PsychiRN

A professional nurse should not be calling a patient a "jerk" or any other derogatory name. The nurse has a right to think whatever he/she wants about the patient as we are all human. That being said, the nurse must self-examine daily...why do I not like this patient? Is it personal? Can I provide professional nursing care to this patient, despite my feelings? Sure, there are "jerks" everywhere...yes, we do have some "jerks" as patients, but we cannot label patients...this promotes bias in our coworkers as well. If I give report to the next shift, calling a patient a "jerk" is this next nurse already predestined to look at the patient in a negative way? I am a psych nurse who lives by the saying "QTIP" (quit taking it personal).

That's unfortunate. I work with MDs who want to know what I think and are truly involved in what is going on with the patient...how did they sleep and eat and what is their mood...