Thank You NursingLink

23Oct2010 Author: Mother Jones, RN

I want to thank the good people at NurisngLink for giving me the opportunity to write for their website. My goal is to share important information that will improve patient care and the general well being of the nursing profession. Let’s face it. The nursing profession is taking a beating. I will be writing articles based on my personal experiences as a nurse, as well as commentary about what’s happening in the news. Yes, I’m opinionated, and I invite you to send me your comments. I also want to hear your story ideas for future articles. In the meantime, check out my latest articles for NursingLink:

When a patient Doesn’t Want You as Their Nurse

Patient Boundaries in Nursing

3 Responses to “Thank You NursingLink”

Becca
October 23rd, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Dear Terri, I wanted to leave this comment on your article (which I thought was really interesting, I’m always shocked at the BS that nurses of any minority group endure), and I wanted to add this comment for a little perspective from the other side of the glove but NursingLink wanted me to register to add it, so here goes.

You seem to have forgotten one of the primary reasons why a patient may not want a certain nurse: their attitude, conduct or complete absence of manners or professionalism. Yes, the patient might be a bigot, but please don’t ever forget that just sometimes YOU are the reason. Maybe we heard you refer to us using a derogatory term when you thought we couldn’t hear, were dismissive of distressing symptoms or arrived at our bedside stinking of cigarette smoke. Perhaps we have noticed you fail to wash your hands too many times, or your manual handling technique left us with bruises. Maybe we watched you turn and walk away as we laboriously tapped out some crucial message on a communication board, or gazed on in mute horror as you ordered the only person able to translate our specialised sign language or gesture based communication out of the ward at the end of visiting hours – despite an agreement with hospital management that they would be able to stay as that’s the only way our needs can be met.

Maybe you didn’t even realise that you did some of these things, and are genuinely upset when you are told. We know that you almost never act with a primary intention to cause hurt, even if you’re having the shift/week/month/year from hell, last ate a hot meal 56 hours ago and have been trying to find time to have a BM since lunchtime yesterday. But if one or more of the above things have happened, sometimes we have to triage for our own comfort and confidence, and ask for a different nurse. It’s not (usually) personal.
RehabRN
October 25th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
NR:

Loved the articles! BTW Bigots come in all shapes and sizes, and it’s not just minorities who suffer. I’ve seen patients reject nurses who are not as ethnic as they are or they “play” nurses of other nationalities for entertainment.

I don’t play. If you try to make a buffoon of me, I’m going to ask you what’s up. If you want a new nurse, I’ll happily have my manager or charge nurse reassign me. Most of the time, said patient will keep me, others not. I treat them all the same. It’s hard, but I do what I have to do.

I have lots of other patients on the unit who’ll take me as their nurse in a second, so I do not worry one bit.

Thanks also for that boundary article. It’s sorely needed. Just one other thing people can try to sue you for these days. It’s just not worth it.
NursingLink
November 3rd, 2010 at 4:33 pm
We’re glad to have you on board!