As nurses, we all occasionally run into patients that could be described as “difficult.” For any of a variety of reasons, they’re unusually difficult to work with. They may complain constantly, hesitate to comply, or even be aggressive. Sometimes it’s due to a psychiatric or medical condition, like dementia or mental illness. In other cases, they’re just not the most pleasant people.
What can you do when you get assigned that notorious patient that no one else wants to take? As healthcare professionals, we can’t simply “fire” a patient, the way that some professionals can with their clients. The best we can do is to find strategies for managing the patient as best we can, and in worst-case scenarios where the patient may be aggressive, putting our own safety first.
Tips for Dealing with Rude, Demanding, or Otherwise Difficult Patients
The most common type of “difficult patients” are those who, frankly, are just plain rude. They’re unappreciative, demanding, and even downright mean. In some cases, there’s a medical issue at play. Irritability can occur as a side effect of some kinds of medication, or as a result of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. But in other cases, no such organic or psychiatric cause can be identified.
Here are a few tips for diffusing conflict with unusually difficult patients in a healthcare setting.
Dealing with Difficult Patients
Dealing with difficult patients is sometimes one of the hardest parts of our jobs. It’s really frustrating when all the empathy, respect, and compassion in the world doesn’t seem to do anything to inspire the patient to treat you better or give you the respect you deserve. But you can do everything you can to try to set boundaries and cope with rudeness and other unpleasant behavior from patients.
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