Please be nice is the FIRST & strongest piece of advice I gave my hospitalized family member AND all other members of my family. So they were nice and things went a lot better (nurses gave quick assistance with a smile & physicians spent longer time in the room). Take this advice to heart--if you do nothing else, follow this tip!
Tip #8: Be Nice: One of my Mom's best friends always said: "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." This REALLY applies in the hospital setting. I realize that when your are sick you don't feel much like "making nice" and when you are worried about your family you "just want answers." But the reality of the situation is that medical personnel are just that--people!
Every person wants to be treated with courtesy and you WILL get better & more responsive care if you are kind to the nurses/physicians/techs/cleaning persons/administrative assistants/social workers/dietary staff.
I know (from being on the patient side of things) that some staff members don't return the favor & this may not seem fair. To be honest, I had to sometimes ACTIVELY tell myself not to snap at people last week as I sat with my sick family member. I kept reminding myself of the following key point: most staff members are not actively trying to be rude--they are stressed, they are understaffed & they are trying to please a lot of different people at once. By surprising them by being nice, they will look forward to coming into your room--this translates into more attentive care.
With regards to the nursing staff & techs--one last thought. Please remember not to treat them like they are your servant & remember that you are not their only patient. Don't "speak down to them." If you need something within your own reach & you are well enough than get it (*without doing anything you were told NOT to do by the nurse/doc*), than do it for yourself.
- Please don't be like a patient I saw the other night who had the staff running in and out of the room trying to please her requests. The evening culminated in her asking me to comb her hair & get her skin cream for her even though both items were on the tray in front of her & she was more than capable to do so herself. I had to sit down & talk to her about the importance of bundling her requests & asking only for things that she cannot do herself so the staff could do their job for all the other patients on the floor. After the explanation she seemed to understand & the staff enjoyed caring for her much more!
That said, there are limits to this suggestion. If you believe that someone is actually actively being harmful to your or your family members than ABSOLUTELY you should stop them firmly & ask to talk to the nurse manager or patient care advocate immediately. If its an issue with a doctor you can "ask for a second opinion." Just no matter how angry you are, take a deep breath & ask nicely--things will get fixed a lot faster.
Coming Up Next Time on Medical System Tuesday:
- Tip #9 For The Best Hospital Care: Pay Attention ~ Insider Tips on How to Get the BEST Medical Care in the Hospital ~
Coming Up This Week:
- BOOK REVIEW: "29 Gifts!"
- SuperImmunity for Kids ~Part 2~!
- Practical Stuff: Kitchen Tools That Help & Products I Like!!
The medical information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. The Happy Rehab Doc expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions.
No comments:
Post a Comment