How do you meet/greet your patients in a hospital setting?

[lisa41rn]

I was a case mgr about a year ago in a hospital and it was similar to a factory for the lack of a better term - patients would be admitted and discharged quicker than any other hospital I've ever worked at. They also had the highest readmssion rate in the state - no surprise. I just took a new case mgr position at a different hospital which is more easy going about discharging patients. In fact they are so easy going I'm having a hard time finding that perfect discharge time, but I'm sure I will.

My question is in making my first connection with my patients at this hospital is much harder than the other hospital I was in. My current hospital has more "sophisticated" clients where as I was working in the city previously and frankly found those clients easier to deal with. In the past week, I've met one patient who gave me such a dirty look when I discussed any discharge needs that I wanted to tell her to stop being so rude! It was as if she clearly didn't need any help and didn't want to be bothered with me offering it! Many seem to feel we are asking questions which are none of our business even though I make it known the questions will help us to help them have a safe discharge. My job includes a high patient count (as most of us have!), so I need to get in and get my answers quickly yet in a way my patients don't feel I'm rushing them. Frankly I am not sure why I have to see every OBS patient or young patient when they are in for a simple procedure if their H&P says they work FT and have kids and are married, etc. Certainly it doesn't hurt to see everyone, but touching base with the nurses can be done in cases where it appaers a patient has no discharge needs.

Anyway, I'm wondering how some of you introduce yourselves, explain your position and so on. While I did this a year ago, it was only for a year per diem and I never had the reactions I've gotten lately. Maybe it's just the clientel I'm dealing with now; thankfully I've only had this happen a couple times, but boy, can people be rude!! Thanks for your ideas!