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If you work as a hospital nurse, you have to deal with hospital management staffs, doctors, nursing staffs and patients. Sometimes you got an unpleasant situation when you dealing with difficult patients but you have to manage that situation.
Here are some effective tips to deal with difficult patients
1. Stay calm -
When you dealing with a difficult patient, it is very common to become angry and irritated. But you should not show your frustrations on the patient, it makes the patient more defensive and aggressive. Instead of showing your frustrations, stay calm, try to understand the patient problem.
During the dealing with difficult patient you should focus on target which you going to achieve. Don't do mistake by showing your frustrations, it can disturb your actual focus. Also, your frustrations can make the patient more irritated.
Stay calm but you should not hide your feelings because your frustrations make you more stressful. So, take some deep breathe or go outside of patient's room for a while and relax yourself.
2. Don't become upset -
Difficult patients may speak in a rude voice or may blame you without any reason. In this situation it's common to become upset. But you should not become upset because you should know that patient is undergoing difficult circumstances.
Because of the disease condition, patients become more irritated and anxious frequently. As a nurse you should understand their emotional condition. So, don't take their rude speaking personally, just avoid it.
3. Avoid arguments -
Difficult patients frequently become more angry, irritated and anxious. They may show their anger on you and try to start an argument.
As a nurse, you should avoid this kind of argument. Be respectful and polite to them. Argument can disturb patients mood and they become more irritated. Along with this, starting an argument makes bad impression to the patient about you, they may lose trust on your care.
If you notice that patient is trying to start an argument, just avoid it, start a polite conversation and reassure for the better care.
4. Be supportive and take care -
Most of the time difficult patients think that no one is taking care of them. They feel helpless and insecure during his care. So, be supportive and take care very politely.
Nurse should show that she/he is eager to help them. Try to start a conversation, know his problems and ask how you can help him. Patient will start to trust and co-operate by observing your care and support.
5. Let them to speak -
If patients feel helpless, insecure, irritated, they will not co-operate. Most of time they cannot express themselves, so they become more depressed and irritated. They feel to share their problems and thoughts.
You give an opportunity to speak them and you listen it carefully. Try to give positive reply.
If the patient is emotionally disturbed, let them share their emotions, ask some questions. Patient feel more comfortable when they share their story.
6. Behave like family members -
Difficult patient want to get care as a family members. During their difficult situation they want someone who will give family care, support and guidance.
As a nurse try to know their problems. Speak to them, ask them about their hobbies, likes and family members. If the patient is speaking negative, you should motivate them by speaking positive words.
7. Focus on care -
As a nurse your main goal should be giving an effective care. Sometimes difficult patient don't co-operate with health workers. In this situation try to teach them about importance of care, divert their mind and give enough time for thr patient.
By focusing on the patient care, you will get more data about their health changes. If patient is still not co-operating, take help of other health care staff.
8. Find help for the patient -
If patient is feeling loneliness and disturbed with psychological problems, take help of other healthcare staff. Something situation become more difficult to control a patient's aggressiveness.
If you think that patient is having depression, take help for their counseling. You can suggest for the social workers, family members or someone else to speak with them.
9. Set boundaries -
If patient is behaving rude and aggressive, you should set boundaries for them. You should not allow that kind of patients to show their aggressiveness.
In such cases, you should speak to the patient and tell him that you cannot behave like this, I will go out for a while and giving you time to calm down.
If patient is not listening to you take help of other health care staff to protect yourself.
10. Never accept abuse -
Nurses duty is to provide care. Some patients are not co-operative with the nurse. They try to start abusive behaviour. You should not allow them.
You must be careful about your personal protection. The behaviour of psychiatry ward patient and general ward patient will be different. If you feel that the patient's behaviour is not acceptable, warn them to behave properly. If the patient continue the same abusive behaviour, inform your supervisor immediately.
If you are in physical danger, immediately call to the hospital security. No matter what the situation, never accept any kind of physical danger.
