Sujan

Not sure what state you are practicing in, but here in Oregon we have a state mandated requirement that nurses MUST treat patients pain and believe what the patients say about their pain. Nurses allowing personal bias to infuence their view and treatment of a patient's pain is so wrong. We are to listen and treat and in many cases ADVOCATE with the MD for better pain control. There is also much to learn regarding the addict patient and their different needs for pain relief. The addicted patient may already have chronic pain management that is ongoing, and now be suffering with acute pain which requires a different approach for relief. The sickle cell patient will most likely already be taking something for chronic pain. YOU did that patient a favor as your "friend" obviously does not have much of a critical thought in her brain. My guess is that she was upset that it was YOU and not her who made this patient feel better. You made the right choice doing what you did and unfortunately your friend is clueless and immature in her nursing judgment. Sujan, MSN, RN