Is it too much to ask?

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If your abdominal pain is always "14" for days on end, could you at least look uncomfortable, or moan a little when I walk in the room? I mean, I get it, pain is what you say it is, I'm not the pain med police. I will follow doctor's orders for medication as long as your VS are stable, but just asking for a little effort to look the part, enough that I don't feel like the neighborhood drug dealer. And yes, it was a total miracle how you went from NPO to full general diet in 2 hours after doctor decreased your pain med to q8h ...of course I can process your discharge in the next 5 minutes, bye!

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical/Float Pool/Stepdown.

I would much rather not have the diva/staged production. Drives me nuts! Just give me a number for the pain scale and no I don't want to listen (nor does your roommate) to a reproduction of the When Harry Met Sally coffee shop scene...most of my Pt's are not professional actors so faking moans and grunts usually turns out to be less than Emmy award performances.

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Hmmm, OP, you sound a little like the pain med police, despite your protestations.

What AJJKRN said.

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Specializes in ER, Pediatric Transplant, PICU.

I had a little 10 year old girl the other day who had a brain tumor removed earlier that day. When I asked how her head was, she said,"it's a ten" (in the sweetest little voice). So I said,"a ten is the worst pain you have ever felt. It feels that bad?" so she then so sweetly said,"oh! Well, no, then it's a zero" and smiled real big.

off subject a little but super cute. Maybe your patient's are just confused about the pain scale? :)

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I would rather have the patient you described than the frequent flyer who rolls on the floor, screams, and demands dilaudid/phenergan/Benadryl pushed together fast with 2 boxed lunches. I agree with PP that the diva patients are worse.

When a patient states their pain is over ten, I comment that. Later when they say their pain is ten, then wow, we decreased it from 14 to 10! I HATE the number scale.

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Yeah, I don't want the Diva either...was meant to be funny....I'll even take just a little grimace. I'll let you know when I earn my pain police badge, it would look super cool on my scrubs. :D

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I had a little 10 year old girl the other day who had a brain tumor removed earlier that day. When I asked how her head was, she said,"it's a ten" (in the sweetest little voice). So I said,"a ten is the worst pain you have ever felt. It feels that bad?" so she then so sweetly said,"oh! Well, no, then it's a zero" and smiled real big.

off subject a little but super cute. Maybe your patient's are just confused about the pain scale? :)

That is sweet and sad all at the same time...hope your patient does well, glad she is '0' at least, what a trooper! I wish mine were just confused about the pain scale!

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I would much rather not have the diva/staged production. Drives me nuts! Just give me a number for the pain scale and no I don't want to listen (nor does your roommate) to a reproduction of the When Harry Met Sally coffee shop scene...most of my Pt's are not professional actors so faking moans and grunts usually turns out to be less than Emmy award performances.

I can just imagine the When Harry Met Sally scenario...not sure I could keep a straight face at a performance, so probably for the best then don't even try ;)

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