Final Thoughts:
Marcus has really forced me to take a step back and consider how to deal with patients. His perspective on the different healthcare professionals that he came into contact with was invaluable. I have always tried to put myself in the place of the patient. Marcus has brought to my mind topics which I hadn't considered. This has been a refreshing assignment. We have textbooks telling us about how to handle patients differences. Marcus has real life experience and tells it like it is.
The Watchdog in my opinion was anything that brought comfort and relief to the patient in the form of an object or other. I had a patient who trusted me enough to unload a huge secret she had been carrying around inside of her for a long while. She told me she had been having an affair with her neighbor for many years. She hadn't told another soul this secret. It really took me by surprise. However, I didn't want to show it. I just quietly listened. I have strong religious opinions on the subject, but this was not about my views on adultery. This was a human being needing to confide in someone that would not judge or condemn her.
I have apologized before to a patient when inflicting pain during a needed procedure. Like taking tape off of someone during a dressing change. I don't recall ever over-apologizing. I tell myself this is something the patient needs. I think most people realize this is our job to do and we don't mean any harm or discomfort. If a person does over-apologize it makes the patient nervous and can be irritating.
Rocking the Boat is what nurses have to do everytime they walk into a healthcare facility and perform their job. To give great patient care the focus should be on the patient not on whether any healthcare professional is inconvenienced. My only fear in rocking the boat is having a manager,boss or co-workers that don't rock the boat. I have seen true honest nurses and other professionals hung out to dry by management or co-workers because they stood up and told the truth, did what was right, went against the statusquo or questioned certain people in authority. In the end a true nurse must do the right thing.
Marcus has really forced me to take a step back and consider how to deal with patients. His perspective on the different healthcare professionals that he came into contact with was invaluable. I have always tried to put myself in the place of the patient. Marcus has brought to my mind topics which I hadn't considered. This has been a refreshing assignment. We have textbooks telling us about how to handle patients differences. Marcus has real life experience and tells it like it is.
The Watchdog in my opinion was anything that brought comfort and relief to the patient in the form of an object or other. I had a patient who trusted me enough to unload a huge secret she had been carrying around inside of her for a long while. She told me she had been having an affair with her neighbor for many years. She hadn't told another soul this secret. It really took me by surprise. However, I didn't want to show it. I just quietly listened. I have strong religious opinions on the subject, but this was not about my views on adultery. This was a human being needing to confide in someone that would not judge or condemn her.
I have apologized before to a patient when inflicting pain during a needed procedure. Like taking tape off of someone during a dressing change. I don't recall ever over-apologizing. I tell myself this is something the patient needs. I think most people realize this is our job to do and we don't mean any harm or discomfort. If a person does over-apologize it makes the patient nervous and can be irritating.
Rocking the Boat is what nurses have to do everytime they walk into a healthcare facility and perform their job. To give great patient care the focus should be on the patient not on whether any healthcare professional is inconvenienced. My only fear in rocking the boat is having a manager,boss or co-workers that don't rock the boat. I have seen true honest nurses and other professionals hung out to dry by management or co-workers because they stood up and told the truth, did what was right, went against the statusquo or questioned certain people in authority. In the end a true nurse must do the right thing.