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274 Posts
Lily
This thread contains some very good information. When I was working in the hospital as a nurse, there would be times that patients would come in completely worked up because they just knew that they had *insert illness*. Sometimes the patient may be correct with their diagnosis and other times, they completely missed the mark. I found this group difficult to treat, as it was hard to convince them that they were not sick or at least not sick with that particular illness. The other group of patients that I found the most challenging were the ones that knew what they had, yet continued not to make good life choices either thru exercise, medication and/or healthy living. They would get so mad at you and the doc because you were not "fixing" them. I always found it difficult to help those that didn't want to help themselves. Now when I say that, I mean it was hard to convince them that they might need a lifestyle change. Some of them would tell you that their grandparents, friends, etc have done *insert bad habit* for years and THEY were fine. One that always got me was the patient who came into my unit with a heartattack and you found that they were smoking, eating almost every meal out and from a grease pit and led a sedentary lifestyle. You would try to explain to them that they need to modify a few things so it wouldn't happen again. They just KNEW you were against smoking, calling them lazy and that we had no clue what is meant to have such a hectic lifestyle. :wall: :screamin: :grrr: .
Trying to educate the patient was always another challenge as they knew everything because their friend went thru it, family member dies from it or they read it on the internet. I feel it is important for patients to be knowledgeable about their health care and their illnesses. There are some unscrupulous docs in this world and are only looking at $$$$$. HOWEVER, even though you might have read 5 different websites discussing your problem or suspected problem, does not necessarily make people completely knowledgeable. I heard many a patient argue with a doc and stating, "that is not what I read on the internet!"
I have always encouraged patients to be active in their healthcare by knowing what their illness are, their limitations, their medications, etc. I have also told them not to believe everything they read in a magazine, newspaper or on the internet. Just because it is in print, doesn't necessarily make it true.
Nancy
This thread contains some very good information. When I was working in the hospital as a nurse, there would be times that patients would come in completely worked up because they just knew that they had *insert illness*. Sometimes the patient may be correct with their diagnosis and other times, they completely missed the mark. I found this group difficult to treat, as it was hard to convince them that they were not sick or at least not sick with that particular illness. The other group of patients that I found the most challenging were the ones that knew what they had, yet continued not to make good life choices either thru exercise, medication and/or healthy living. They would get so mad at you and the doc because you were not "fixing" them. I always found it difficult to help those that didn't want to help themselves. Now when I say that, I mean it was hard to convince them that they might need a lifestyle change. Some of them would tell you that their grandparents, friends, etc have done *insert bad habit* for years and THEY were fine. One that always got me was the patient who came into my unit with a heartattack and you found that they were smoking, eating almost every meal out and from a grease pit and led a sedentary lifestyle. You would try to explain to them that they need to modify a few things so it wouldn't happen again. They just KNEW you were against smoking, calling them lazy and that we had no clue what is meant to have such a hectic lifestyle. :wall: :screamin: :grrr: .
Trying to educate the patient was always another challenge as they knew everything because their friend went thru it, family member dies from it or they read it on the internet. I feel it is important for patients to be knowledgeable about their health care and their illnesses. There are some unscrupulous docs in this world and are only looking at $$$$$. HOWEVER, even though you might have read 5 different websites discussing your problem or suspected problem, does not necessarily make people completely knowledgeable. I heard many a patient argue with a doc and stating, "that is not what I read on the internet!"
I have always encouraged patients to be active in their healthcare by knowing what their illness are, their limitations, their medications, etc. I have also told them not to believe everything they read in a magazine, newspaper or on the internet. Just because it is in print, doesn't necessarily make it true.
Nancy
