During your career as a nurse, you will encounter a plethora of different patients with varying backstories, ideologies, and personalities. Indeed, this is one of the many benefits of being a practising nurse. Unfortunately, however, it is necessary to prepare for the odd challenging patient of whom you are likely to come across from time to time.
Based on advice from the NHS and Royal College of Nursing, this quick-read blog offers insight into dealing with challenging patients as a nurse.
What defines a ‘challenging’ patient?
A challenging patient might be someone who:
Displays threatening behaviour, either verbally or physically
Uses discriminatory or inappropriate language towards a member of staff
Is disruptive or destructive in their actions
How should I respond?
First, it is important to try and understand why the patient is behaving in this manner. Here are a few tips on how to respond if the patient is:
In pain
If the patient is in pain, they may not be able to communicate properly, especially if they have a learning disorder or speak a different language. If you think this could be the case, remain calm and reassure them that you are here to help. Ask open ended questions or encourage them to point at where the pain is coming from. However, if the individual is refusing to co-operate or you think you may be at risk then call for help or in extreme scenarios, leave the room and call for security and/or the police.
Impatient
Hospitals are busy places, and sometimes it may take longer than desired to be seen by a medical professional. As a result, it is unfortunately not uncommon for patients to grow impatient and take their frustrations out on staff. In this situation, it is essential to remain professional (no matter how tempting it may be to shout back) as this ensures you keep the power, while showing the patient that you are acknowledging their concerns. It may also be worth politely asking the individual to calm down if you feel they are invading your personal space and being overly aggressive/disruptive to other patients. Explain why there is a long wait and be transparent about when they will be seen.
Drunk and disorderly
We all know there’s no reasoning with someone once they’ve reached a certain level of intoxication – however, these patients should be treated as high-risk until their medical issue is diagnosed as its seriousness may be masked by the drunken behaviour. Make sure the intoxicated patient is brought to a safe space, preferably away from public view to minimise general disturbance. Again, if you feel you are in immediate danger, make sure to get help and do not attempt to deal with the patient alone.
Overall, risk assessment is a crucial step in dealing with challenging patients and nurses should always put their safety above all else.
We hope you found this article helpful – for further information, we recommend asking your workplace about the relevant training available around conflict resolution.
If you wish to speak to a member of our team, please email info@mcmmedical.co.uk.
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