If you could make your pt. Knowlegable

I wish for my first time moms that someone would have told them what to expect from labor. I want to make the occassion a special one for them to welcome their new baby but sometimes it is hard because they don't understand why they have to have pain. I wish that someone would have taught the teens that life is to be enjoyed before you assume care of another persons life. I am probably being to optimistic but you did ask.

Yes, I did. I appreciate your honest and thoughtful reply.:)

I wish surgeons would be more truthful about outcomes for surgery (I work in a cardiac ICU). Instead of words like "high risk" and "10-15% mortality." I wish they'd say, "With you being 300+ pounds, a smoker, dialysis dependent, it is unlikely this surgery will be a success. We may have difficulty getting you weaned from the ventilator, we may need to keep you sedated for a few days, you very likely could spend the next month in the hospital, etc." Us surgeons are NOT God...if you still want the surgery, we'll do it. However, medical management may be the best thing for you.

I wish the patient would understand how important it is to keep a updated log of all meds and doses they take, including OTC meds. So much time is spent calling a dozen different pharmacies, doctors, trying to guess what they might be taking because they cant pronounce it, having to wait for the patients families to get home so they can call back and read the labels off the bottles to you over the phone. Geez,, while they are at it if they have an extensive medical history,, keep a log of that with dates too. Only in a perfect world!!!

I realize there is a period of denial. But I sometimes wish families of the dying would not be so heroic and that the medical establishment wouldn't encourage them.

I would transfer the knowlege that the human body is complex- and it needs to heal. So many people come in expecting a pill or treatment to make them well. They become upset and angry when their bodies do not respond in breakneck speed. Many of our patients expect to be discharged fully recovered and get mad when this doesn't happen.

It is especially sad when we have the children of elderly parents come to take mom or dad home and are so mad that their parent is still as sick as they came in. They have seen mom or dad recover from a dx of pneumonia in the past and can't understand why this time they need home O2 and are weaker and sicker than ever. The sad fact that they have a history of CHF, HTN, and advanced age do not seem to make a difference. They expect their loved ones to be fully recovered- and as we know- that does not always happen.

well... for me... perhaps I'm being a touch selfish... but...

I'd like people to know that I only have 2 hands, 2 eyes, 2 feet and 2 legs.... I am not an octopus...

With a crew compliment of 3, with one person on break, (ie, 2 people on the floor) and someone needs a 2 person assist, bad things can happen... its not our fault, nor did we do anything wrong.. we just cant be everywhere at once.

I can only be in 1 place at one time...

I am not indestructable... I cannot lift amazing amounts of weight for a long time with one arm.... I cannot turn and position certain people all by myself...

Um... if the last time you visited your family member was the last holiday, and there is a degenerative disease in that person... and you wonder why they dont recognise you, (instead of wondering why they no longer recognise the toilet, or what its for) dont blame the nurse for brainwashing your family.

Crying wolf is bad.

Dont think that I'm treating your family member, who has dementia poorly, if they keep calling you.... please, come and inspect the facility.... watch your loved ones from a distance and see how they behave... Its sad to say, but, sometimes, once dementia has set in, the person is not the same person you once knew.

Dont promise amazing results from the new alzheimers drugs with a person with advanced dementia w/ confusion and agitation.

I suppose thats it for now

Ive been having a bad night.

--Barbara

I wish we could teach our patients basic common sense about medications. If tylenol worked for their last headache, there's a good chance it will work for this headache. Some basic knowledge about OTC meds would be great and might eliminate the need for a lot of prescriptions.

I'd like to teach people that sometime things just hurt. Needles hurt and just because a shot hurts, doesn't mean the nurse is incompetent or has bad skills. Surgery hurts and no one goes through it 100% pain free.

I'd also like to teach people appropriate use of medical services. ER is not a clinic, nurses don't have time to spend 15 minutes on the phone helping your son with his anatomy or health homework, doctors are not going to drop everything to run to the hospital when you present with a week old rash at 2:00 AM.

I wish patients knew that most nurses are very genuine in their caring attitude. Most of us give everything we have everytime we walk through the doors at work. A lot of times we stay late to help our patients, give up days off, give up our meal breaks, etc to go the extra mile for out patients. Nurses give their very best and should be treated with respect.

I would make sure that the family understands that their wishes do not superceed the wishes of the patient, that having a POA does not mean a thing if the patient has not been declared incompetent to make his/her own decisions. Geez! Don't get me going on this one!

Ahhhhhhhh...if only I had the magic teaching guide.

For me it would be...remember those little pills you started taking (the previous 2 visits to this facility) which eventually resulted in you not getting a needle stuck to your rear end. You might not want to stop taking those when you leave here next time. 1. They will keep you out of here. 2. They will keep the needles to the rear away.

I wish families and patients would understand that there is a difference between a 5 star Hotel and a long term care facility.

Hospital ERs don't have an internationally acclaimed chef on call 24/7.

It hurts/dosen't work right anymore, because you didn't take care of it for the last 20+ years.

Smoking really does cause lung disease and just because you didn't have a diagnosis until last week does not mean that this facility caused you to decline. Your decline has been happening for years, do you remember why you came here? Oh yeh, it was by ambulance because your family couldn't wake you up after you dropped your cigarette on the floor.

Please be honest about your medical history, we really do need this so we can help you with your problem.

If you cannot let go and need futile efforts for your family member, please talk to the social worker and/or the pastor, you may have unresolved issues.

A little bit of knowledge makes for a good story but it can be dangerous...please take the time for me to explain this better.

No I am not going to teach you everything I know and have learned in the last 15 years in the few minutes I have to offer you and your family members.

Sometimes you just have to "talk to GOD about it"....when no one has the answer for your questions.

I hear a common theme here that says they have unrealistic expectations. and a few commented on need for education about medications.

Thank you this is very helpful.

I would like to change the direction of this just a little now. What aspect of your concerns would you ask (if you could) of a nurse educator to address.

If you were to embark on a career (mission) to educate the public what specifically would you like to address. How specific how general would you like it to be.

Lets not present the hardships/frustrations of being a nurse and focus on the client. The reason I suggest this as I am thinking of the reception of your audience. They really do not care about your frustration or hard ship. They need to hear what is in it for them.

please understand I am not overlooking the specifices that have been mentioned already. I just would like to know how general or how specific would a nurse on such a mission need to be to be really helpful to you.

For instance would you have the educator focus on one small aspect of a situation or teach in more general terms. Or should there be a series of sessions where several.very specific aspects of an issue be addressed. What specific topics would they be?