If u were the patient,what type of nurse would you like to have?

PeachPie · Jan 10, 2009

Honestly, more than anything else, I would prefer a nurse that seems extremely knowledgeable and basically completely on top of things. It seems a lot of people on this site push "compassion" as the most important quality in a nurse, but to be honest, if I were a patient, this is the last thing I'd worry about. Whenever I have a problem [health or personal], overly "compassionate" people actually tend to annoy me. I'm one of those people who, when faced with some kind of hardship, prefers to tackle things in a straightforward, no BS kind of way. I can honestly say that I'd prefer the same in a nurse. When people try too hard to be comforting, I feel like telling them, "I don't need you to hold my little hand and tell me everything will be OK. Instead, tell me whats wrong, and what is being done to fix it". I fully recognize that few people share this view, so I wouldn't act this way with patients [unless I could tel that they feel the same way I do], but this is the kind of nurse I would want caring for me.

This is one of the sanest posts I've ever seen on this board. It's nice to see someone with a sense of prioritization.

Don't get me wrong, attitude counts. I've met some horrible, toxic nurses who need to get the hell out of nursing, and a compassionate nurse is great, but niceness isn't going to mean much if I'm dead from a dumb mistake. I too am straightforward and hate people telling me, "Don't worry, things will be okay." No, tell me HOW things will be okay, or if they have a chance of being okay at all.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2009

As one of the moderators of this forum, I deleted a few posts that derailed and distracted the thread making it a difficult read, so don't be offended.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2009

I think it's important to put yourself in your patients shoes. Empathy is one of the most admirable qualities nurses possess.

I want a nurse who listens and who communicates. I cringe when I hear coworkers answer a question like this "What is this pill?" Nurse: It's a water pill. "Why am I taking it?. Nurse: Because the doctor ordered it.

"Because the doctor ordered it." is not an answer an educated professional nurse should ever give.

Also, just someone who listens. Don't say "how are you feeling" and not take the time to listen. Listening is an art, and not many of us are good at it because we're so busy and think we don't have the time. But one of the biggest complaints as I charge nurse I hear is that people, including doctors don't listen to them. Taking the time to listen and then explain tests, procedures, and rationales is part of being a good nurse, and the type of nurse I'd like to have at my bedside if I were a layperson.

meandragonbrett · Jan 10, 2009

In one word......Competent.

CathyLew · Jan 10, 2009

Interesting question. just by looking at some of the people I work with, and seeing how they interact... We have a couple of nurses that are downright scary when it comes to passing meds... starting IV's, interpreting lab values, and have awful assessment skills.. ...but they sit and talk with the older patients and families for hours. And the patients love them! They think because of all the time the nurse spends with them, that they are getting good care. they will sit and hold a patient's hand and comfort them while they are basically drowning! instead of getting out a stethescope, do some vitals, check the labs, look at the I&O and see why the patient is so resless and SOB.

another nurse may go in, take a quick listen, check the foley, note the IV rate, page the Dr a ka-zillion times, get the IV lasix order, turn down the IV. etc... spend a lot less time with the patient, but give the care that will help them.

then you see on the patient surveys... nurse A was wonderful and supportive all night. Nurse B came in first think in the morning... looked like she was in a hurry, didn't spend any time with the pt, etc...

casi, ASN, RN · Jan 10, 2009

I want someone who is a knowledgeble teacher.

A nurse can have all the knowledge and competence in the world, but if they can't share that with the patient what good is that?

lamazeteacher · Jan 10, 2009

Well, having been a patient more times than I would have thought I'd be, I know that I've appreciated all the qualities mentioned in the above posts. The nurse I remember best for her empathy was the one who came into my hospital room just after my second mastectomy for breast cancer and said, "It's OK to cry". I'd been holding back and she picked that up, respected my need to be respected, and gave me permission to be self pitying. She didn't leave after saying that, and sat close to me in a chair, as I blubbered about the unfairness of it all. She accentuated the positive things (no lymph node involvement), and coping skills. I just wish that she'd been on duty with me the rest of my stay.

Continuity in nursing care is practically impossible given today's shortages, but even the one day with her was good. She also helped me recognize the importance of being a member of my health care team (even though the surgeon absented himself from it), not even seeing me daily on weekdays. I called the surgeon's office to see if he'd been ill, since he'd made no appearance. He hadn't been.

Other nurses told me that he was that way with all his patients. (Thank you! Paranoia was closing in) The appearance of that op site is not as nice as my other one - the sutures drew the skin together tightly, so the reconstruction (implant) was flattened and indented. It still is, and I wear outside prosthetics to even myself up. The bottom line is that I'm still alive, and that was 32 years ago.

What I wasn't told, is that the guy is a jerk who no one has reported. I think I would have liked to be empowered to do that. Nurses can suggest ways patients can report lousy physicians without getting dinged for it. All they have to do is write down the hospital administrator's name and the Medical Board's address (the licensing group, not the referral source medical society/ association). Be part of the solution!

Warm fuzzies are always welcome, and nurses of all levels can liberally give those (without calling me honey or sweetheart, etc.). Sharing the care plan with patients is essential, yet I never heard about one in the 6 hospitalizations I've had. Isn't that done any more?

When I was frightened of the possible spread of HepC from transfusions, refusing all but one, I noticed that I'd been judged a nut and shunned. Bad form! One nurse told me that I was wasting one, as transfusions can only be ordered by 2s. I didn't trust her afterward, thinking that had to be a lie.

My inpatient m/s experience after my education was finished was scanty, as I chose Public Health and OB work. So when I was told that my doctor had ordered Benadryl before the transfusion was ordered, I almost "stroked out". That was an absolute no-no, in my time (decades ago). If you don't see symptoms of transfusion reaction, how do you know it's happening? I balked and everyone was upset by the delay in getting it that I caused. Please let me know what you think of that...

Now my internist wants me to have transfusions again, due to my current dropping H&Hs, and a CT scan of every part of my body, with barium and IV dye. I need a nurse to keep me aware of modern thinking and expert handling of my situation, something like explaining the procedure to the patient. They're recommending Benadryl again, as I reacted unfavorably to an IVP in 1968. As nurses, do you go over pros and cons, or be politically correct and keep your mouths shut?

It's definitely scary to be almost 70, with needs to have the best care. If all goes well in your life, you'll get there too.

Virgo_RN, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2009

I discuss pros and cons, but not in great depth. If the patient really has that many concerns and questions, then the physician has not done their job and explained the risks and benefits of the invasive procedure, and it would inappropriate for the patient to sign the consent form. My job is to witness the consent, not to explain the risks involved. The MD needs to do that.

I do walk that fine line often, though. Just recently I had a patient ask me if she "had to" have a coronary angiogram. I told her "No, you don't have to consent to anything you don't want.". But I did explain the risk of acute MI should she not go through with the procedure. I told her she didn't have to sign the consent until she had a chance to talk to the cardiologist again in the morning (he had already been in to see her, and had ostensibly explained the procedure), but she signed it anyway, reassured by the things that I told her (see my post in the "What I Love About Nursing" thread).

I get questions about meds all the time, since many of our patients are new to CAD and describe themselves as "not a pill-taker" and are hesitant to take new pills. The cardiologists often neglect to talk to the patients about the specific medications they are prescribing, assuming that the nurses will do so. They just breeze in, talk to the patient for a few minutes, write the orders, and off they go. I'm the one giving the patient their first dose of metoprolol or a statin, and once I even had to explain warfarin to a new AF patient, because the cardiologist had neglected to mention it. As you can guess, the patient freaked when he heard that the doctor had prescribed Coumadin, and I had to have the doctor come talk to the patient himself.

The closest thing I come to saying "because the doctor ordered it" is something like "the cardiologist really wants you to take this pill because it will help balance out the good and bad cholesterol, because your bad cholesterol is too high, and this is a risk factor for having a (another) heart attack", or "your cardiologist prescribed metoprolol because it will decrease the oxygen demand of your heart, helping to prevent recurrent chest pain and the kind of heart damage that can happen over time when you have CAD".

leslie :-D · Jan 10, 2009

If I was diagnosed with a terminal condition, attitude probably would be more important to me, as if I know I'm going to die anyway, I probably would just want someone who was at least good company.....After all, what the worst they could do? Kill me?

actually worse.

make you suffer before you die.

leslie

leslie :-D · Jan 10, 2009

i'm a very no-nonsense person, so compassion is not on my list of priorities.

i would want skill, competence and respect.

talk to me as if i want to be involved in my own healthcare.

none of this fluff talk and certainly do not bs me.

and if i haven't taken these meds at home, tell me what i'm taking and why.

whatever procedure you are doing, assist me in anticipating.

unless your pt states otherwise, treat them all as if they have a knowledge deficit.

i need to know that you're confident in what you say and do, and that you have my best interests at heart.

sincerity and ability.

not too much to ask for, is it?

leslie

BrightEyes · Jan 10, 2009

Someone that knows what they're doing. Is pleasant to be around. Thoughtful. Doesn't try and chit chat if not feeling good. Timely. Keeps you informed. No BS.

Tait, MSN, RN · Jan 10, 2009

Me.

I strive to provide the care I would expect for myself and my family.

Knowledge, confidence, compassion, humor and patience and the humility to not always know the answers, but never afraid to Google it and find out!