Complimaints

"Room 32 wants to see the charge nurse."

Oh great, I think. I'm trying to deal with this patient here who's seriously into respiratory acidosis and someone wants me to come listen to their complaints about their water pitcher or some shit.

"Tell them I'll be there as soon as possible... but don't say it as sarcastically as I just did."

15 minutes later I make it down to Room 32 and find the patient and 4 family members. This won't be over quickly. I won't enjoy this.

One of the family members speaks, "We just wanted to compliment the aide you have tonight. She is an absolute joy! Hard working, courteous, pleasant! My mother's been in the hospital a lot lately, and we've had to put up with many people who were, shall we say, not very nice. So we just wanted to let you know. Maybe you can pass that on to whoever handles her evaluations."

Wow.

A few words about that aide: she has a thick accent that most of the nurses and patients often have trouble understanding, she runs around like the Tasmanian Devil doing anything and everything, and when a patient is in distress she in on the nurse nonstop until it's relieved.

She's a pain in the ass.

She's also the only aide you'd want if you were a patient.