I’ve been a nurse for over 25 years. A few years ago, I also became a patient. I was sick for several months, requiring multiple doctors’ visits, procedures, and testing. I’m healthy now but I learned some interesting lessons from the perspective of the patient.
We don’t always know how to treat people.
I’m not talking about their health conditions. Hopefully we get that right most of the time.
Where we miss the mark is how we interact with the people who come to us for care. Communicating on a respectful, compassionate level seems to be more difficult for us than any other part of providing patient care.
Here’s what typical interaction between healthcare staff and patients often looks like.
Photo by Helen Bauer, The Heart of Hospice
Talking to adults as if they were children – (think “how are WE doing today?). It’s ageism at its worst.
Misrepresenting professional roles – letting people think you’re part of the nursing staff or confusing them with your credentials.
Poor manners – not greeting every patient and family member you see.
Impersonal phone conversations – banging the phone down without saying goodbye or asking if there are any other questions.
Leaving hurried voice mails – being in such a hurry to leave a message that name and other contact information is garbled.
Inadequate explanation of care – not telling patients what you’re going to be doing for them (or to them.)
If you’re a healthcare professional and I’m describing your work habits – WOW.
You can do better. Start by simply thinking of your patients as people. Are you thinking those people are cranky, rude, demanding, impatient, or pushy? They are. They’re also sick, vulnerable, grieving, and scared. You’re not seeing them on their best days. If you were, they wouldn’t need to be there.
Sure, some people act like jerks. They’re not going to be nice no matter how well you treat them. Treat them well anyway. Assume everyone is just trying to navigate a stressful situation and needs your help.
Start with some of these ideas:
Talk to people respectfully – lose the attitude and NEVER, EVER talk down to adults as if they were children.
Identify yourself accurately – it increases your patients’ confidence in what you’re doing and reduces their confusion.
Never identify yourself as a nurse or allow a patient to think you are one if you do not have a nursing license.
Greet everyone – flash a smile, say good morning/afternoon. Super simple but incredibly reassuring to others.
Phone manners – don’t drop the phone down after your call; it’s a horrible banging sound for the person you’ve been talking to and says that you don’t care.
Voice mails – speak slowly and clearly. Sometimes people have to write down contact information and not everybody has great hearing.
Explain your job – if you’re coming at me with a needle/catheter/EKG lead/scope, you better tell me what you’re going to do before you do anything. (P.S. You also need my permission to do it so you better explain yourself.)
Be considerate and listen – maybe there’s something you can learn when someone complains. They’re not always wrong. Change and improvement might be needed on your side.
If you’re a healthcare practitioner and you feel convicted by what you’ve read in today’s blog, then take steps to identify changes you need to make in your own interaction with patients. If you’re a healthcare consumer and you’ve experienced care that is confusing, insensitive or disrespectful, I’m sorry. Please keep telling us so we can improve. Just remember to offer your suggestions or complaints in a way that is respectful and understanding. Seems to me that we need to remember we’re all just people.
No matter who you are, or where you are in your hospice journey, you are The Heart of Hospice.
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