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Discussion

Pt Interactive Anxiety

Is it only me who has this anxiety or it happens to everyone else as students nurses too? Okay, here is my problem that I'm trying to overcome. I'm not feeling too confident in myself in interacting, explaining or I get really uncomfortable staying the pt's room too long and not helping anything. Why?

The easiest for me is to say "hi or hello" to pt in the morning, address my name and titled. Once that is done, I'm asking pt if I can do some general assessment once that done giving them meds according to the schedules (with instructor of course). Sound simple huh? It's not!

Most instructors want us to educate pt about their meds, but I feel like it's repetitive. I used to be pt and I know how that this have two to three people explain the same thing to me. I just feeling like I'm being repetitive and sometimes pt look very disinterest. What is the best way to deal with this?

What should I be acting like when I'm in front of pt or with assigned nurse or instructor? Should I lead or just stay behind? I just want to be out there and be confident but sometimes it's hard to do that when you afraid that people think you don't now anything or looking at you as if you are an idiot! I just need to know what is the best way to be a shining star in group of students. I don't want to be the weak one. I want to be recognizable by instructor that I'm doing a good job such as this and that on the floor. Thanks guys. Any tips successful tips would greatly appreciated. FYI--I'm an introvert person

Featured Replies

  • Expert

You should always be assessing the patient. Ask open ended questions.

  • Was the doctor in to see you today?
  • What did the doctor have to say? What does he have planned for you?
  • What do you think is going on?
  • What happened when you went down for xyz test?

As you get more knowledge of disease and their treatment you will have a better idea of what kinds of things to ask patients.

I have found more patients that loved talking about themselves/their disease than not. Just be friendly, and act interested in what's going on with them. You can ask how the slept, if they have any pain. You can let them know you're going to do a head to toe assessment, and then be a little chatty while you are doing it. If you aren't rushing around (looking up meds or charting), ask the patient if they want company or not, you can sit with them and fill out their flowchart and get to know them. It took me a few patients before I felt confident and comfortable in my role of "nurse."

If you have the opportunity to strike up a conversation with them about something non-medical it can help build up that rapport as well as feel less stilted. Find something in their room that is a personal belonging and comment on it..."Are those your grandkids in that picture?" "What a cute puppy, is he waiting for you at home?" "I see you're reading Harry Potter; I really enjoy that series too! Have you caught the movies?" Etc. When I was in the hospital recently my son bought me a penguin stuffed animal from the gift shop which I slept with the whole time, and I loved telling the staff about how he picked it out by himself so that I'd have something to cuddle without him there; it seems silly but it gave me something to talk with the nurses about besides medical stuff.

I think that once you have that rapport started that patients are more tolerant when you are repeating information they've already heard a zillion times and interpret it more as interest in them in general as opposed to "I have to tell him this to cover my butt."

There's no need to put yourself below or above your instructor/nurse. Everyone is there for the same purpose. To plan better patient care.

The next time you go to clinicals. Think about what u are going to do for the weekend. If u go into clinicals with a clear mind, u will feel so much better.

I can tell that ur thoughts are fogging ur vision. Just learn how to relax and practice self-assertiveness.

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