Any other nhs staff who are sad how how public treat them

[godimdone]

Working in nhs and I shocked at how passive aggressive and rude pts and relatives are to nurses. I work as a cleaner on a set busy area of my local hospital and know the staff on the ward very well. They are a good lot and care about their pts but have noticed many nurses getting verbal abuse. When the patients are on own absolutely fine with nurses but when family visit seem to criticise staff and then nurses get a lot of verbal passive abuse. It's awful. They seem to take it all and when drs come even if pts and relatives not happy they moan at nurses but pleasant to drs. It's not nice to see. Last week one of nurses had returned to work after losing her dad and didn't have breaks as so hectic and off late and all I could hear throughout shift pts and reliatives speaking to her in a very bad way and not seeing rest of what she was doing with all other work.
Anyone else seen this.
Any other nhs staff experienced this.
I'm worried as my niece starting nurse training as not sure now after seeing this treatment and disrespectful way public are with staff.

Yes, your observations are accurate.

I left after years and years of this, eventually assaulted so badly that I had to leave.

Ive comforted many nurses who have reached the end, final straw being verbally abused by sometimes several family members at once after caring diligently and genuinely for their sick family members.

Ive been threatened with legal proceedings, violence, spat at, bitten, called all sorts of names in my time.

It’s kind of everywhere though isn’t it, anyone working with the public deal with this.

Sorry you had to leave

I was roughly pushed up against a wall by a relative back in the 90’s, so it’s not new, but I think it’s more prolific now. Maybe a sense of entitlement, whereas in the past people were more grateful.

Awful

I witnessed a pt who had been great with staff last week
Family visited and the pt could be overheard along with his family listing loads of things they weren't happy with. Nurse just stood there and was spoken to and blamed for everything.
I had heard staff on many occasions helping pt.
It shocked me as was so unfair and when drs came the pt and relatives all smiles and respectful.

I've been abused by patients and relatives my whole career. Luckily I'm thick skinned but it can take a real toll on your mental health. You deal with an awful situation in one room and then get berated in the next.

I've had black eyes and scratches so bad they've left permanent physical scars from patients, yes some have dementia and can't help it but some don't. I was punched in the face and had my own nursing scissors held to my throat when I worked in a&e by drug seekers. I am questioning how much more I can take but I know nothing else, my entire career has been nursing.

I'm not sure I want my niece to start training now

Even if you are ill there is no need to be rude

YANBU. I worked in the NHS for years (not as a nurse) but as an OT and I have experienced it too. In fact, I had more abuse and rudeness in short term placements in acute physical care settings than I did in 10 years on a psych ward which I found very telling.

I no longer work for the NHS for both this reason and the fact the pay was so appalling for what we had to put up with. I will never go back.

Ex dentist here , it’s been much worse since covid . Abuse both verbal and physical. Have been physically assaulted and verbal abuse is daily for receptionists , clinicians not as much.

The worst thing is the total lack of back up by health authorities. When I was assaulted I contacted them so other practices could be warned , they did nothing and never even got back to me to find out how I was. I could have faced legal action over patients loss of confidentiality but I contacted local practices to warn against the person who assaulted me.

The NHS dental system is broken but people take their anger out on those who have no power to change a broken system and do their best . All ages , all income levels feel entitled to abuse and threaten staff to get what they want. That with the ever rising litigation and reporting to GDC is leading to many leaving the profession or moving elsewhere.

Oh and let's not forget the sexual abuse we experience. Men (of all ages) grabbing us and making comments and leering. It gets laughed about but it really isn't funny. It's a horrible job but the kind patients and relatives get us through and we continue for them I think.

Last three posts shocking.

I left the nhs after years of rude behaviour from some patients and relatives, we were accused of theft, ignoring patients, refusing to give medication, refusing to feed patients, leaving patients in wet beds it got too much for us all, the thanks and gratitude you get from some people didn't make up for it after a while. I don't remember doctors being treated like that, they were still called Sir, nurses were called that fat, lazy, foreign one.

There's a thread running in Teenagers about a 15 year old girl kicking off at the Doctor, posters are praising her for 'being heard', I bloody despair...

Also an observation on area I clean there was a pt who I won't identify but his injury was his fault because he did something stupid but because he wasn't happy about it so wanted to blame nurses that he wasn't operated on straight away.
Not nurses decision but they got blamed!
Also noted pts compare their condition or listen into other pts treatment instead of focusing on their treatment and condition so they get involved in other pts care/business.
Taking things out of context.
One pt was overheard saying to a nurse that care wasn't good on ward because pt opposite had lots of problems. The pt opposite was from another area so it was nothing to do with said hospital. Also the pt opposite family made a big song and dance where they questioned nursing staff everytime the nurses attended pt instead of asking doctors as much and it's the doctors who prescribe the plan.
Nurses always seem to be treated appallingly.
I am going to talk to my niece but ultimately it's her decision. She is very caring but I don't want her abused.

Same. I was also kicked hard by a patient when I was 16 weeks pregnant.
This was one of the reasons I decided to leave the NHS. Some patients and their relatives have such a rude, entitled attitude. Hated it!!

Yep, in my previous role on an acute admissions ward I was spat at, threatened with a lighter held up to my hair, hit with a zimmer frame and walking stick on two separate occasions and, worst of all, physically assaulted by a consultant because I dared to politely challenge him on something as a ‘stupid nurse’. It was witnessed and reported but of course nothing came of it and he continues to strut about the place intimidating people.

I work in a specialist service now and none of that happens. If someone is rude to me (which is now only very occasionally), I usually kill them with kindness or give them the option to either be courteous or leave because it’s not an emergency service. I go for dinner with our consultant and she has never put her hands on me apart from to give me a hug!

I do feel that peas need to be heard. She may have severe mental health issues and be struggling with depression and some doctors can not take seriously but I'm talking about the average person not teenagers either mental health or even people addicted to drugs through difficult life or dementia pts who have no control.
I'm talking about your so called average normal family who generally are quite rude and expect nurses to tell them everything instead of having the respect to wait for doctors round.
I have a lot of sympathy for people with mental health as it has been neglected.

I just saw that and am quite shocked. Then those same people are annoyed that people are leaving the NHS and it's under staffed!! what do they expect?- I doubt they'd be fine with being verbally abused and told they were shit at their jobs on the regular.

You can challenge a medical professional (and sometimes its very appropriate to do so) in a non rude or abusive manner too, it's not either say nothing or have a tantrum. There is a middle ground.

🤔 never ever heard of men of all ages repeatedly grab female nhs staff in today's world? Did you call the police and permanently ban? If this was happening all of the time by different men I hope the workplace was reported.

What I observe is many pts and relatives want alot of nurses time for their moans. They are so clueless on how much there is to do as they are only seeing the bay or room their relative in.
Sometimes the stafff have just dealt with a pt who has passed away in next room or bay. Grieving relatives and then you have got someone saying the nurses can't even make me.a cup of tea even though there are drinks round, relatives who could bring a coffee from hospital cafes or shops and jug of water supplied and they could have family bring stash of cold drinks.
The nurses seem to get blamed for everything!

Call Handler here

I've seen colleagues reduced to tears by the abuse they've received down the phone, we can cut people off, but they simply call again to carry on the abuse

We look at patient's records and there are often alerts about patients not to be left alone with young people, violence risks and to schedule two or more nurses when they have to visit

This is getting worse too

I have heard pts and relatives moan if they hear staff laughing.
From what o observe in my role as cleaner is they have to laugh as very high pressure job so they can cope. If they don't smile pts not happy either. One pt was overheard moaning to a nurse that a sister had laughed at her but they are just try to be happy and positive. They can't win.

They still have a right to treatment and even when you report, very little is done. I now work in long term care and there was a quadriplegic (with full capacity) who repeatedly asked staff for sexual favours, would leer at us and try to touch us. Men sexualise nurses. I'm reasonably 'young' and classed as attractive so maybe I experience it more then most but it's happened to every single nurse I know.

Sadly it’s not uncommon. As a nursing student I was sexually assaulted by a man who was recovering from a stroke. When I leant in towards him to take his BP he stroked by breast, I assumed it had been an accidental touch caused by poor positioning of my body so I moved but he moved and more groped. I am ashamed to say I just walked away and didn’t confront him or say anything to him. And even more shockingly I was told by my mentor that his wife had enough troubles so we wouldn’t take it any further.

On the other hand as a nurse in the community (district nursing) I don’t really experience any of what these other posters are reporting- my patients are almost always grateful and lovely. At most grumpy rather than abusive. So much better than in ward settings but then we are able to provide more person-centred care too.