Those random stories patients tell you that you don't care about but feel obligated to listen to

Published Jul 13

1 Post

Do your patients ever go on and on about random stories and you feel obligated to listen to them because they're lonely? Can they tell that we're not actually listening to them LOL?

Today my older female patient was watching a kids movie called coco (on many pain meds) and she was mesmerized by it. She's clearly seen it a lot of times. She told me the entire storyline and was so excited about all of it. I was in her room for like 20 min doing stuff and the whole time she just went on about coco. I won't lie I was really busy I couldn't tell you one thing that happens in the movie it all went in one ear and out the other. But I was reacting the whole time and I'm wondering if she could tell I wasn't listening to her. I get in these situations all the time. I would love to stay and have a conversation with them but I don't have time for that. How do I tell them that?