Argh! ER nurse.

[ruhbehka]

So our ER visit today for my son's RSV/wheezing/fever was less than stellar in more ways than one (see thread in Circ folder).

While we were there, he had to get a chest x-ray, which meant being strapped into a restraint. As you can imagine, a spirited 16 month old does not much enjoy this, and he was hysterical by the time we were done. So, I sat down to nurse him while the tech was finishing up his stuff.

After a minute or two, he came over and showed us the door, as he needed to x-ray another patient and would send our results out later. No big deal, but DS was still whimpering, and I had a nursing cami on under my shirt, so I just kept him latched on (cradle-hold, but facing upward as toddlers often do) and walked down the hall back to our waiting room. Thinking nothing of it, really. The only people in the hall were the nurses at the station, so, whatever. I'm sure they could tell he was nursing, but nothing was "exposed" or anything.

In any case, when our cheery nurse came back in the room, she jokingly said, "You gotta put that thing away when you're out in the hall."

I was really, really bothered. First, I hadn't even seen her when I walked by, and certainly didn't make eye contact, so she went out of her way to point out that she'd "seen" us nursing. And then, that it was some big deal or something. Bah.

But she did it in such a passive-agressive "joking" way that I couldn't formulate a response.

Honestly, I don't really give a crap if it bothered her, but it bugs me that she phrased it in a way that I couldn't figure out how to respond. And of course, that if she'd said it to someone less confident in their toddler-nursing, they would have felt nervous about NIP in the future.

I don't know. I don't think I'm way off base here. Just looking for somewhere to vent, I guess. :

[rmzbm]

Not funny, I'd of been annoyed too...and she'd of gotten a firm "Pardon ME?" from me.

[eli janine]

Hugs, Mama. You know you did the right thing; nursing your kiddo is the best way to comfort in a situation that is scary and different. And he's sick besides! If she truly was upset about it, she had no right to say anything about it, and if she was just looking for a way to lighten the mood, she should have picked some other way of doing it.

I don't want to hijack this thread, so I'm starting my own about my GOOD experience bfing in the ER last night, and I hope that other people can encounter my kind of nurses instead of yours!

[blsilva]

Ugh, you had a really bad trip, didn't you? :

I nursed my babe down the hall from where he had a blood test, all the way out to the car, and no one ever thought anything of it. Most people porbably didn't even know, and if they did, so what? Its better than a screaming, terrified baby, right? She should really brush up onher PR skills.

And those chest X-rays are terrifying! My ds had to have one when he was 5mo, and we both cried for an hour. Nursing was the best thing for him!

[CrunchyCanuck]

Ugh. PA comments are the worst.

One of my boys had to have chest x-rays at 8 weeks (RSV) and it was awful.

[Roxswood]

Thats really surprised me, I took a little girl I nannied for for a chest xray at 18 months (her Mum was pregnant so couldn't accompany her into the room) but they didn't strap her down or anything, just sat and waited and I talked her through lying down, and cuddled her while they positioned the camera and I made faces at her upside down while it was done. It wasn't traumatic for her at all, so much in the USA seems so different from here in the UK, you'd think the care would be so much better because you're all paying for it and there aren't the same waiting lists but I've never heard of such treatment of children here in the UK, I've only come across very patient staff when I've had to attend for procedures with nannied children and my own dd.

Attitudes to breastfeeding though.. they're the same.

[jul511riv]

yea, my dd was strapped down and it was a hot mess too. And I nursed her up down and sideways through and through. Nothing but supportive comments from me.

Sorry, mama. I definately would have quipped "why, cause someone might be jelous?" or just simply "what are you talking about?"

Or I would have started ranting about the need for a nursing station for moms if they didn't want us walkign the halls or whatever.

Those times are stressful.

Hugs.

[Breastfeeding Insomniac]

What an inappropriate and ignorant statement! I started my nursing career as a pediatric nurse, and to me, these poor babies go through so much in the hospital, that if a mom had to cartwheel naked after a blood draw to keep baby happy, I would not care. I am sorry you had that experience. When you get your survey asking how your stay was, make sure you right that on there. Hospitals do read them and address them.

[Anglyn]

I would have just said, "why?" or "what thing?" Ive found that playing dumb can really make some people start to stutter or fumble around. I do it to my mom all the time and half the time by the end shes saying "I dont know" or "nevermind". LIke "you cant nurse her HERE" me, all innocent and perplexed, "why not?" her: "shes too big, people are staring". Me: "what people?" her:"everyone" me"people you'll never see again, why do you care if they are?" (they really werent anyway). her:"I dont" me:"then why mention it?" her:"I dont know...." end of convo. I start out annoyed but end up amused because I know she DOES care and is convinced everyone is staring (they never are) but she gets backed into a corner. The trick is to only ask questions, so that they start to question themselves. ONce you start making statments, you get defensive and end up in an argument. Or maybe thats just me.

[Dandelionkid]

Originally Posted by Anglyn

I would have just said, "why?" or "what thing?" Ive found that playing dumb can really make some people start to stutter or fumble around. I do it to my mom all the time and half the time by the end shes saying "I dont know" or "nevermind". LIke "you cant nurse her HERE" me, all innocent and perplexed, "why not?" her: "shes too big, people are staring". Me: "what people?" her:"everyone" me"people you'll never see again, why do you care if they are?" (they really werent anyway). her:"I dont" me:"then why mention it?" her:"I dont know...." end of convo. I start out annoyed but end up amused because I know she DOES care and is convinced everyone is staring (they never are) but she gets backed into a corner. The trick is to only ask questions, so that they start to question themselves. ONce you start making statments, you get defensive and end up in an argument. Or maybe thats just me.

I love it!!

[Maluhia]

The chest xray is horrid with RSV but it really depends on the age - my DD had to have it at 2 and not at 3 when we had the same ER experience - it was about if she was in a chubby stage, etc.

I do remember though that they nice little Northern NY hospital that admitted her for two days had nary a person freak that I wanted her oxygen tent crib to be sidecarred to a bed and that I slept with my top half in the crib and my boob in her mouth IN the oxygen tent with her. I was so damn ready for a fight and all I got was "what a great Mom you are" comments.

[Night_Nurse]

The nurses response was inappropriate. I hope you'll write the dept. manager of the ER and tell him/her what was said.