Uhhhh, That's Kinda Personal

[evastone]

We have all had patients that say rude comments or ask personal questions.

Here's a few of mine:

Pt: Do you have children yet?

Me: No.

Pt: Really?! Well how often are you sleeping with your husband?

Pt's family member comes over to me and says "You should have that weird looking mole checked out. It looks like melanoma."

Patient: Congratulations! When are you due?

Me:One year ago

Any memorable stories you'd like to share?

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

I've been asked so many times if I am expecting that I want to smack some of my patients.

What is wrong with people...it is like they have no class.

[NurseNinja1990]

I go out of my way to give as little information as possible while staying polite. I have a coworker who has to go to court every 6 months to re-file her restraining order against a former patient who began to stalk her. We just got a new DON, and it was pretty clear to me that she has never worked in psych before when she got in a big huff over the staff covering their last names on their badges.

[Crush]

I give as little info as possible while keeping it polite and professional. Although I suppose it would depend on the area one works in as to how personal the conversation may be or may not be.

[Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP]

I hate being asked personal questions. I'm gay so I don't like being asked all those questions because there's no way I'm telling any patients who I am as that can turn ugly. I always get the "are you married" and "do you have children" thing. If I say yes I'm married then the next question is always "what does your husband do" and I'm not about to stand there and say well actually I'm married to a woman. It's awkward and uncomfortable so I usually just say I'm not married. I hate being forced to come out to a complete stranger who could negatively affect my job so I give away as little information as possible.

[Roy Hanson]

what is to you if the patient cannot give or take blood. It should be on patients chart! in glorious RED!! It similar to a DNR, kyou do not ask patient, why they want to die! Your immaturity ego is showing..hang it at the door!

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

I have had patients very insistent about wanting to know my religion and/or political opinion. I always decline to answer. I have had to get rather emphatic once or twice. I am not offended, just not inclined to engage in being recruited and don't find debate to be a good use of my time. There isn't really any other reason someone would want that information as far as I am concerned.

[Munch]

I get asked if I have children all the time. I don't mind that question its the followup questions to my answer of no that I don't like getting into. Of course after I say no I always get asked why and my answer is always because I don't want them. And then of course I get the why don't you want them? Because frankly I don't like children with the exception of my nephew. The conversation usually goes one of two ways..the patient thinks I am a spawn of Satan because I hate children or I get told about religion and how god wants me to be fruitful and multiply..really I have more than one patient tell me this.

Which of course brings me to the religion and politics questions. Those two things are off limits as far as I am concerned. One woman just kept badgering me about what my religion was until I finally blurted out that I was a die-hard atheist. Of course she said she would pray for my soul.

[Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP]

I get asked if I have children all the time. I don't mind that question its the followup questions to my answer of no that I don't like getting into. Of course after I say no I always get asked why and my answer is always because I don't want them. And then of course I get the why don't you want them? Because frankly I don't like children with the exception of my nephew. The conversation usually goes one of two ways..the patient thinks I am a spawn of Satan because I hate children or I get told about religion and how god wants me to be fruitful and multiply..really I have more than one patient tell me this.

Which of course brings me to the religion and politics questions. Those two things are off limits as far as I am concerned. One woman just kept badgering me about what my religion was until I finally blurted out that I was a die-hard atheist. Of course she said she would pray for my soul.

I think we must be kindred spirits. I identify with all that you've written here.

[amoLucia]

I think we must be kindred spirits. I identify with all that you've written here.

This was my stance back when I was working.

Boy, maybe it's the new year but I've been reading several posts that are like mirror-imaging my thoughts on the topic at hand.

[HermioneG, BSN, RN]

Do you have any children?

-No

Well, you had better hurry up, your eggs are getting old

Do you have any children?

-No

Thats a shame because that's a woman's purpose in life. You won't know true happiness or fulfilled your duty until you have children

Do you have any children?

-No

An empty uterus is a wasted uterus

Those are my top three ones that come to mind. They were all said by old creepy men. It made me want to take my expiring uterus and get the heck out of there. lol. I was in complete disbelief for a few minutes and then just walked away and laughed really hard. Better to just let it roll off, I think lol.

[Roy Hanson]

the conversation should NEVER get personal, unless the patient is trying to pick u up. Keep it polite. You are there to do a job, do it!

Choose your words carefully if YOU decide to 'get personal'.

[red2ret]

Or simply ask if they are willing to receive a blood transfusion, if needed. You don't have to ask the patient's religion then.