How often do patients get angry when you wake them up?

[MacGyver]

I'm doing outpatient peds right now, hell I dont even get to clinic until 9 AM.....very very lax lifestyle.

so when I switch to inpatient rotations, how many of your patients get pissed off cause you woke them up at 5 AM to do prerounding?

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[ForamenMagnumPI]

On inpatient pediatrics, you don't have to be worried about angry patients. It is the nurses you should fear. They get pretty mad when you wake kids up early, so don't do it.

 

[PukiUki]

I'm doing outpatient peds right now, hell I dont even get to clinic until 9 AM.....very very lax lifestyle.

so when I switch to inpatient rotations, how many of your patients get pissed off cause you woke them up at 5 AM to do prerounding?

It is really pt dependent... Usually, when I see my pts in the afternoon, before I leave, I smile and tell them that I'll see then tomorrow bright and early at 5am! If they are cranky, explain that you are just doing your job. If they refuse, oh well..., your SOAP note just got shorter. Don't worry,no one will hold it gainst you.

Uki

PS. I would not show up at 5am,unless I am on an ICU/ surg/ ob-gyn rotation. That's up to you, of course.

 

[nabeya]

I usually see my patients anywhere from 530am to 630am and never have had a patient complain of me showing up too early. I guess they realize that when they come to the hospital its not really a place to get some R&R.

I'm doing outpatient peds right now, hell I dont even get to clinic until 9 AM.....very very lax lifestyle.

so when I switch to inpatient rotations, how many of your patients get pissed off cause you woke them up at 5 AM to do prerounding?

 

[Bevo]

I've woken patients up at all hours of teh day. Some get pissy. So what.

You're there to do a job that concerns there health. Its not like they're a holiday inn or something.

I sometimes wonder about calling family though at the wee hours of the morning when I require additional information (and the resident won't call). But to my amazement, most people were up at 3 am on a weeknight and sleeping at noon.

 

[cracker69]

I usually get a couple patients a week that are mad that I woke them up. I tell them this is the hospital and if they want care, its gonna happen now. If they want to sleep, go home.

 

[phillyfornia]

i do the same thing cracker. i just tell them, "if you don't want to be woken up, get out of here then"

 

[Adcadet]

I've never had a patient or parent get angry at being woken up, with one exception. Usually they are too grogy to say much. Perhaps it's a regional thing, or perhaps it's how I apologize and explain why I need to wake them up.

On peds I could usually do my full exam without waking up the parents. Having a powerful penlight helped, so I didn't have to turn on the overhead lights.

The exception was the inpatient locked psych unit. Some of those patients would sleep at all times of the day and some would always ask to be left alone.

 

[Adcadet]

Oh, my secret: you give the patient a lolipop every time you see them. A fentanyl lolipop.

 

[Hoo\/er]

On inpatient pediatrics, you don't have to be worried about angry patients. It is the nurses you should fear. They get pretty mad when you wake kids up early, so don't do it.

They can cry more. It's not a facking hotel.

 

[dfk]

Oh, my secret: you give the patient a lolipop every time you see them. A fentanyl lolipop.

yea..that.. i bet it wil usually work.. i can tell you that they will get upset more often than not, especially in an ICU, where sleep is rare.. like the previous post said, you're there to do whatever it is you're there to do.. you'll get good and not so good.. but i can also agree.. don't piss the nurses off.. it will be that much longer of a day should u.. (yes, i am a nurse, and am not trolling !!) - -

 

[njbmd]

I'm doing outpatient peds right now, hell I dont even get to clinic until 9 AM.....very very lax lifestyle.

so when I switch to inpatient rotations, how many of your patients get pissed off cause you woke them up at 5 AM to do prerounding?

Hi there,
I am sure that you will find that with experience you can do much of your exam with minimal disruption of a patient's sleep especially a pediatric patient. With adult patients, I always tell them that the early wake-up lets them know that they are in the hospital. This makes it easier when discharge time rolls around (no more early am wake-ups).

I have also found that when patients start to complain about not getting any sleep or the hospital food etc, it is usually time for discharge anyway. Do not apologize for doing your job. Patient's need to be seen and examined every day. My early AM exam is specifically focused on the specific problem that brough the patient to the hospital. Later in the day, you can come back and do a more complete exam as need be.

In our ICU, nurses start bathing the patients at 5AM so I have found that bath time is a good time get an exam in and look at every square inch of the patient. The nurse gets turning help and you get to check out things.

njbmd

 

[obake_at_night]

I usually get a couple patients a week that are mad that I woke them up. I tell them this is the hospital and if they want care, its gonna happen now. If they want to sleep, go home.

This is really really rude. Hands down. Often times patients feel really sick while in the hospital and can't help it. They could think: "wow, what arrogance and he's not even a doctor yet. I hope he fails out of med school." And I wouldn't blame a patient for thinking that.