You may have been a doctor for the past 20 years, or you may be a nurse on your very first shift at a hospital – either way, there is definitely something you can learn from your patients, and it only takes a few seconds to listen to them.
Learning everything you can about medicine while you are at college is one thing, but taking the time to actively listen to your patients and find out what they want you to know is something else entirely, and not usually something you’ll learn from your college books.
What Your College Gets Right
When studying to be a nurse or a doctor, you are taught some awesome things. A few basic examples of learnings you’ll experience are:
- Why it’s important to be mindful of germs
- Why you need to wash your hands
- Why certain bodily fluids should be considered toxic
- The best practices for treating specific injuries and diseases
Whether you are a doctor studying for your first year in family practice, or an advanced practice nurse trying to work towards your MSN to DNP qualification, your college is the best place to teach you the medical aspects of patient care.
Moving Beyond The Basics
When it comes to treating patients though, where do you learn what is right and how do you improve your bedside manner to ensure that every patient is treated with the dignity and care that they both deserve and need?
There are some fantastic learning books available to read, alongside online courses with accredited instructors. Learning how to provide great patient care is certainly needed, but the vast majority of learning about patients isn’t found in books.
The best way to learn how to treat your patients well is by listening to them, and learning what it is they wish you knew about them and your work.
Patients: The True Experts On Their Care And Health
Being a doctor or a nurse takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Working long hours, sometimes without breaks because you are caring for patients, is the norm. You are also expected to be able to quickly diagnose and treat illnesses or injuries.
If your only source of information about anything related to medicine is your college textbooks, you are missing out on so much.
Learning From Your Patients
When you take the time to listen to the patients in your care, you will learn things that will inform how you treat them and how they are treated by other doctors or nurses.
Here are a few things that patients frequently communicate to doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals in order to improve the care they receive.
Please Listen More
The number one ask from patients is that healthcare professionals listen more to what they are saying.
Explain Things Simply But Thoroughly
While it’s true that most patients don’t have a medical background, that doesn’t mean they won’t understand the complexities of their treatment.
Don’t Assume They Don’t Know
In the same vein as above, don’t assume that your patient doesn’t know anything about their condition.
Be Honest
This really is the same as don’t lie to your patient. If you don’t know something, say that you are unsure, rather than offering an answer that may not be correct.
Be Nice
This is a pretty simple ask, but it’s also one of the most important ones. Your patients are people too. Be nice to them because they deserve to be treated with respect and kindness in equal measure.
Be Realistic About Their Condition
If you think your patient isn’t going to make it, let them know so they can get themselves and their loved ones ready for the worst. If you think they are going to be alright, then let them know that too.
Treat People With Respect And Dignity
Even in difficult circumstances, dignity is critical. Whether you are caring for a patient who is dying or has just had surgery, they deserve to be treated with respect and with the best possible bedside manner that you can muster.
Patients are people too, so they want to feel like their treatment is in their best interest. They also want to trust you and know that you are doing everything in your power to help them.
Don’t Interrupt Them If They Are Telling You Something Important
Active listening means not interrupting and allowing a patient to speak when they need to. If you are treating your patient with kindness and sympathy, they will be more likely to talk to you about important things that will help them.
Respect Their Privacy
Don’t gossip with other doctors or nurses about what your patients have told you.
This is private information that should only be communicated between your patient and yourself. If it is something that needs to be shared for the benefit of others, then speak to the person in question in private before making the final decision.
Ask Them If They Need Help (don’t do it for them)
Keeping a sense of independence as a patient is of the utmost importance to them, so they will appreciate your asking if they would like any assistance.
Help Them To Feel In Control Of Their Care
Being in control of how you are cared for is a huge part of feeling better, and patients will appreciate this. They will also be more likely to take better care of themselves while recovering from an illness or injury. If their care is in your hands, make sure it is done with the best possible care and attention to detail.
Give Them A Reason For Everything You Do
Yes, your patient might know what you’re doing, but they want to know why you are doing it and what benefits it will have for them. If you won’t give them a good reason for their treatment, they are more likely to come back to you with questions that you could answer.
There are so many other things that patients will tell you when they are not feeling great. The best thing you can do is listen to what your patient is saying, truly hear what they are saying, and truly understand it.
Find Out What They Want From Their Treatment And Care
You think you know best, but it’s not your body.
You must allow your patient to dictate their level of care because it is their body that is in need of treatment. Ultimately, you can’t take control of that, so finding out what your patient wants will help you to help them feel like they are in control.
Patients Know More About Their Conditions Than We Think They Do
This might sound strange coming from a doctor or nurse, but it’s true. You think you know everything there is to know about your patient’s condition, but the fact of the matter is that they may know more than you do.
Don’t Talk Down To Patients Because Of Age, Sex, Or Other Differences
Learning differences, sex, and age are three things that often see patients treated poorly because, as a healthcare professional, it’s your job to make sure that they’re treated with the same respect and dignity that you would show another person of that age, sex, or ethnicity.
No One Wants A Lecture Because They Are Feeling Unwell
If you go into a patient’s room with the intention of lecturing them about their lifestyle choices, you are going to get a lecture right back at you.
Whether it’s an actual lecture or a muttering under your breath, your patient won’t appreciate being talked down to during a time when they just want to feel better.
Speak To The Patient, Not The Screen
Patients like to know that you are listening to what they are saying, so try to avoid looking at your screen when talking with them. It’s fine to look at something quickly if it is needed for their care, but it shouldn’t be the primary focus of your attention.
The Next Time You See A Patient
Learning how to speak to patients is important no matter how often you are seeing them.
The next time you do see one, try to think about what you could have done differently so the next time won’t be as difficult for them because it’s likely to be much easier to speak to them.
If your patient tells you something that is really important for their care, take notes as soon as they are finished speaking because it will help you remember what they told you later on. If there is something specific that they are worried about or something that they want help with, write down exactly what they said so you know not only now, but in the future too.
Conclusion
Your patients know their own health and medical history, and they know what is best for them in terms of care. If you are willing to listen to them every time you see them, you’ll be able to really understand their condition and how best to help them. This will make the relationship between you two stronger and more efficient.
The next time you see a patient, take the time to talk to them about things that may affect how you treat them and how they can help you help them recover fully from their illness or injury.
They may even teach you something new!
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