- Joined
- Dec 4, 2007
- Messages
- 311
- Reaction score
- 0
So I do patient care at the hospital I volunteer at. Basically, I just try to talk to them, get them water, juice, etc. just try to be friendly in general. Today I entered a room where there were two patients. One was an older gentleman (65-70? Maybe older?) and one was a guy who seemed in his mid-20s. I first entered and introduced myself to the first bed, that of the young man's. He assured me he didn't need anything, and told me the other bed wasn't worth going to. He then told me that the person beside him was whacked out, would eat his own feces, etc. He said "you can look at him if you want". It was my duty to help these patients, and I want to help them, so I'm going to look and see what this older gentleman wants/needs, regardless of position or how they look. I look, and I see an older gentleman that I've seen from my time before at this same floor of the hospital. The young man in the other bed tells me he probably needs his nurse right now, and the older gentleman nods his head to agree as I look over at him. So, I leave and I call his nurse.
I have two issues. First, I really don't like the younger gentleman insulting the older gentleman like that. While the older man had problems with verbal communication, I don't doubt he understands most everything. I really wanted to tell this young kid to be respectful, but I'm just a lowly volunteer, and it wasn't my place to come into conflicts with the patients I'm there to help.
Second, the young man did tell me the older gentleman needed a nurse, and without him, I wouldn't have been able to know to call the older gentleman's nurse.
What should I have done? I felt bad, because I should have given this kid a piece of my mind, but should I have done it at the expense of putting my volunteering position in jeopardy? This hospital I work at is awesome, definitely the nicest people and the best volunteer staff there to aid me, and they are very flexible with everything, I don't want to put that at jeopardy. The young man in the end did help me aid the older gentleman. At the same time, I should have told this guy to lay off or ease up. A patient does not deserve to be embarrassed like that in front of anyone. What do you guys think? What would you have done?
I have two issues. First, I really don't like the younger gentleman insulting the older gentleman like that. While the older man had problems with verbal communication, I don't doubt he understands most everything. I really wanted to tell this young kid to be respectful, but I'm just a lowly volunteer, and it wasn't my place to come into conflicts with the patients I'm there to help.
Second, the young man did tell me the older gentleman needed a nurse, and without him, I wouldn't have been able to know to call the older gentleman's nurse.
What should I have done? I felt bad, because I should have given this kid a piece of my mind, but should I have done it at the expense of putting my volunteering position in jeopardy? This hospital I work at is awesome, definitely the nicest people and the best volunteer staff there to aid me, and they are very flexible with everything, I don't want to put that at jeopardy. The young man in the end did help me aid the older gentleman. At the same time, I should have told this guy to lay off or ease up. A patient does not deserve to be embarrassed like that in front of anyone. What do you guys think? What would you have done?