By their very nature, patients are sick and not the most fun to be around. Nobody expects a patient to be all rainbows and unicorns, but being a good patient is important. Here are five steps you can take to make sure you are a patient people appreciate.
But I’m Sick
Nobody likes being sick. When you’re waiting for a transplant, what you experience could be worse than your average cold or flu. But just because you feel rotten, doesn’t mean you need to be the bane of everyone’s existence.
Being a good patient does not mean you must skip tra-la-la-la-la down the halls of the hospital, but as the saying goes, you attract more flies with honey. And when you’re sick, you’re going to need all the help you can get so it’s time to start that honey production. This brings me to step one.
Good Patient Step 1 – Be Nice!
Nobody likes a sourpuss, and while being liked is not the ultimate goal, getting help when you need it is! Being kind to the people you come in contact with will do nothing but help your cause.
When I was sick, I spent a ton of time at the hospital. My time there was far more pleasant because of the people. I learned of some great restaurants from a man who was transporting me to a procedure. I learned all about how to knit a blanket using my arms from a nurse. I received some of the most impactful words of encouragement from someone in environmental services. I was often greeted by name by people in the ED (which, I will still say is a positive thing). The point is, I had some wonderful experiences during an otherwise miserable time.
People who work in hospitals encounter sick people all day every day. Everyone from environmental services and transport to nurses and pharmaceutical staff. These people encounter others during the worst times in their lives. They clean up the gross stuff, comfort loved ones, and get hollered at by patients. Treating them with respect and kindness is the least we can do. People will be far more apt to help you if they are respected.
It’s not just people at the hospital though. It’s easy to take our frustrations out on the people we care about. And, they’ll probably forgive us when we do. But because we care about them, we should be extra nice, right? They are the people holding everything together for us out of the goodness of their hearts. If anyone should be treated nicely, it’s them.
Good Patient Step 2 – Take Notes
It may sound silly, but taking notes helps everyone out. It saves time, shows doctors and nurses you value their time, and that you’re serious about the process.
Write things down you want to discuss with your doctor before a visit. It stinks when you’ve just been to a visit and walk out of the office only to realize you forgot to ask them something. By jotting things down beforehand, you make sure you don’t forget. Plus, you have a handy place to record their answers.
Take notes during a visit (or ask one of your loved ones to do it for you). Despite how well you listen, there will be details or information that is blurry or confusing. Later, when you have a question about what was said, you have it written down for reference. And that brings us to step three.
Good Patient Step 3 – Follow Directions
All that note-taking during a doctor visit does you no good if you don’t follow directions. Being a good patient means taking charge of your health. Some instructions may be specific where others are recommendations. If you’re not sure, ask.
As an example, if the doctor recommends you get some walking in every day but you feel gross one day. Skipping a walk isn’t going to be horrible as long as you get back to it the next day. On the other hand, let’s say you’re administering your own IV antibiotics. If you don’t clean and flush the line, you could be risking something far more serious.
For some people, myself included, knowing why I’m supposed to do something is useful. In the same example, not cleaning and flushing your IV could result in an infection or blockage. Knowing this is a stern reminder of its importance
Following directions also includes taking your medications as prescribed. This should go without saying, but if medications have been prescribed to you, chances are you need them. So, take them. It’s as simple as that.
Good Patient Step 4 – Ask Questions
Being well-informed is one of the ways being a good patient is most helpful. When we don’t understand a procedure, for instance, a chain starts.
I recently had a conversation with someone who had been losing sleep over an upcoming ultrasound. She was anxious, tired, and snippy with her family. Terrified, she had it in her mind that ultrasounds were invasive and painful. This kind of anxiety can affect you mentally. And we all know stress and anxiety can lead to a myriad of physical complications.
Had she taken the time to ask what it was and how it works, she could have saved herself a whole lot of stress and worry. And she probably would have been a little nicer to her loved ones too.
Sometimes medical staff deal with things so often, they don’t realize that patients may not know what they are talking about. Even as patients, the things we learn along the way that we didn’t know when we started can be mind-boggling.
It’s OK to ask for clarification on instructions, what a term means, or how a procedure is done. It’s not only helpful to us as patients but it’s helpful to your medical team too. Because if you’re taking notes *wink* you won’t have to ask again.
Good Patient Step 5 – Take Ownership
This is your body and your responsibility. Sure, you have medical staff and loved ones in your corner, but it’s still your job to follow through.
We’re all human. Everyone makes mistakes, and that includes doctors, nurses, and medical staff. But there is only so much your medical team and loved ones can do.
If your doctor recommends something that doesn’t sound right to you, it’s your job to ask. If that still doesn’t jive, it’s your job to get another opinion. When medication is prescribed to you, it’s your job to take it. If you forget, that’s on you. If you miss an appointment and treatment is delayed, that’s your fault.
With that said, sometimes everyone can do everything right, and bad stuff happens. The body is an amazing thing and even though we may do everything we know to do, it may react poorly. When that happens, take it for what it is and move forward.
Bonus Step – Be Grateful
All these steps will help you in being a good patient. As a bonus, when you try to remain grateful, these steps will be that much easier. Be grateful you have a medical team, medications that help your symptoms, and a family who loves you. Remembering how fortunate you are will help you keep your cool when the going gets tough.
