An Enemy As A Patient

[Kiren]

Some nursing school friends and I were wondering what do you do as a nurse if you have a patient whom you have had friction with outside the clinical setting. Do you set your differences aside or do you ask another nurse to care for them? I would be afraid he/she might try to get you into trouble.

[Kiren]

Simple, when you go in the room to greet your patient/enemy explain it's perfectly normal procedure to place the blood pressure cuff around the neck ...

If it were my dad's girlfriend I'd be tempted to do that.

[TazziRN, RN]

If it was something big I would try to get out of the assignment. If minor, I would talk with the pt and ask if s/he would prefer another nurse (I've done this). If it were my ex I would flatly refuse to take care of him and I know admin would back me up once I explained.

[TazziRN, RN]

I thought it was pretty standard procedure to not take care of people you know personally.

True, but not easily done in a rural facility like mine. Everyone knows everyone else and is related to someone who works at the hospital or clinic!