut). Deep breaths.

Did he actually say, You don’t look very professional? That’s shocking. Honestly don’t take any notice. And you’re right, he was pissed off as he had been waiting.

This.

I'm sorry things are so rough at work.

Have a shower, have some tea and toast, and crawl in to bed

this will be a distant memory after you’ve had some sleep

Pity you couldn’t have sent him back to the waiting room. What an arsehole (him not you).

I hope you can get some lovely sleep now and thank You for your hard work

I get it, OP. What a sexist douchebag.

You must be doing an amazing job if a few wrinkles and a small hole in your tights is the only my thing he has to complain about.

I can’t believe how rude people think it’s ok to be. My DD works in retail and it is breathtaking, clicking fingers at her like she is a servant and making all kinds of horrible comments or shouting at her. I work in healthcare and recently someone complained that a call had been ended on them (put the phone down) so when I listened to it back, they had been aggressively swearing at the person on the phone in the first place still had the audacity to complain! I would have literally given this man my best evil death stare for a good few moments and possibly commented that he was being inappropriate but I’m pretty sure he never would have spoken to a man that way - it’s intimidation!

Thank you for doing your job, most people really appreciate people like you ( though it may not seem so as the general public can also be arseholes).

Take no notice, a hole in your tights could happen to anyone wearing them and you’re doing an important job where other things are way more important.

Firstly. Thank you for the job you do.
Men like this (and it'll mostly be men) are pure trash. Can't separate a qualified professional from their sex, and feel a need to comment.
I hope his comnents make you laugh in a few days. 'Patient Zero of dick heads'.

Can you get his notes and get a heavy handed student with a months experience to give him an enema?

Well he couldn't have been that unwell if all he could worry about is how you looked! Forget him, you're doing a great job! 💐

for you. Sorry you’ve had such a tough shift. As pp have said, have a good sleep and rise above it.

What an utter, utter dickhead. I can understand why you’re angry, but please don’t let some chain wanking, Andrew Tate enthusiast get to you, he’s so not worth it.

If he was well enough to notice those details, was he ill enough to be in A and E?! Or was he just in so much pain he was focusing on little details to help him get through it? I strongly suspect I could guess the type, certain age and background, wouldn't last five seconds in an actual job in the NHS but thinks he can solve it single handedly. Like Ann Widdicombe in that programme a few years ago when she was conspicuously pushing a bed down a corridor for the cameras and tutting performatively.

Many of us do appreciate what you do, very much.

I hate it when people make comments on my appearance, I have started doing it back, tit for tat.

at least you have the power to keep moving him down the triage list😂
using your professional judgement of course.

Some people are just twats.

I’d have thanked him for reminding me and then turfed him back into the waiting room for another couple of hours on the excuse that I was popping out to buy some tights and cool down/ meticulously iron my uniform.

It's a shame you couldn't have sent him to the back of the queue for being a sexist twatty areshole but you're better than that OP and will have treated him with the same care and professionalism as all your patients.

And.....breathe. It sounds like a shitty and tiring shift and it's completely human to feel fucked off by that, but it will seem a distant memory once you've had some sleep and a break.

Are you a doctor? Just asking as I can’t recall seeing healthcare professionals in tights or the sort of dress that might need ironing for many years. Seems to be scrubs-type outfits all round.

Working with the general public made me concerned about humanity.

Nurses wear this obv.

Nurses can choose dress or scrubs type.

Don't let him get to you OP, what a total arse he is and thank you for doing the job you do ❤️

He can't be that desperate for medical help if he's capable of making snarky comments about yoir appearance.
I would have moved the fucker back down to the bottom of the list

You could have seen to me with your tights hanging off and last nights dinner down your uniform it wouldnt have bothered me in the slightest given the tough job you do there. Ignore this rude prick 💕