Just curious if other nurses do this, or if it's just me. When I'm the patient, I tend to not report pain or under report it, for the sake of not appearing weak and/or not wanting to be bothersome to my nurse/techs. Especially if I think I'm being kind of a weakling in my head.
I had an ultrasound yesterday, part of monitoring a chronic condition. It was kind of painful as the condition is apparently worsening. It had never been painful before, but this was. Not hideously awful pain, only like a 3 or 4 at best, but enough that throughout, I was really uncomfortable and still kind of sore hours afterward and still kind of tender today. The tech was not poor with her technique at all, and not heavy handed or rough, so I know it wasn't her. It only hurt when she was visualizing the problem area.
I was thinking about it today, wondering if maybe I should have spoken up, or if it was really a moot point because what can you even do for a painful u/s anyway, right? However this is par for the course for me as a patient, all the time, regardless. It doesn't matter what they're doing to me, I'm always going to try to man up and be as stoic and silent as possible and not report pain. In hind sight and reflection, I guess it's not such a good thing, is it?
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I've always accurately reported my pain during the few instances I've been the patient. However, I don't report the fact that I'm a nurse unless directly asked.
To me, if you're getting medical care, you need to be honest about your pain level (and whatever else is pertinent). After all, it ain't cheap and they don't spend a lot of time with you, so get the most you can out of the appointment/test(s).
No, I don't think it is such a good idea to under-report pain. It is a symptom, and in your case, a worsening symptom that you should report to your doctor. What is possible to do in the future is to tell your doctor about it. Have a dose of pain med before hand. Only saying this in case the sonographer wasn't able to do a thorough job, not feel rushed because you are in pain, etc. And of course, why should you suffer, especially for hours later on top of it?
Specializes in Huntingtons, LTC, Ortho, Acute Care.
I refuse to get care at my own hospital I work at because you never know who says what.
i keep my pain to myself mostly because I hate how pain meds make me feel. Sure I'm sleeping like a baby, but beneath my opiod fog... I still hurt. It makes me sleep but doesn't relieve me and I certainly don't want to ask for more! Lest I be labeled a drug seeker or, just given more crap that makes me feel awful!
But even when I'm a patient elsewhere I try to keep my "I'm a nurse" claim to myself unless I find my own nurses attitude or technique to be awful and she's in need of correcting (yes I'm that jerk of a patient that will ask you about washing your hands if I didn't hear the hand sanitizer outside my door clack and you didn't head for the sink). Im not into being told how to do my job so I always try to let my nurses do it "their" way. Usually my extremely proud mother, husband or brother make sure everyone know I'm a nurse.
And a lot of times we are all guilty of "desk talk"... Where we go "wow three hours on the dot, must have set an alarm". Or other similar statements. I fear being the patient that everyone snickers about at the desk. So I under report my pain and do as much for myself as possible. I won't say my pain embarrasses me, but admitting X drug doesn't work but Y drug did, and the snap judgements that can come with picking and choosing your drugs is too much for me. I've been fortunate enough that I haven't had pain so severe I couldn't tough it out.
I refuse to get care at my own hospital I work at because you never know who says what.
I fear being the patient that everyone snickers about at the desk. So I under report my pain and do as much for myself as possible. I won't say my pain embarrasses me, but admitting X drug doesn't work but Y drug did, and the snap judgements that can come with picking and choosing your drugs is too much for me.
Yes,yes, yes to ALL of this! Yes, I won't go to the hospital where I work for that exact reason. Sorry, HIPAA, schmipaa. People talk. I *might* go now that there's the "break the glass" feature on Epic, but still, I am wary. I also fear being gossiped about at the nurse's station and don't want to be "that patient." It sucks.
OrganizedChaos, LVN
1 Article; 6,883 Posts
Lol! I go out of my way to not talk "medical-ese" plus when they ask me my job, it's a SAHM now. [emoji12]