As a nursing student, I realize that I have much to learn about dealing with difficult patients. This last semester I was assigned a patient on a med-surg floor who was known to be “contrary." The staff nurse taking care of her was fresh out of school, too (just over a year), and the two of us were trying to take care of this woman--without much success.
When the lunch tray arrived we had just finished giving the patient her insulin coverage and were trying to convince her to take her other PO medications when she threatened to hit the staff nurse with a green bean. We both had to excuse ourselves to giggle outside the room before going back and finally convincing the woman to take her medications and eat her lunch.
I mentioned this to my clinical instructor (who had been a CNA for 10 years before her 10 years as an RN) and sarcastically thanked her for giving me such a difficult patient. The next time I went into her room that day, my clinical instructor went with me. I was amazed at the change in attitude the patient had with my instructor! She was nice, communicative, and cooperative - all because my instructor held her hand for a little bit while talking to her!
With all the stresses of school work and the preparation required of me for each clinical day, I had been feeling sort of disconnected. I questioned why I had chosen to go into such a difficult profession; I had lost the reason and was just focusing on “I just gotta get through it!” In those few minutes I watched my instructor interact with my patient, I remembered why I was doing what I was doing--and actually got to witness what the nursing profession really is all about.
It’s essential to take the time to connect to that “difficult” patient--make them feel better, make them feel valued, make them feel that you really care.
Since then, whenever I find I’m having a problem connecting with a patient or come to the conclusion that I just don’t like them, I think of that day and try to bring the spirit of my clinical instructor to my interactions with the current patient (and then I thank my lucky stars that I only have to deal with them once!!).
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December 13th, 2007 at 10:53 am
I had to have a sigmoidoscopy done. To say the least, I was not a happy camper. When the nurse gently but firmly placed her hand on my shoulder I felt OK. I knew that someone knew and cared that I was in pain. In years of search and rescue operations, I think the best work I have done is in holding a victims hand, or touching them in some way, telling them that we are here to help. Keep up the good work.
December 14th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Therapeutic touch is God’s gift He created in us. He gave us soft animals to cuddle and pet. He gave us arms to enfold others. He gave us the ability to communicate on more levels than we are even aware of. If nothing else a gentle hand says “You’re not alone” and “I care.”
I believe a nurse should always work on the premis that there is actually no such thing as a difficlut patient. If you’re truly doing holistic nursing then you define the pain that is causing that behaviour and then you can address the root of the problem. It is up to the client then to decide if he or she will respond positively. Most do.
February 5th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
I work on a labor and delivery unit, and out of all the women who receive epidurals, you would not believe the number of them who reach out to grab my hands to hold during the procedure. And almost 90% of the time, (and it may just be because they’re more comfortable) I feel a closer relationship with these women for the remainder of the shift. All due to such a small gesture, it’s unreal.