Irrate Family Members

I've seen family members come in, curse out the entire staff, yell and curse out the patient relations rep, yank the IVs out of their family member's arm, turn around, and walk off the unit, leaving their poor family member to have to get stuck again to replace the IV.

I've personally been yelled at by a patient's family member who turned around later and hugged and apologized to me, thanking me for being so good to the patient.  And telling me, "You know it's all just so stressful.  I didn't mean to yell at you"

What was the reason she yelled at me and my preceptor?  A miscommunication on her part.   

Everyone behaves differently when they are worrying about an ailing family member.  Some are quiet, some are sweet and kind hoping that you will treat the family member in kind.  And some look for someone to knock around and release their frustrations out on.

And guess who they usually select as their punching bag? 

You!  The RN!  

The doctors and PAs are usually not around.

While doing my psych clinical, some of my classmates and I where placed in the psych ER for a half day.  One of the veteran nurses there asked us where the top two areas for RN assaults were.  

We guessed: Here in the psych ER?  On the psych unit?  

Nope...  

#1 Emergency Room   #2 ICU

Guess who is doing the assaulting in the ICU Room?  

The patient that's there for intensive care with one foot dangling over the grave?   Not likely...

This is something to take into consideration if you are planning to choose nursing as a career path and you intend to work the floor.  

What get's everyone through the day when dealing with difficult family members?  

Compassion!!!

Ultimately this is where compassion, understanding, and empathy come into play.  If you are a compassionate and empathetic person you will understand how the family members feel, what they are going through, and you are less likely to take the negative things they say and do to heart.  

When I got balled out, I later received an apology, but that is not always going to be the case.  Sometimes people make no apology for their nastiness, despite the fact you took excellent care of their loved one, and had the patient's back through thick and thin.  

For those of you that chose nursing solely for the money, the scenarios I've mentioned could easily make you end up a statistic.  20% of new nurses quit within their first year of working.

Without real empathy for the patients and their family members you likely won't make it.  And if you do you will probably be kicking cans all the way to work and kicking cans all the way home.  Miserable. 

People's antics can easily drive you crazy, especially when you are pushing hour 10 on day 3 of your work week.

They try address how to handle difficult situations when you go through your psych clinicals and learn therapeutic conversation skills.  

The Last Class - Community

The 2014 class will be using a different book from the 2013 class.  

So don't buy a used Community Health Nursing book from the upperclassmen.    

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