Taking Some Motherly Advice

(Our nursing home has a group of volunteers that often help the nurses during meals and do most of the activities with the residents. This sometimes causes visitors to try to get the volunteers to do things they aren’t allowed to, or things even nurses aren’t allowed to do such as give medication at inappropriate times or give extra medication when residents go on holidays with the family. In this case I exit the elevator and hear an argument.)

Visitor: “I don’t see what the problem is; I want to take my mother to [Local Restaurant] but I need her medication. Now, go get them.”

Volunteer: “Ma’am, I’d love to, but I can’t. I don’t know which medication your mother needs nor the exact dosage. You’ll have to speak to a nurse about that.”

Visitor: “You ARE a nurse. You work here. Stop being lazy and go get my mother’s pills!”

Volunteer: *notices me and points at me* “I’m not a nurse, but [My Name] is. If you ask her she can check which medication your mother needs and give them to you.”

Visitor: “If you’re not a nurse then why are you in my mother’s room?”

Volunteer: “I was picking her up to go to the dining room; neither of us were aware you were going to come and pick her up. Now, since [My Name] is here she can help you with the medication. I’ll go and take other residents to the dining room.”

(At this point the resident opens her door.)

Visitor: “You stop right there. I demand you do your job and get me those pills and then go get your manager or whatever so I can complain about you!”

(Before anyone can say or do a thing the mother speaks up.)

Resident: “God d*** it. Can you not embarrass me for once? First off, I don’t need medication during lunch!, Second of all, we agreed to go out for lunch tomorrow, and third of all if you don’t apologize to [Volunteer] right now I’ll go out for lunch with her instead of you!”

Visitor: *mumbles and checks her phone, then runs away after yelling “I’m sorry”*

Resident: “[Volunteer], you’re free tomorrow?”

Volunteer: “I am”

Resident: “Good. If you want, pick me up at 11 and we’ll go to [Local Restaurant].”