Question about horror stories

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Hi! I have been reading all the wonderful horror stories out there? My question is: When you encounter a situation with a rude or not so clean patient, how do you keep your professionalism about you? How do you keep yourself from telling the patient your piece of mind? :twocents: Thanks, Bonnie

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Specializes in OB, ortho/neuro, home care, office.

That's the way I make it through. One thing you must always keep in mind, no matter how rude, no matter how much they could use a bath, the person you are caring for is sick and wouldn't be there if they didn't need you. I have come across both the rude and the smelly. I can proudly say I was as sweet as possible when I escorted the 'not smelling of roses patient' to the shower and scrubbed him down twice. At the same time I explained to him the importance of personal hygeine and how it can affect his physical and mental and social health. When it comes to the really really mean ones, hehe, I absolutely love taking care of them. I find it a challenge to break them from their unhappy, unhealthy, and just plain angry shells and just get them to talk about whats really bothering them. I use laughter as a way to break the ice :) I haven't had it fail yet, and most people know I prefer the angry ones :) I swear somewhere in me is a Psych nurse trying to get out!!!

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Sometimes it is all in the way you present your mind.

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Specializes in Addictions, Corrections, QA/Education.
Hi! I have been reading all the wonderful horror stories out there? My question is: When you encounter a situation with a rude or not so clean patient, how do you keep your professionalism about you? How do you keep yourself from telling the patient your piece of mind? :twocents: Thanks, Bonnie

As a nurse, you have to be as non-judgemental as possible (not so clean pt's). As far as rude pt's go...kill them with kindness. The way I see it is they must be unhappy with some aspect of their life...why would they be rude? I do not take it personally. I just take care of them the best I can. :specs:

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Specializes in Med Surg, Hospice, Home Health.

you "offer" to "set them up" for their bath, or assist them with their adl's, if they refuse, you document, and add "self care deficet" to your nursing diagnosis...

also, if they are admitted for cellulitus, or some sort of infection, you can use that opportunity to "educate" them...

sometimes it's received well, sometimes not...

in a pinch, you can always offer one of those pine scented thingies you can hang from the rear view mirror in your car...tell them it's that latest rage in necklaces :)

atlantarn

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How do you keep yourself from telling the patient your piece of mind? :twocents: Thanks, Bonnie

I did. Once. Actually, it was the son of a patient. He was belittling me, and of course that irritated me, so I did give him a piece of my mind. I got a write up after he complained. He got....nothing but memories.

Now, I can much more easily keep from giving a piece of my mind, a write up wasn't worth it. I knew when I was spouting off to him that it was wrong, professionally as well as socially. You just live and learn.

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Thanks for the responses. I am sure taking care of people can be challenging, but you are right. We are here for the patients. I look foward to the many different ways a person can "express" themselves. :balloons: Bonnie

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