So, I’m a new nurse. I’ve worked as a CNA all through nursing school, so patient care comes as a breeze. However, I am struggling with communication that patients “don’t want to hear”. Such as, “The doctor is not going to up your Norco 5 to IV pain meds” (while you sit there playing games in your phone, laughing, and chatting up your husband about what you’re going to order for lunch). Also denying patients things they want to do — like showering for the 5th time when I just have you phenergan — due to patient safety risks.
I encountered both of these situations yesterday, on top of trying to care for 8 patients. It makes me feel so awkward when the patient gets all pissy because they have been told no.
One of them was even going to fire me as her nurse because I “wouldn’t understand that the shower is relaxing and I didn’t care”. Even though I explained why she couldn’t and shouldn’t get in the shower, fall risks, and safety risks and education pertaining to medication.
Im sure this will come with time, but how do you handle your difficult patients/communication with them when it isn’t what they want?
