Dealing with rude pt.

Sour Lemon · Jun 9, 2018

How do you deal with a patient who is just way out of like. I just stood there smiling repectfully doing my job until finally I could leave the room. After I had to go to the med room to breath I was so mad I was about to cry! I asked my supervisor to take over the room and requested I not work that room anymore. It wasn't a one time thing it lasted almost the entire shift I tried to kill with kindness and I failed. So I removed myself from the situation. Is there any better way to handle this or did I do the right thing?

Patients who are non-stop horrible to one nurse are usually non-stop horrible to all nurses. If I "removed myself", someone else would have to take over and my conscious would not allow that.

I tend to tough it out and ask for the patient assignment to be rotated the next day. My conscious does not require that my suffering be prolonged.

NightNerd, MSN, RN · Jun 9, 2018

Patients like that should be rotated anyway. Usually it is not a personal thing, they are just generally miserable and take it out on anyone and everyone. Knowing that (or at least believing it to be true) usually gets me through the shift without too much emotional distress. If they know what they're doing, I'm also going to be real with them that their behavior is unacceptable. We can do our jobs and take good care of people while also setting appropriate limits and boundaries, and just because I'm preserving your life, safety, and dignity, I don't have to be particularly warm and fuzzy if you're not even going to be polite.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jun 9, 2018

How do you deal with a patient who is just way out of like. I just stood there smiling repectfully doing my job until finally I could leave the room. After I had to go to the med room to breath I was so mad I was about to cry! I asked my supervisor to take over the room and requested I not work that room anymore. It wasn't a one time thing it lasted almost the entire shift I tried to kill with kindness and I failed. So I removed myself from the situation. Is there any better way to handle this or did I do the right thing?

Patients who behave like that will usually behave that way with everyone. If you won't take that patient again, someone else has to. That person has no less right to choose not to deal with the patient than you do, however if everyone chooses not to deal with him, who is going to take care of him? "Killing someone with kindness" doesn't always work. And that patient still needs a nurse.

You will have to take care of patients like that many times over your career. Don't take it personally. It isn't personal -- that patient is just a butthead and would be a butthead to anyone. The trick is not to care so much. It isn't about YOU, it's about HIM. He's a jerk. Just let it slide off your back.

Be kind to your coworkers. While this kind of patient should be rotated amongst the staff, you should be taking your turn with him as well.

psu_213, BSN, RN · Jun 10, 2018

Don't take it personally. No one likes being treated like that...it is just part of the job. Provide care like you would to any pt.

Is someone is chronically miserable, they are likely to also be rude to restaurant servers, grocery story check out clerks, their doctor, etc as well.

Even if someone is usually a cheerful person who is nice to everyone, being ill in the hospital can push them to be more testy (rude, etc.).

Either way, even though you are there, it is not directed at you. It is a combination of (a) how they always are and/or (b) coping with their illness. Again, don't take it personally.

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Jun 14, 2018

Grow a thick skin. I feel bad for that person because something is going on in that person's life to make them lash out. I kill them with kindness.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Jun 14, 2018

Patients who are non-stop horrible to one nurse are usually non-stop horrible to all nurses. If I "removed myself", someone else would have to take over and my conscious would not allow that.
I tend to tough it out and ask for the patient assignment to be rotated the next day. My conscious does not require that my suffering be prolonged.

I think you mean to say conscience-and I agree with all of the above. The OP should have set firm boundaries, stuck it out for her shift, and requested a change the next day.