Very nervous.....any helps?

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I have been in training for about 4 weeks, this will be my 5th week and the lady I am riding with is very conversational with her patients. They talk about anything. I'm nervous because I start on my own next week and I am a shy, quiet person. I don't make conversation easily and I'm scared that I'm going to be doing a dressing change with dead silence with these patients who are use to my preceptor. What to do?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Home Health.

I was shy at first too, but it gets easier as you get to know the patients. You will have some patients for a very long time and you will begin to feel comfortable. It will come with time. Just ask them questions like "do you have any children", "have you always lived here", "your house is beautiful, where did you find your antiques" just anything to get them started. Usually they are so happy to see you, they will do most of the talking. But I promise it will come with time. Believe me, I used to be so shy, I could feel the heat in my face when I was required to talk to strangers. Your preceptor has had time to get to know the patients so its easier for her now. Just dont think about it and dont try too hard and it will come naturally. Good luck

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One of my favorite questions to ask to sort of break the ice was "How did you and your (spouse) meet?" I heard some of the sweetest & funniest stories ever, and it's a story everyone loves to tell.

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Thanks, I will have to try that one.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

Who knows? Maybe her patients think she talks too much! Yeah, I am kidding. I'm very introverted, too. You will relax as you get to know people and see them more than once. I find myself curious about people's background- and everyone has family pictures prominently displayed. I might ask about someone in a service-uniform- or a wedding picture- is that little girl you? Things like that. You can go by the cues they give you back. Sometimes they'll have needlework or some other hobby they love to talk about. Now sometimes I wonder if if they think I'm the blabbermouth when I'm really the shy one! Best wishes!

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Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

Don't worry about it. You will have things to talk with them about. Your dressing change doesn't have to be in silence...describe what you are doing, tell them what your assessment is, ask them questions about the wound, etc. As a home health nurse part of your assessment and plan is the patient or care giver's ability to care for the wound, so assess and teach them during the dressing change. I find that there is generally a great deal of information that I can give patients and families so I talk, lots...unless I am charting, then I ask open ended questions and allow lots of time for them to answer while I tap tap away on my laptop and listen with one ear.

Casual conversation will come easier to you when you have a relationship with the patients. And, as someone suggested earlier, not everyone prefers a "chatty cathy" nursing visit. Just be yourself and you will be fine.

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Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.

Casual conversation will come easier to you when you have a relationship with the patients. And, as someone suggested earlier, not everyone prefers a "chatty cathy" nursing visit. Just be yourself and you will be fine.

Agree ! :)

Compliments are always good ice breakers, especially with the elderly patients..you can always find SOMETHING to compliment.. whether a quilt on their bed, their backyard garden, cute little kitchen, photos on the wall...

After just a couple visits you will begin to get to know these patients, their personalities, and get a feel for what to talk about. :)

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I do the same thing as above...look around the room and find something to ask them about. I used to be very shy...that phase is long gone after 18 yrs in home care! Food is a great topic....I have gotten some of my best recipes from patients! Take your cue from the patient, you will be able to dicern if they want to talk or not.

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Listen to the news the evening before or the morning of your work day and have a comment or two about something interesting in the news to bring up with your patients. The weather, the latest scandal in the mayor's office (but be careful with politics), or the proposed widening of the highway through the north end of the city, are usually safe topics to break the silence each day. After you have been seeing them for awhile, you will find that they usually start up the conversation with an update on how they are doing and both of you can take it from there. Hope your fifth week went better.

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