Baffled

[GitanoRN]

Certainly, I'm quit sure I'm not the only nurse that has noticed this, let me explain what leaves me baffled with couples. For example, let's say a couple comes in seeking medical assistance. However, during triage the male,can't answer any questions asked by the nurse, even though there's no medical problem with his speech. Moreover, he has to look at his partner or wife to verify every single questioned asked. In addition, when asked what medication are you taking? once again they can't answer, and if the partner forgets their medication, they get upset with them. In addition, this is the time I take to educate the pt. and tell them that it's not your partner's duty, is your responsibility to know this information. Having said that, don't get me wrong, I understand if the pt. is in severe pain, and they can't answer these questions. However, the patients whom I'm referring to, are alert and able to answer. Therefore, I wonder what these people do when their other half is not present? This leaves me BAFFLED... I'm quite sure you have your own "Baffled moments with patients" I'm interested in hearing a few as well~

[Altra, BSN, RN]

This thread had the unintentional effect of making me feel better about the man I'm married to.

That's the truth. I would point out that the "I have to ..." comments are not things that have to be done ... the person is just choosing to do them. But I have faith that the intelligent professionals here know that.

[rntj]

I had to laugh when I read this. I WAS that female answering all the questions when my husband was in the hospital, and I tried not to do it but I just could not help myself. *Hangs head in shame

[GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Needless to say, I have read all of the entries and I would like to thank you for all of you for the responses. In addition, it's good to hear that I'm not the only one that encounters this on a daily basis, however, lately, I have decided just to move on and let the partner, wife, significant other do the talking for the pt. since it's never going to change

[Cul2]

"sweetheart, i'm pretty sure they were kidding. it was in fun. calm down.and be careful going home."

pretty sure, huh? yes, and god help a group of male nurses who joke like this about female patients. men don't get medical

care as often as women, don't go to the doctor, etc. there are many reasons, and the medical profession

in general doesn't seem very interested in those reasons. perhaps one reason don't seek medical care as often as women is the stereotyping and attitudes and double standards expressed on these threads. i know. i know. it's all only in jest. easy way to avoid criticism. just say it's all a joke.

[GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN]

"sweetheart, i'm pretty sure they were kidding. it was in fun. calm down.and be careful going home."

pretty sure, huh? yes, and god help a group of male nurses who joke like this about female patients. men don't get medical

care as often as women, don't go to the doctor, etc. there are many reasons, and the medical profession

in general doesn't seem very interested in those reasons. perhaps one reason don't seek medical care as often as women is the stereotyping and attitudes and double standards expressed on these threads. i know. i know. it's all only in jest. easy way to avoid criticism. just say it's all a joke.

needless to say, no one was up-set including myself i was just "baffled" on how we men act, the moment there's a medical staff in front of us...just a mere observation

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

I prefer to go with my husband to his doctor appointments. He doesn't understand/remember everything that is said. They do recommend that you have someone else with you at appointments so that you don't forget something that was said. I happem to agree with this. I don't mind who gives me the patient info I need, as long as I get it.

[zofran]

Lol.....I just asked my husband if he knew the name of his BP medication. He only knew "It starts with an L."Lisinopril! Made him repeat it until he remembered. I will test him on it in one week.

[Jenni811, RN]

what even leaves me more baffled is when you get a patient who is total assist, up with 2, on oxygen, sets up their own meds, manages their own diabetes, puts on their own ted hose, and wipes their own a$$....

but yet, when they are in the hospital, they can't do a single one of those things. They can't name the medications they are on, how much oxygen they are on. They don't know how to eat a diabetic diet or why we have to "keep checking their sugars". they don't wipe their own a$$.

given, if they had surgery...thats a whole different story. But if they come in the same way they are at home. WHAT THE HECK ARE THEY DOING AT HOME???? makes me so scared for these people.

[kids]

This thread had the unintentional effect of making me feel better about the man I'm married to.

Indeed (tho I feel pretty good about the man I'm married to all the time).

I raised 3 children, thank God I'm not married to one also.

[Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN]

what even leaves me more baffled is when you get a patient who is total assist, up with 2, on oxygen, sets up their own meds, manages their own diabetes, puts on their own ted hose, and wipes their own a$$....

but yet, when they are in the hospital, they can't do a single one of those things. They can't name the medications they are on, how much oxygen they are on. They don't know how to eat a diabetic diet or why we have to "keep checking their sugars". they don't wipe their own a$$.

given, if they had surgery...thats a whole different story. But if they come in the same way they are at home. WHAT THE HECK ARE THEY DOING AT HOME???? makes me so scared for these people.

Hospital Induced Paralysis. It is a syndrome in which an individual becomes completely helpless upon crossing the hospital threshold.

[canned_bread]

Just in reference to this, my sister was a stutterer and I used to speak "for" her sometimes when she couldn't get her words right, which happened when she was scared, tired, or with certain strangers. She still has it, no treatment has fixed it 100%. Perhaps something like this could have been it.

Baffling is when a patient comes in and says "my abdominal pain is 10/10, I can't even walk without being hunched over!" and they ambulate when they know you are watching bent over. Then you watch them out of the corner of your eye laughing with their visitors, and moving without any evidence of pain! It makes me wonder why they are in the loud uncomfortable ED when they clearly don't seem to be in emergency distress!! Who would choose that?!

[Cul2]

"hospital induced paralysis. it is a syndrome in which an individual becomes completely helpless upon crossing the hospital threshold."

hospitals can "induce" the kind of behavior you describe -- if they have that power -- then they also have the power to induce the opposite. poor hospital "cultures," policies designed merely for efficiency, staff burnout and poor attitudes, (which too often come out on these blogs), lack of any kind of patient-centered care -- these things and others most often cause the kind of behavior you're describing. if patients feel like their being treated like objects, they start behaving like objects. they don't all of a sudden become stupid when they enter hospitals. humans quickly adapt to the atmosphere around them. when they feel powerless, many become powerless in order to survive. unfortunately, the cultures of too many hospitals enable this kind of behavior.