Nurse-patient relationship

[Realist_]

I was reading the nursing theory book and works of Peplau on nursing theory. Then I read Has Anybody Seen My Old Friend Peplau? The Absence of Interpersonal Curricula in Programs of Nursing (Jones, 2012). It made me burst into laughter and upset at the same time. Surely all these are great ideas on how nurses are supposed to "fix and rehab patients in a 2 day visit"

Who are all these people sitting in their high thrones and telling what needs to be done. It seems as if all of them are on drugs and have a complete disconnect with reality.

Let's face it patients are lazy. They do not care. They are on disability, benefits-whatever. Who are these delirious nursing theorists and educators that want us to completely shake a person's world and change them? I mean common now the society does not care about what will happen to patients, while the hospital is just greedy waiting for a fat medicare reimbursement. The patients have no incentive to get out and do the right things. Cuz work is dog, organic whole foods is for trump and the society has no genuine interest in anyone's well being and future.

yes, if a patient wants my advice on how to control blood sugar I will give it to him. But i highly doubt that he/she is interested

So who cares anyways

[Triddin]

Your comment that all patients are lazy, don't care, and are on benefits comment makes me uncomfortable and I have to vastly disagree with you. Yes, some patients are like that, but in my experience, the majority are not. You are failing your patients if you judge them as such and don't give them the education to improve their health. Sure, they may not follow it, but the onus is on them, not you. Many patients don't know what questions to ask. I hope your attitude towards your patients is different from that in this post. I wouldn't want to receive teaching from you if you approached me in such a manner

[Buckeye.nurse]

I agree with Triddin. I teach my patients all day, every day. Sometimes it is a formal sit-down session (new line, new drain, first round of chemo, etc.) Much more often it is done informally as I go about my care. It might be a new med that I'm giving, care that I am providing, or questions that are asked by the patient or family. They literally don't know anything sometimes. They might not even understand that a bag of platelets hanging is a blood product, because it isn't red. They might not understand what the doctor said, and need clarification.

Yes, they might not always follow my advice....but then neither does my child. That doesn't stop me from trying to teach in both situations.

[rfmages]

This is a hard post to comment on. Firstly because I don't know you personally and this could've been posted in haste. But if these are your true feeling are you certain that bedside nursing is your true calling? I became a nurse to help those in need and I take pride in helping people. When they don't respond, well sure there is some disappointment and anger, but then I look at myself and figure out strategies to help that person see that their health is more important then anything else. If I succeed great and I will try my hardest to get to that success. If I am unsuccessful I use it as a learning tool to make my next interaction that much better. Sure people are less then caring sometimes and there are a select few that want nothing more then pity, but as a nurse you should be able to look past that and look for the good to help them heal. Compassion and caring are some of the most important things each of us can have as professional nurses and once that is lost its time to step back and re-evaluate your practices. We are given unreasonable time frames to perform miracles sometimes, but work with what you have and make the most of it.

[inthecosmos, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

Let's face it patients are lazy. They do not care. They are on disability, benefits-whatever.

This here is called "projecting." Your feelings of not caring and being lazy are projecting onto your opinion of the patient.

The patients have no incentive to get out and do the right things. Cuz work is dog, organic whole foods is for trump and the society has no genuine interest in anyone's well being and future.

What are you actually saying here, I believe I missed the point...

yes, if a patient wants my advice on how to control blood sugar I will give it to him. But i highly doubt that he/she is interested

If they asked, I'm assuming they are interested in learning.

"To err is human..."

[llg, PhD, RN]

... and I can't resist pointing out that the materials that the OP is reading are old. Even high-quality work needs to be "interpreted" in light of current circumstances to be useful.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

In defense of the OP, some days no one wants to hear they need to make changes. just suggesting it can get me on the wrong side of that patient satisfaction scale. Nursing theories sound like a mutual admiration society circle jerk, when I'm in the trenches, getting dirty.

I don't necessarily agree with the OP, but I get it.