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Discussion

How to Be Less Judgmental

Although I currently work as a nurse at a rehab center outside of the hospital, I do have a position where I frequently work with ER patients inside the hospital. I know this sounds wrong, but sometimes I can't help but wonder why certain patients feel the need to come into the ER when they are clearly not having an emergency. I know some of it is because lack of insurance, inability to see a local doctor outside of the ER, etc. But, sometimes I wonder why it's even worth it for them to come in and think to myself that, if I were in their position, I would not be coming to the ER. In fact, depending on what their non-emergent complaint is, I find myself annoyed. As healthcare professionals, we're supposed to treat each person the same, and I worry that my annoyance with these non-emergent patients could come across when providing patient care. I became a nurse and healthcare professional to help care for all people, not judge them. What are your suggestions as to how to reduce any judgment/annoyance I may have so my patient care is not diminished?

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    Also, unfortunately, sometimes I find myself thinking of these people as "extra work" rather than a person who needs their concerns addressed and I'm not proud of this at all.

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    What are your suggestions as to how to reduce any judgment/annoyance I may have so my patient care is not diminished?

    This might be easier said than done. I think that you need accept the fact that you will not change the world. You can try to educate and support patients when appropriate but try to come to terms with the fact that other people's behavior is outside of your control. People are what they are.

    Getting annoyed and frustrated by the behavior of others robs you of energy and happiness and as you correctly realize, might also affect how you do your job.

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    It's hard not to be annoyed by something that is annoying.

    How you feel about something is how you feel.

    How you act is completely is completely within your control.

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    I am not an ER nurse but I work in public health. Have you asked some of them why they came to the ER instead of their PCP? Usually the answer can be I don't have a PCP or I don't like my PCP or their appts are a month out... So I teach my patients about how to change doctors, who are some good ones i recommend, or here's a clinic that takes walk in appointments ("this clinic can help you for such problems in the future and they have shorter waiting times than the ER... Here's their phone number and walk in hours... And if you like a doctor you meet over there you can request to see them again and that way your doctor will get to know you and can better help you with all your health issues). I give them numbers and address of urgent care clinics and review what issues need ER care vs urgent care. I tell them who to call to resolve their insurance issues or Medicaid issues. But then again theres often no time to have these conversations with patients... Especially in the ER! Consider SW consult if they need help finding primary care. Consider giving them education and written information what warrants an ER visit and specifically where they can seek fast and easy access to primary care.

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    Those patients are job security. Just get them their sandwiches and their zofran, then go home and count your money.

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    Reading Leadership and Self Deception helped me immensely to not go to that judgmental corner.

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