Patients...not patience, but patients... have you ever been one? I'm sure it's not something anyone wants to be. Let me tell you about taking care of patients...some of them are oh so greatful. Some of them just want and need someone to listen. Knowing you are being heard is part of the helaing process, when you are sick, or have had surgery. I try to listen to my patients. No matter how busy I get I stand there (with 1000 things on my mind) and listen intently. I let them vent, I let them cry, I let them tell me stories about way back then. It helps with the healing process.
Let me tell you about family members of patients. Some of them are oh so greatful and some of them think their family member (patient) is the only one you are taking care of. They dominate your time, they ask you questions like when is my mom going to be able to eat (when she has been throwing up for the past 2 days). Only common sense would tell you if you feed her she will probably continue to be sick to her stomache.
Let me tell you about bosses in healthcare, It doesn't matter how many patients you have, they still expect you take care of them, give them their medications, on time, and keep them happy. If there is a complaint they hear about it and let you know. Sometimes in not so nice a manner. You get an e-mail from them or a call into the office. Not understanding that you have just finished the worst shift of your life they get on you because you didn't answer someones call light within a reasonable time. Not realizing that you just had to give someone blood, send someone to the unit because they became critical, put a tube down someones throat, start 3 IV sites, put in a foley catheter, clean someone up who is taking a bowel prep for a procedure in the morning, take care of 2 admissions, and didn't even have time to eat lunch. And they are getting on you because you didn't answer a call light in a reasonable time. Ok.....so I listen to my boss as she goes on and on, making me feel incompetent as a nurse. But I listen...maybe it's part of her healing process.
Would I give it all up? Never...because at some point your patients will be going home. And you are the one who helped with that process. They get better, go home and probably never think about you again. But once in a while as you reflect on your nursing career you remember a story that one of your patients told you when you took time to listen and it makes YOU feel better. So you know, even patients can be nurses. (smile)
Let me tell you about family members of patients. Some of them are oh so greatful and some of them think their family member (patient) is the only one you are taking care of. They dominate your time, they ask you questions like when is my mom going to be able to eat (when she has been throwing up for the past 2 days). Only common sense would tell you if you feed her she will probably continue to be sick to her stomache.
Let me tell you about bosses in healthcare, It doesn't matter how many patients you have, they still expect you take care of them, give them their medications, on time, and keep them happy. If there is a complaint they hear about it and let you know. Sometimes in not so nice a manner. You get an e-mail from them or a call into the office. Not understanding that you have just finished the worst shift of your life they get on you because you didn't answer someones call light within a reasonable time. Not realizing that you just had to give someone blood, send someone to the unit because they became critical, put a tube down someones throat, start 3 IV sites, put in a foley catheter, clean someone up who is taking a bowel prep for a procedure in the morning, take care of 2 admissions, and didn't even have time to eat lunch. And they are getting on you because you didn't answer a call light in a reasonable time. Ok.....so I listen to my boss as she goes on and on, making me feel incompetent as a nurse. But I listen...maybe it's part of her healing process.
Would I give it all up? Never...because at some point your patients will be going home. And you are the one who helped with that process. They get better, go home and probably never think about you again. But once in a while as you reflect on your nursing career you remember a story that one of your patients told you when you took time to listen and it makes YOU feel better. So you know, even patients can be nurses. (smile)
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