Nursing Pain

Health care organizations are very conce
ed about the patient satisfaction improvement. Some nurses like it while some others not really, but you have to face the fact that nobody is going to change it. You have to follow new trend and new rules.
Well, honestly we, the nurses are here to help the patient to get through this hard for him or her time of sickness, right? Some patients tend to give in return hard time to us, nurses and staff members, right? Ok, stop here. I do agree with the first statement, but I don’t agree with the second. Are you agreeing with me, or maybe you are one of these nurses who submitted the post on one of the social networks "the weirdest reason the patient puts the call light on."

Let me explain. Do you know definition of pain? Pain is … ; no, not this one. My definition of pain is: “The pain is the body’s warning to let us know when something is going wrong.” When you have a toothache what are you doing? Going to the dentist, aren’t you? Without this warning you would loose your teeth.
What does your patient doing when something going wrong? He is calling a nurse. Do you feel this pain? Full well trained bladder telling you: "I am ready to quit" and your stomach in a complete opposite physical state (emptiness) is reminding you about the very basic Maslow need. What do you think? "What does he wants AGAIN?"

OK, stop and change your choreography: your stomach is full and your bladder is empty, and you just back from the lunch break. Mr. Johnson just pushed his call light button. What do you think? "Oh, this nice 85 year-old gentlemen may need some help." As you see this is not Mr. Johnson fault you are upset in the first place, this is your attitude affected by your (or your organs) current physical or emotional state.
You know what to do in the second instance, but what can be done in the first one? Ask somebody to go to your patient room and tell him you will be there in two minutes, run to bathroom, then grab the snack – hold, hold, did you wash your hand? You know the most important measure in the prevention of the hospital infection …, ops, sorry you did already? – Ok, now go to the patient room and resolve the problem if not already done thanks to your coworker (a little delegation skills reminder).

Remember, this is you who create the patient experience. It depends on your attitude and how you handle this situation.