Getting to know your patients.

backatit2 · Mar 3, 2011

i personally like it -we have one. it's not REQUIRED that the patients fill it out.

granted, yes, most of the time we DO get to know these things and it's not hard to strike up a conversation with most patients - but there have been a few patients that aren't all that "outgoing" or even responsive. when i was doing clinicals in a rehab unit, there was an older, quiet man and his said "favorite food - raw meat" and that gave me something to strike up a conversation about.

bottom line - they do more help than harm so i see no reason NOT to use them.

backatit2 · Mar 3, 2011

We have to do that stuff too and more. I think it is incredibly condescending and transparent to ask "who are the important people in your life". I tell them that I have a bunch of stupid questions to ask them and please bear with me, that seems to get me through to most people. I always skip the pet question though, it just makes we want to vomit. Do I really care about Schmoopy? No. And any person with a shred of human intelligence would wonder about my sanity for asking. Another example of vice president thought process gone amuck. If I am meeting the patient for the first time I think it is weird to know everything about them. I find it more socially comfortable to just ask them appropriate questions on first meeting than check the chart and "bone up" on their grandchildren's names. I must be old fashioned, I guess I should just check their Facebook page.

i wouldn't necessarily ask people about their pets either - but just the other night when i was offering ice cream to an elderly man who was there alone, he lit up like a christmas tree telling me about his two dogs who would get on each side of him and try to get his ice cream every time he ate it which led to a conversation about discipline (of dogs) to discipline of children - and then he started telling me his wife wasn't there bc they (an elderly couple) were raising their daughter's two very young children. one small, seemingly insignificant piece of information can create a bond between you and your patient. like i said, it can only do good - it can't do any harm - and i think saying things like, "bear with me while i ask these stupid questions" lets them know that you don't want to know the answers and shuts them down.

could i live my life without knowing about this man's dogs and his family life? absolutely. did it make a difference in his attitude and probably even the feedback he'll give about his visit because i took less than 5 minutes to listen? you bet.

not to mention - i guarantee he was lying there hungry and if i hadn't brought up the subject, he wouldn't in a million years have asked for ice cream. little things can make a big difference and it seems silly not to do it when it's so easy to do.

Old.Timer · Mar 3, 2011

This is what I already said. Is there not some way to explain to families that we are ALREADY aware and are QUITE willing to do these things?
I think nursing in general has taken a BIG hit if pt's and their famlies have to be oriented as to our basic function s. Do we have to stop people at the doorway to explain who does what? When? Why?

I went back and read your earlier post regarding:

"We ALREADY KNOW THIS STUFF! We spend inordinate amounts of time dissecting who the pt. IS, what THEY want; family dynamics, the wishes of the pt. vs. those of the family, and who REALLY gets to make decisions. How many times do we have to repeat ourselves to clueless family members/friends and 'helpers"? If you really feel that this type of thing might be useful on your unit, then I would not want to work in it. It's a bandaid on bigger problems. "

I'm genuinely confused.......if OP and others were commenting about explaining our role to families, patient and family wishes and decision making I totally missed that point.

etaoinshrdluRN · Mar 3, 2011

I would like to know more about my patients on a LTC unit. I work nights, and I don't get to see family and friends. I see them asleep, and really don't have a clue who most of them were and what their interests are. I don't have the time to dig through the notes from social service. But, it almost seems like one more form we would have to fill out on admission. I think it would help if families would hang more pictures or place out notes to us on their tables or on pictures explaining things. It would be nice if people would encourge families to be more proactive in this manner.

When I was in LTC care, my state began encouraging the care plans themselves to be written in the form of an "`I' Care Plan."

The care plan team was encouraged to boil things down to a simple narrative that all personnel could quickly read to get a handle on a demented resident. E.g.:

My name is Lester and I used to build bridges. I still love to look at blueprints and think about engineering projects. I like to walk a lot, although sometimes I need help remembering where I am welcome and where I am not. At night, I sleep well, but if I do wake up, I like to walk. Sometimes, I need reminders where the bathroom is. . . " and so forth. It's a terrific capsule that an aide can carry in her pocket.

NurseyPoo7 · Mar 13, 2011

I'm not sure how this is animal hospital-ish?? I've never been to a vets and had them ask me to fill things about what kind of things my pets like to do/play with?

My friend's stepmother filled out the one for my friend's father... the nurses were then able to know who was important to him (since he was sedated and on a vent) and know how much he likes country music, his dog and mud hopping (it's a redneck thing in case you were unaware).

Most of my patients are confused or unable to communicate (CVA/Neuro patients) and often I think a lot of my patients focus only on the hear and now. I think having the nurses come into a room and see the sheet in the room about the patient will enable the nursing staff to strike up a conversation with the patient (or family) about something on the sheet. I think it could potentially increase patient/family satisfaction... the nurses being able to get down to earth with the patients more.

OCNRN63, RN · Mar 13, 2011

We have to do that stuff too and more. I think it is incredibly condescending and transparent to ask "who are the important people in your life". I tell them that I have a bunch of stupid questions to ask them and please bear with me, that seems to get me through to most people. I always skip the pet question though, it just makes we want to vomit. Do I really care about Schmoopy? No. And any person with a shred of human intelligence would wonder about my sanity for asking. Another example of vice president thought process gone amuck. If I am meeting the patient for the first time I think it is weird to know everything about them. I find it more socially comfortable to just ask them appropriate questions on first meeting than check the chart and "bone up" on their grandchildren's names. I must be old fashioned, I guess I should just check their Facebook page.

Thank God. I thought it was just me.

Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN · Mar 13, 2011

I can see some benefits.

My father does not go by his legal name. Never has. Everyone calls him by a nickname. His given name is James Gerald. He goes by Jerry.

If nurses started calling him James, or Jim he probably would not respond. If he couldn't speak, then he wouldn't be able to correct them. Having it written down somewhere to call him Jerry would be good.

I also know people who go by their middle name, not their first name. This would also benefit them.

Altra, BSN, RN · Mar 13, 2011

Did anyone ever think that the average patient during a short inpatient stay does not feel the need to share all this personal info with nurses and/or other staff? Not everyone does the chatty thing.

boogsmom · Mar 13, 2011

I seem to be able to find this information out without a questionnaire. Maybe by taking a few extra minutes with your patient you can do the same? Not saying everyone doesn't... I like finding out about my patients, but I would feel like an idiot asking them those questions during an admission H&P.