by Lone Stranger

How do you get over the fear of hurting your patient? I hurdled blood typing last summer but this year will bring things like NGT, catheterization, traches, etc. Frankly, I'm scared to death of hurting my patient. How did you fellas get over it? What was the learning curve like? I'd appreciate your sharing your experiences.

Re: Sticking 'Em the First Time

hmmmnn...you got me thinking. i know this isn't a solution but just a way to go around it: the power of suggestion...as you comfort your patient by saying 'uh..this'll just be like an ant's bite', under your breath, believe what you're saying... even if you know that it's really a mammoth ant's bite you're talking about. nobody wants pain or cause pain (well, normally...) but if it's part of getting somebody to be better, then maybe i'll just have to try to be creative and get myself to think beyond it until someone out there is genius enough to find a way to isolate pain from cure. so i'm convinced nursing is both tough job and a special calling not for everyone.

Re: Sticking 'Em the First Time

You're doing it for their benefit. You may be causing them some discomfort, but it's to stop or prevent something worse.

Re: Sticking 'Em the First Time

Originally Posted by Lone Stranger

How do you get over the fear of hurting your patient? I hurdled blood typing last summer but this year will bring things like NGT, catheterization, traches, etc. Frankly, I'm scared to death of hurting my patient. How did you fellas get over it? What was the learning curve like? I'd appreciate your sharing your experiences.

1) Pick the lesser of two evils. You can put that IV or listen to your doctor's and oncoming nurse's loud, shouting voice AND causing harm to your patient because you didn't put that IV so he can get his IV meds.
2) Explain what you're going to do and how you'll do it. Studies show that pain can increase from not knowing what's going to happen. Tell ur patients the steps you'll take and what he/she can expect. I don't agree telling your patients it's like an ant's bite because to some it could be a gimongous ant like what nursewnabe said! Pain is subjective, so don't downplay it. Be honest and maybe say, it will be painful, but I will try to be as gentle as possible.
3) Premedicate. You can use EMLA or a SQ lidocaine. Or if they can get a touch of morphine or any pain meds or ativan for anxiety, then give it.
4) Ask someone to be with you. Ask your charge to be with you when you do the procedure. Tell her/him how you feel and ask if they could be there, even for moral support. They can stand there and maybe talk to your patient as you do the procedure.

My advice is to use your fear to your and your patient's advantage. Leave some of that fear so you can advocate for your patient. FOr example, if they don't really need a fourth IV, you can save them a lot more of pokes or if they really don't need that foley and strong enough to use the bathroom or a bed pan then don't put it in. If it's not really needed save them the pain and talk to the MD. Hope this helps.

Re: Sticking 'Em the First Time

Originally Posted by IseeU_rn

1) Pick the lesser of two evils. You can put that IV or listen to your doctor's and oncoming nurse's loud, shouting voice AND causing harm to your patient because you didn't put that IV so he can get his IV meds.
2) Explain what you're going to do and how you'll do it. Studies show that pain can increase from not knowing what's going to happen. Tell ur patients the steps you'll take and what he/she can expect. I don't agree telling your patients it's like an ant's bite because to some it could be a gimongous ant like what nursewnabe said! Pain is subjective, so don't downplay it. Be honest and maybe say, it will be painful, but I will try to be as gentle as possible.
3) Premedicate. You can use EMLA or a SQ lidocaine. Or if they can get a touch of morphine or any pain meds or ativan for anxiety, then give it.
4) Ask someone to be with you. Ask your charge to be with you when you do the procedure. Tell her/him how you feel and ask if they could be there, even for moral support. They can stand there and maybe talk to your patient as you do the procedure.

My advice is to use your fear to your and your patient's advantage. Leave some of that fear so you can advocate for your patient. FOr example, if they don't really need a fourth IV, you can save them a lot more of pokes or if they really don't need that foley and strong enough to use the bathroom or a bed pan then don't put it in. If it's not really needed save them the pain and talk to the MD. Hope this helps.

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well, i'll be darned, isseeurn...i guess not all people respond well to harmless (yet not pain free) white lies... i'll surely remember this.

Re: Sticking 'Em the First Time

Hello Lone Stranger,

I've experienced your situation many times before, in my previous profession as a med lab technologist. We were forced to overcome it real quick, having to do close to a hundred venipunctures a day...When I was still in school, I even had a classmate of mine practice on my arm, do it successfully, and then he goes.."Are you okay?"...i say..."Yeah! you?"...he says "Good! Me? im fine." He then turns a few shades lighter and promptly passes out on the floor with the tourniquet still on my arm.

Hehe, now that may have been a bit extreme, but he got over it after a week of doing it lots of times each day. Different people have different ways of dealing with it, but most of them just kind of concentrate on doing the procedure as skillfully as they can. That's what counts.

"Courage is not the absence of fear, its the realization that there are more important things than being afraid at the moment."...

Re: Sticking 'Em the First Time

Thanks for your responses, folks! I'll be referring to them often. Just this morning I went on the receiving end of a needle to get my blood lipid profile (nd blood sugar) and marveled at the verve of the Med Tech who did it. Me, I just steeled myself to watch the needle go in (yes, I can do this, I am man enough... now breathe, don't forget to breathe). One in, bright red blood goes out, and it's over. She made it look so easy. I'll get to where you're at too. It's inevitable this turning-into-a-nurse thing. Next week the school unleashes us on a hapless local community. Ha!

LS

Re: Sticking 'Em the First Time

This I will most definitely attempt. And no, no mammoth ants either.
LS

Originally Posted by nrswnabee

hmmmnn...the power of suggestion...as you comfort your patient by saying 'uh..this'll just be like an ant's bite', under your breath, believe what you're saying... even if you know that it's really a mammoth ant's bite you're talking about.

Re: Sticking 'Em the First Time

i remembered this thread as i went for my hep b shot just this afternoon. even if knew the answer to my question i asked the nurse--"will it hurt?" she smiled sweetly as she swabbed my arm: "i can't promise you it won't but i'll make it quick." before i could react, she plunged the needle through. it sure didn't feel nice but because the nurse was fast on the draw, the pain didn't last as long as it probably should. it helped that the nurse kept everything short and sweet.

Re: Sticking 'Em the First Time

that's the kind of nurse that cares...