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Thanks you guys, keep the responses coming as I will keep checking this thread. I want to hear it from "the people". I know often times there's a disparity and many people complain that those in healthcare don't listen. I want to make sure I'm using myself in a way that's beneficial and not a deterrent.
I welcome education from nurses who care for me, especially if I am starting a new medication. I probably wouldn't want much education on something I'd been taking for a long time, but it might be nice to be asked how I feel the medication is working, if I'd experienced side effects, if I had any questions about it, etc.
Okay. Would you prefer that communication at a certain time, like say during discharge? Or would you like for it to be while she's administering that new med to you. Like, "Good morning christina0001, I'm going to give you x,y,z and what this medication does is ____. When you leave the hospital you're going to have to take this med on your own and so when you use this drug you want to make sure that you don't take this medication on an empty stomach as this medication can cause nausea and vomiting...Watch how I do it, okay?"
Can you tell I'm a bit nervous when it comes to patients? I never want to impose and I'm always nervous to make sure I'm not overwhelming or intimidating them as they often seem to see me as an authority figure. But you guys are putting me at ease. I'll have to try out some of these things when I get around the patients next time as the only way to really gauge it is to see how they respond to it.
You're in the hospital and the nurse comes to assess you or give you meds, are you okay with him/her teaching about the meds and what she's doing at that moment? Or would you find her teaching you about your health, meds, and wellness as her coming off as a know-it-all?
What would you want?
Well, unless I was feeling very ill, I would definitely want to know and appreciate it!
If it's my first shift with the patient I ask if they have taken this particular medication before. If they say yes then I move on to the next one. If they say no I briefly explain what it's for and why it's been Rx for them. I then ask if they have additional questions...if they do I print out a handout from out pt education guides and chart it later on in the IPFER. I try to integrate pt ed into routine care and not leave it for discharge. I work nights and I don't do many discharges so I would have no way of knowing what education the next nurse will provide...if any. Also most pts are in a rush to go home and don't listen well during the discharge process. It's overwhelming to be bombarded with a ton of info at that time.
During the discharge process we give them all of these appts for follow up care. We give them Rx they have to fill and we make them sign forms etc. They may not grasp new info. Also, the nurses are not the only people giving them info. The MDs..SW..PT/OT financial people etc. It may be too much if you save it all for d/c. I think at the point of discharge we should be reinforcing what we've been teaching all along. I don't feel that it's invasive either. The pts can take it any way they want to but I'm here to help move you along and get you out of the hospital. If I can help you be compliant with your care and teach you a bit you will have a shorter stay and maybe not come back so quickly after discharge. Some pts like it (internal locus of control) and some don't (external locus of control). I evaluate which type I'm dealing with and adjust my teaching to their abilities and preferences.
Nurses...not just a pillow fluffer and task slave for the docs.
If it's my first shift with the patient I ask if they have taken this particular medication before. If they say yes then I move on to the next one. If they say no I briefly explain what it's for and why it's been Rx for them. I then ask if they have additional questions...if they do I print out a handout from out pt education guides and chart it later on in the IPFER. I try to integrate pt ed into routine care and not leave it for discharge. I work nights and I don't do many discharges so I would have no way of knowing what education the next nurse will provide...if any. Also most pts are in a rush to go home and don't listen well during the discharge process. It's overwhelming to be bombarded with a ton of info at that time.
During the discharge process we give them all of these appts for follow up care. We give them Rx they have to fill and we make them sign forms etc. They may not grasp new info. Also, the nurses are not the only people giving them info. The MDs..SW..PT/OT financial people etc. It may be too much if you save it all for d/c. I think at the point of discharge we should be reinforcing what we've been teaching all along. I don't feel that it's invasive either. The pts can take it any way they want to but I'm here to help move you along and get you out of the hospital. If I can help you be compliant with your care and teach you a bit you will have a shorter stay and maybe not come back so quickly after discharge. Some pts like it (internal locus of control) and some don't (external locus of control). I evaluate which type I'm dealing with and adjust my teaching to their abilities and preferences.
Nurses...not just a pillow fluffer and task slave for the docs.
I admire your directness in this post. Seriously, I'm very on my toes with patients but I guess you definitely learned to be more assertive while on the job?
Thank you for this. I think I got all I needed from this thread.
You're welcome. I've definitely become more assertive as I gain experience but I try to do it with a little sugar and some humour (if appropriate) so I don't offend. I use to work in psych and I find it very useful on the floor. The pts think I'm just chit chatting and pillow fluffing but I'm always evaluating them and throwing some education at them. Many are receptive to it because they see the nurse as being regular folk like them and the MD as being a more intimidating presence so they usually try to clean up their behavior for them or act like they know or understand more than they do when the MD comes around. How many times a MD walks out the room after explaining something to the pt/family and they turn to you and say...what's was that MD talking about or they ask you all of these questions they were intimidated to ask the MD? I'm the bridge if they want me to be if not I'll hand them their pills, get them another apple juice, and move on to the next one who is interested/capable of learning.
I love my job.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PrinieRN
I admire your directness in this post. Seriously, I'm very on my toes with patients but I guess you definitely learned to be more assertive while on the job?
Thank you for this. I think I got all I needed from this thread.
You're welcome. I've definitely become more assertive as I gain experience but I try to do it with a little sugar and some humour (if appropriate) so I don't offend. I use to work in psych and I find it very useful on the floor. The pts think I'm just chit chatting and pillow fluffing but I'm always evaluating them and throwing some education at them. Many are receptive to it because they see the nurse as being regular folk like them and the MD as being a more intimidating presence so they usually try to clean up their behavior for them or act like they know or understand more than they do when the MD comes around. How many times a MD walks out the room after explaining something to the pt/family and they turn to you and say...what's was that MD talking about or they ask you all of these questions they were intimidated to ask the MD? I'm the bridge if they want me to be if not I'll hand them their pills, get them another apple juice, and move on to the next one who is interested/capable of learning.
I love my job.
That's great to hear!
Can I also ask you about the night shift? About how it compares to the day shift? Im doing an externship now but it's all during the day. I kinda want to try that night shift thing.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PrinieRN
For clarification, you prefer that they DON'T do teaching while doing the assessment? Or would you rather it flow like a regular conversation?
A nurse with a pleasant demeanor who is skilled in easy small-talk can have a very significant impact on the patient's perception of the overall quality of care. Establishing a rapport is probably much more important than patient education, but I think that the two can easily co-exist. My point of view is that not everyone is going to want to know what you're doing and why, the people who are interested are going to ask and the people who are scared probably want some more personal reassurance.
You have a tough job; you have to be part diplomat, part clinician, part saint, part janitor, part detective and a host of other "hats" that I'm forgetting, but people will easily form bad associations with their care if (i) they think you don't like them, (ii) if they think you don't care, (iii) if they think you're too bossy or (iv) if you blow a vein. In that respect you can put people most at ease by being skilled with needles and charismatic, but that's just me talking.
As for printing information for patients, remember they made need a larger font. Ask if they need it in a larger format.
Patients often don't have hearing aids in at the hospital. Ask if they use hearing aids, and if they need them.
This is probably redundant...but amazing to me that nurses always miss this basic information...
Your patient education won't go far, with a person who can't hear you, or read the information.
I can't promise you that I'll be perfect at that jasper12, since I haven't completed nursing school as yet. But I'll do my best to remember.
We are constantly reminded both at my externship and at school that we have to offer age-specific care and to also be culturally competent and try to meet the patient's needs. *nods* So, you're right.
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I never want to impose and I'm always nervous to make sure I'm not overwhelming or intimidating them as they often seem to see me as an authority figure. 
But you guys are putting me at ease. I'll have to try out some of these things when I get around the patients next time as the only way to really gauge it is to see how they respond to it.
