Where in the World/US are people actually interested in getting better?

[videoguru27]

My wife is a nurse - I post questions on here to help her figure things out as challenges arise.

The Question (simple): Where in the world (or US) are people actually interested in getting better?

The Problem: My wife is 1 year out of Nursing School (BSN - RN), has been working on a cardiac floor, but nearly every patient she gets is drug seeking, doesn't want to make lifestyle changes, or the doctors are performing open hearts for the heck of it (ie. the person has no running water at home, and bathes in a family outdoor tub, or they are 85 yrs old and have cancer, or pretty much any situation where they will most likely make it through surgery, but no guarantee after they go home) On top of that, the hospital has setup a satisfaction survey where they ask patients if their pain is being managed and if it is not, the nurse is reprimanded.

My wife is going back to school next year for her Masters to be an NP - at that time we would like to move anywhere in the world that has a better healthcare system than what we have experienced in the US - with people who are actually somewhat interested in getting better. (we understand that statement seems somewhat utopian, so obviously there are exceptions, but I have to agree that there is a feeling of entitlement in america that is seeping into their medical treatment) We are interested in mission work, but also interested in making a living and residing in that area.

Any thoughts - advice?

Thanks,

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

I don't think you're going to find a specific location anywhere where people want to get better. I think your wife needs to think about a specialty where people want to get better, and I'd suggest inpatient rehab! I work as a CNA there, and while it is absolutely the most miserable job I could ever possibly imagine (acutely ill patients too sick to not be in a hospital but still looking to get better, often very heavy with very minimal abilities at first), the transformations I have seen in people have been astonishing. I am glad I got my background here just to know what happens when the patients leave other floors. I have seen patients nearly fully paralyzed on one side with severe expressive and receptive aphasia who are also throwing their food at me and hitting me turn into sweet patients a couple weeks later who don't remember their outbursts against me and are politely asking me for help because their hand is weak and no longer paralyzed, and they can actually bear weight on their affected leg and only need one person to transfer instead of needing a lift. Yes, some of them are still obese and their family brings in fried chicken, so you really do have to wonder how much they want to get better, but at least you actually see huge leaps and bounds in improvement, instead of just stabilization like you can often see on other floors before they transfer the patient out to rehab/SNF...