More than three-quarters of nurses sacrifice their happiness for the sake of their patients. But not all patients take such sacrifices honorably. Some are just a nuisance and will do everything to make nurses annoyed. Difficult patients should be professionally handled; otherwise, they can worsen the situation, and make it impossible for their associates to validate their medical conditions. Even medical care professionals who have acquired BLS for healthcare providers online will have a hard time dealing with such patients.
Coming into contact with an angry patient who showcases bad behaviors can make you regret becoming a nurse. That won’t be a big deal for those who have acquired BLS for healthcare providers online since you are likely to turn them into cool and appreciative patients. All it takes to handle a difficult patient is to be tactical, thoughtful, and compassionate.
1. How to Deal With an Angry Patient?
Most patients act angry because they haven’t accepted their health conditions. They use it as a defensive mechanism to handle their fears. As a nurse, don’t involve yourself with an angry patient before you understand their condition. Use the right mechanisms to approach a frightened patient since fear and being angry are two different things. Interview the patient to know what they feel or fear to understand their situation better. Using a friendly language is recommended as commanding and authoritative language can make an angry patient over-aggressive.
2. Tips to Deal with Manipulative Patient
Manipulative patients are too proud of themselves and can do anything to win their way, including cajoling, crying, and even threatening nurses. These patients don’t have control over their emotions and cannot actually handle what’s happening to them. So they will act weird to hide their fears and showcase their superiority. You cannot respond to a manipulative patient authoritatively, as they will only hurt you in return. Understand yourself first, and don’t let emotions control you when dealing with these kinds of patients.
3. Tips On How to Deal with Difficult Patients
Handling difficult patients need using the right language. Don’t let the aggressiveness of difficult patients force you into a verbal war with them as it will only escalate the situation. Calm yourself down, and allow the inner-self to guide your next steps. Address them calmly and don’t trigger anger in them by using words that don’t rhyme too well with their conditions. When a patient explains their condition, consider responding positively, like assuring them, things will be better.
If a patient seems not to accept their situation, politely explain to them everything by highlighting the signs and symptoms of the disease they suffer from.
4. Using Body Language to Deal with Difficult Patients
A difficult patient will easily notice when you are irritated through the emotions you exhibit. If you think you are emotionally unstable and cannot handle a difficult patient, take some time to cool down. Difficult patients will notice when you are angry and can take advantage of your emotions. No matter the situation, don’t look at a patient with aggressive eyes. Keep your facial expressions impressive and friendly. Avoid eyebrow lifting, lip pursing, or gracing as it can tell of your deceitfulness. Avoid getting close to the patient by all means, as some will take it as an invasion to their spacing.
5. Dealing with Aggressive Patients
If you are into the nursing industry, you likely have had a bad experience with patients who threatened, cursed, berated, and even shouted at you. You might have reacted aggressively hence escalating the situation. Aggressive patients can go to the extent of attacking you physically. There are simple rules to follow when dealing with aggressive patients. Don’t be too harsh on yourself, rather let yourself understand the situation first so you handle it professionally.
6. Ways to Deal With Aggressive Patients
- Maintain a neutral tone
- Use a soft language and don’t judge the patient
- Keep the patient under control but don’t command or authorize them
- Don’t bully a patient owing to their behaviors and actions
- Stay away from the patient and avoid intense eye contact.
7. Rising Patient Aggression on Nurses
Nursing is one of the most demanding professions. You have got a lot of things to worry about, including updating patients’ documents and following up on patients’ conditions. With all these worries, a nurse has to deal with aggressive, manipulative, and angry patients on a daily basis. As a nurse, you shouldn’t let patients’ weird behaviors make you question your skill or regret ever becoming a nurse.
No matter how stubborn patients prove to be, don’t act aggressively as it can worsen the situation. Use your professionalism to handle all situations that test your persona, qualifications, emotions, and skills. Never allow your fear for aggressive patients to make you treat other cool patients wrongly.
Krishan Jangir