I think any one of us would be lying if we said “Never!” There are always difficult patients but you must remember at all times to treat each and every patient with respect, dignity and the best care you can give. There are usually other issues in their life (and in your life too!) Empathy may develop as you get to know the patient. You can always ask for a different assignment the next shift. They all leave eventually. Just remain professional at all times.You will be glad you did.
Lol yes!! Some patients can be overwhelming in the needs they have. A lot of them just want to talk and be heard. Some are used to how things are at home and expect it to be just that when they get to a facility. And the FAMILY!! Let’s not get started there
Hopefully we went into Nursing with high quality care and compassion in mind. I think you are unnecessarily preaching to the choir here, and I find it somewhat insulting.
absolutely....the abusive, beligerent, unsafe, unappreciative, self entitled/self seeking patients who lie about COVID exposures or symptoms. I'll get rid of them in a NY minute. Recently contracted COVID because of a liar and now I'm suffering the consequences of the illness....thanks. We bust our humps for people like this day in/out and for what?? To be yelled at or dictated to as to what they need only to suffer a poor Press Ganey patient satisfaction survey because they didn't get a z-pack. pffft, good riddens.
The WORST two types of patients are those with borderline personality disorder and those with anti social personality disorder. There are others but they are less annoying and more likely to be less aggressive once you establish professional boundaries. My best suggestion is ...when they shout, sedate them out!
That was how i got my nickname of Man Of Steel where I worked
Nobody like everyone all the time, and some people are just so outside of our desired experience level we are pleased to see the door close on them. Patients, family, co-workers, and outsiders.
The reason we want to see patient go sometimes have more to do with us, our beliefs, our knowledge, and sometime frustration with the needs we cannot fulfill.
We are taught and socialized to expect certain behaviors of our patients and they expect certain things back from us "Because that is how we have always done it.!"
We have been socialized to do things "the scientific way", or the "nursing way", or in advanced practice we emulate the fine scientific doctors who really know so much more than we do and lead the SCIENCE of medicine (hopefully you noted the tongue buried in my cheek with the last).
Because we are socialized we get frustrated when our patient do not follow the book. We forget they have seldom read the book and with the typical patient background when they read the book there are misinterpretations that can grate on our last nerve.
Nursing, yes, even advance practice nursing, IS an ART. use the art side of humanity to win them over or assist in making healthcare work their way.
Is it your patient 'non-compliant or is it you who is non-receptive??"
Are YOU so far removed from the patients life experiences that you cannot conceive of them not being able to do what is prescribed for them.
Most of my lost patents are because I am frustrated with my inability to get them the Person care they need as opposed to cookbook we are forced to use with our current seriously broken system.
I went on a long and involved discussion about patient care but this is too long already .... maybe I need a teachable site!
I do PACU for out patient facilities, and I can honestly say never. In fact I get in trouble for not rushing them out quicker. I don't like making them feeling like I'm trying to rush them out, but I do sure then when they are ready they can leave now.
When I did OBS bed side nursing, the total care and dementia patients, I'm honestly say I hope I don't how get them, but if I do, I never let them feel they from me. I just take a deep breath and focus on caring for them to and here for them
Never, I Learn from all my patients
Of course, being professional and taking the high road is always key. I have a pretty long fuse and am very patient, but even I admit there was a patient many years ago who for quite some time was nonverbal due to his medical condition and when he "woke up" so to speak....I SO wished he was nonverbal again because he was really tough to deal with.
