How much personal info you do share with a patient?

Nurses General Nursing

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I am a nursing student and this issue has always bothered me. I have had patients ask me personal questions, i.e. if I am married, have children, etc. Most of the time I do not mind answering these questions but I am not sure if this is appropriate. Next quarter I will be doing peds and ob. What amount of information is appropriate to share?

Thanks!

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I don't answer these questions. Sorry, but I currently have a creep of a pt harassing me and it started when someone gave him the info I was married. So...nope, no one gets any info out of me.

Most of my nursing career has been in the ER and few people are interested in me, they only want to be taken care of. I always try to redirect the focus to them...as in...

1. I just skate over it as if I didn't hear them.

2. I throw it back in their lap: "oh gosh, lets focus on what I can do for you"

3. If they are persistent, I then say, "my focus is on you and I don't answer personal questions."

Sorry, but there are a bunch of creeps and weirdos in the world and I'm sure I don't want folks knowing my personal business.

Specializes in Peri-op/Sub-Acute ANP.

I don't think that most people mean any harm at all when they ask such questions. They are in a hospital, probably nervous and certainly not feeling their best. They are just making conversation and trying to make a connection. I'm not saying that you should give everyone you meet your bank account number, but the type of idle chatter that most people want to engage in is just an attempt to make "normal" an abnormal situation for most people.

As far as what's appropriate, I would say that only you can be the judge of that. If you feel it's too invasive and inappropriate, then it is. Just bear in mind, like I said, that most people are just trying to connect in a human, not creepy kind of a way.

Specializes in psych, addictions, hospice, education.

I don't see a problem with sharing generic personal information, like if married, have kids, etc., but here are the rules I go by:

1. don't answer if I feel uncomfortable at all

2. don't continue sharing if the discussion becomes about me and not about the patient

Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.

It really depends on the situation. I am country girl and now I work in a small town hospital so the feel is much different than at a large urban hospital. Most of the time I don't mind sharing about myself to the little old ladies and gentlemen who come in for surgery. Most people are completely harmless and are just curious about the person taking care of them and enjoy conversing with staff. Of course there is the occasional "whacko" and usually that becomes pretty apparent from the get go. I don't share personal information with psych patients, prisoners, and patients who are flirting with me. For the most part however people are generally just honestly curious and just like making conversation. Usually I will very briefly answer their question and then quickly redirect the conversation back to them.

It really depends on the situation. I am country girl and now I work in a small town hospital so the feel is much different than at a large urban hospital. Most of the time I don't mind sharing about myself to the little old ladies and gentlemen who come in for surgery. Most people are completely harmless and are just curious about the person taking care of them and enjoy conversing with staff. Of course there is the occasional "whacko" and usually that becomes pretty apparent from the get go. I don't share personal information with psych patients, prisoners, and patients who are flirting with me. For the most part however people are generally just honestly curious and just like making conversation. Usually I will very briefly answer their question and then quickly redirect the conversation back to them.

I agree, working in a smaller hospital makes it harder not to share some personal information with your patients. The problem that I have is when I run into a previous patient in the grocery store. In general I try to keep it very generic, no names and I never tell anyone where I live other than "in the area". :D

Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

i usually don't mind answering parsonal questions to a point. MArried, kids, ok. But anything beyond that i don't answer. I usually just turn it around back to the patient like traumarus said - "oh, i am much more interested in you."

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I would like to think that people are generally good

Most people are, I might have a attitude, but I am good

Some people are bad, they might ask questions that seem innocent, but have ulterior motives.

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

If you are young and pretty and the inquirer is male, then the wise course is to avoid anything personal. If the asker of the questions is a harmless little old lady, then a little harmless chit chat can be theraputic for the patient.

Entirely dependent on many factors. Just my opinion.

Specializes in Med/Surg.

I think it depends on a WHOLE lot of things.

I use my instinct on the person, if the question is, whether I'm single, married, whatever.

The one time I can remember sharing more than usual, I had a patient admitted for a very painful condition. My colleagues generally thought she was drug-seeking, and did not have a good understanding of what she was going through. I, however, did.....I suffer from the same condition. I (pretty vaguely) told her my experience...it made a world of difference to her, to know that someone DID not only understand, but had been there too. Normally I WILL NOT share that much info, but I really thought it was something she needed, and I was right. The rest of her hospitalization was much better for her, knowing that someone really did understand, and not only sympathize, but empathize.

Specializes in midwifery, ophthalmics, general practice.

I work in a general practice setting; i was 18 yrs in my last practice and the patients knew me nearly as well as i knew them! living in the same town as my patients meant i saw them outside work as well as at work. I've been invited to weddings/christening and funerals. I have no problems sharing information- they've seen me pregnant and watched my kids grow up! it does make for a good relationship and means they cant lie to me!!

I know that working in a hospital is much different than working in LTC in terms of sharing personal info.

I work LTC in the town I grew up in (but don't live in that town any longer, live 1 town away) and I was constantly asked "are you married" "do you have children" "do you live around here" "where did you grow up" "how old are you" etc when I first started the position. Since I was new, I understood these questions would be fired off at me. These residents knew all the other staff and were curious about the "new girl".

Most times the residents are trying to make a connection with me, something other than I am their nurse, they are my patient. Most are trying to figure out my age/where I grew up to see if they new me in my younger years or if their children or grandchildren were close to my age. It gives them something to talk to me about.

I have no problems answering most questions from my residents. Chances of them "stalking" me are slim to nill :D And since my name tag has my full name first and last, it wouldn't be too hard for them to do so if they really, really wanted to.

I answer what I am comfortable with. I see no harm in telling the residents I am married, I am 39, I have two daughters etc. My residents seemed much more comfortable knowing something about me when I first started. Now only 6 months later they all see me as "family"

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