{"id":18648,"date":"2018-03-26T07:29:28","date_gmt":"2018-03-26T12:29:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/?p=18648"},"modified":"2020-09-11T20:42:08","modified_gmt":"2020-09-11T20:42:08","slug":"4-things-nurses-should-never-say-to-patients","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/nclex\/4-things-nurses-should-never-say-to-patients\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Things Nurses Should Never Say to Patients"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Believe it or not, simple words can truly affect a nursing patient\u2019s experience in the hospital. You may have the best of intentions, but certain topics or comments can negatively affect a patient\u2019s sense of confidentiality, personal beliefs, and emotions.<br \/>\nWhen working as registered nurse with long shifts and multiple clients, it is easy to forget what it\u2019s like to be a patient. A little empathy and imagining what it is like to be a patient will help you to remember what to say or not to say. Here are a few things to avoid to help you uphold quality care:<br \/>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\n<div  class='avia-icon-list-container   avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_sidebar  avia-builder-el-first '><ul class='avia-icon-list avia-icon-list-left av-iconlist-big avia_animate_when_almost_visible avia-iconlist-animate'>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue816' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >1. Nurses should never complain about another caregiver<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>Inevitably in your career, you may come across co-workers with different opinions than your own. These differences can and should be used to complement each other and strengthen a team. Unfortunately, though, they can also escalate making\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/calling-all-nurses\/2016\/10\/11\/prevalence-of-nurse-bullying-how-to-handle-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a stressful work environment.<\/a><br \/>\nIn your frustration, it\u2019s easy to let a negative comment slip a about another registered nurse in front of a patient, causing them to lose confidence or feel suspicious of any future caregiver. When a person feels ill they naturally feel vulnerable to the nurses who care for them.<br \/>\nIf you truly feel something was done incorrectly that could have endangered the patient or negatively affected their experience, make it known to that caregiver outside of the patient\u2019s presence. You can also discuss the issue with your nurse manager.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue816' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >2. Save personal conversations for between shifts<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>Hopefully, you will have\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/calling-all-nurses\/2015\/07\/17\/5-ways-to-be-a-better-rn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a great relationship with many of your fellow nurses<\/a>\u00a0because you will be spending a lot of time with them. You\u2019ll naturally want to discuss personal issues such as relationships in your life, how the local sports team did last weekend, or your evening plans.<br \/>\nJust remember, there\u2019s a time and place for everything. When interacting with a patient,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/calling-all-nurses\/2016\/06\/10\/mastering-the-nurse-patient-relationship\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">they should be your only focus<\/a>.\u00a0While in a patient\u2019s room, whether it\u2019s performing a procedure or even just helping to dress or turn a patient, it can be easy for nurses to start discussing these topics over the patient\u2019s head. This may cause the patient to feel as if their needs aren\u2019t being met.<br \/>\nIt\u2019s best to catch up with coworkers outside of the patient\u2019s room, during lunch, or before or after your shift.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue816' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >3. Keep your personal and religious beliefs to yourself<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>As a nursing patient\u2019s caregiver you have a position of power. Imagine being in a hospital, in a hospital gown, dependent on one person for all personal care, medications, and communication with the medical staff. I\u2019ve been in situations where patients have expressed to me that their bedside nurse or caregiver expressed their own opinions on healthcare choices or expressed religious or political beliefs that made them uncomfortable.<br \/>\nPart of nursing is caring for the patient as a whole that includes honoring their own traditions as well as empowering them to make informed decisions about their healthcare by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/calling-all-nurses\/2015\/06\/24\/five-tips-for-first-year-nurses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">providing objective information.<\/a>Your role as a registered nurse is to simply be the messenger and help translate medical terminology for the patient. That translation should remain objective.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue816' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >4. Never act too busy to give a client attention and care<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>As a registered nurse, you will often feel like you are being pulled in ten different directions. If you work as a bedside nurse, you may have up to five patients or more, depending on the specialty and acuity of the clients. It can be a challenge to meet all the needs of just one patient, let alone all of them.<br \/>\nWhen a patient is in pain or scared or just needs help getting to the bathroom, they are not thinking about the four other clients you have to manage. It is NOT OK to tell a patient, \u201cI\u2019m too busy right now, you will just have to wait.\u201d You have resources\u2014use them. Ask a coworker who may not be as busy to help. Ask one of the nursing techs to assist you.<br \/>\nEither way, the most important thing is to communicate to the patient appropriately. For example, \u201cI understand that you need pain medication. I am in another patient\u2019s room. I will be able to bring the medication to you in 10 minutes.\u201d Or \u201cI understand that you need to go to the bathroom right now. I have asked the nurse tech to come to your room as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div><br \/>\nYour words carry a lot of weight for your patients.\u00a0You have an\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/calling-all-nurses\/2016\/12\/13\/2-secrets-to-a-successful-nursing-career\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">important duty as a registered nurse<\/a>\u00a0to honor each patient\u2019s autonomy by respecting their beliefs and creating a healing environment for their care.<br \/>\n<div  class='avia-builder-widget-area clearfix  avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_iconlist  el_before_av_hr '><div id=\"text-78\" class=\"widget clearfix widget_text\">\t\t\t<div class=\"textwidget\"><p><span data-sumome-listbuilder-embed-id=\"ed685fed995ca0b14adea942b9321bfdb4da66714744f69d9ba773e8becb00b9\"><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/p>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div   class='hr hr-short hr-center   avia-builder-el-2  el_after_av_sidebar  el_before_av_testimonials '><span class='hr-inner ' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"author\" class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md-10\">\n<div   data-autoplay='1'  data-interval='5'  data-animation='fade'  data-hoverpause='1'  class='avia-testimonial-wrapper avia-grid-testimonials avia-grid-2-testimonials avia_animate_when_almost_visible   '>\n<section class ='avia-testimonial-row'><div class='avia-testimonial av_one_half flex_column no_margin avia-testimonial-row-1 avia-first-testimonial' ><div class='avia-testimonial_inner'  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia-testimonial-content '  ><div class='avia-testimonial-markup-entry-content'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p>Nicole Weidinger is a family nurse practitioner specializing in palliative medicine at George Washington University Hospital in Washington DC. She completed her BSN with a minor in theology at Georgetown University in 2004. She spent a year at the NIH in the Oncology Nurse Research Fellowship program, working with both medical oncology and stem cell transplant patients. She then completed her MSN in the Family Nurse Practitioner Program with a minor in palliative care at the University of Pennsylvania in 2006. Since completing her MSN, Nicole as worked in primary care, acute, chronic, and interventional pain management, and palliative medicine. She is also certified as an advanced hospice and palliative care nurse. Nicole is currently living in the Maryland suburbs of Washington DC with her husband, Dan, and 14-month-old son, Sebastian\u2014the loves of her life.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class='avia-testimonial-meta'><div class='avia-testimonial-arrow-wrap'><div class='avia-arrow'><\/div><\/div><div class='avia-testimonial-meta-mini'  itemprop=\"author\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Person\" ><strong  class='avia-testimonial-name'    itemprop=\"name\" >NICOLE WEIDINGER <\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Believe it or not, simple words can truly affect a nursing patient\u2019s experience in the hospital. You may have the best of intentions, but certain topics or comments can negatively affect a patient\u2019s sense of confidentiality, personal beliefs, and emotions. When working as registered nurse with long shifts and multiple clients, it is easy to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26894,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[97],"tags":[125],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18648"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18648"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18648\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35721,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18648\/revisions\/35721"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26894"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18648"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18648"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18648"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}