The Other End of the Stethoscope I feel has created a new perspective for me on patient care. Hearing it come from a patient’s point of view, I feel like my thinking and actions are forever going to be changed. For example, since reading this book when I first meet a patient I like to ask them, what name they like to go by rather than automatically just referring to them as Mr. or Ms. So and So. Reading this book to had helped me understand the mental thought process of a patient and just exactly what they think about you as a nurse and how you do your job, along with how you yourself might be able to turn a bad situation into a more pleasant one.
I can’t say I have ever experienced a patient who had a “watch dog” item by their side that they clung to. I can say that though from now on I will make it a point to be more observant of my patients and their personal items.
This past Thursday I felt as though I was being an “Over-apologizer” I had a patient who had recently went through a total left hip. She did not tolerate me performing my assessment well when I had to remove her SCD’s and socks to check her pedal pulses and expressed severe pain when she had to be repositioned in the bed. I felt as though I was constantly saying sorry for inflicting pain upon her, and saying sorry was my way of expressing sympathy.
I don’t believe I have yet to rock the boat. I do know that when the time does come when my patient’s priority outweighs a Doctor’s sleep at 4 am I will do whatever it takes. I guess this is where nurses “thick skin” comes into play when the doctor chews him/ her out for calling them at 4 am.
I can’t say I have ever experienced a patient who had a “watch dog” item by their side that they clung to. I can say that though from now on I will make it a point to be more observant of my patients and their personal items.
This past Thursday I felt as though I was being an “Over-apologizer” I had a patient who had recently went through a total left hip. She did not tolerate me performing my assessment well when I had to remove her SCD’s and socks to check her pedal pulses and expressed severe pain when she had to be repositioned in the bed. I felt as though I was constantly saying sorry for inflicting pain upon her, and saying sorry was my way of expressing sympathy.
I don’t believe I have yet to rock the boat. I do know that when the time does come when my patient’s priority outweighs a Doctor’s sleep at 4 am I will do whatever it takes. I guess this is where nurses “thick skin” comes into play when the doctor chews him/ her out for calling them at 4 am.