I am in the room with the PA listening to him assess the patient.
Let me set the stage: The patient is sitting on the edge of bed facing toward the wall. The PA is leaning against the wall facing him. I am leaning against the opposite wall in back of the patient.
The PA starts asking questions. About one minute in, it happens. An involuntary eye roll. I mean honestly I couldn't help it. It happened without conscious thought. It was one of those "You have go to be kidding me?! WTF?" moments that we have a hundred times a day in the ER.
Over the years, I have learned to school my emotions. I work in triage a lot, where you have to keep a straight face no matter what: You put what where? Okay have a seat (or maybe you should stand) in the waiting room... Little green men chasing you? Next...
Here's the thing: There are just some people who live in an alternate universe and have no concept of the words: TOO MUCH INFORMATION. DO NOT GO THERE. WE DON'T WANT TO KNOW. WE DON'T WANT TO KNOW THE DETAILS OF YOUR WEIRD, GROSS LIFE. STOP BEFORE I BURST INTO FLAMES! The kind of people who make you want to shoot yourself.
I have never burst into flames. I have been able to put a kabosh on the situation and am really good at redirecting the nature of the conversation. Either that or I make a hasty exit, making some kind of excuse like: I'll be back. Then I don't go back.
The INVOLUNTARY EYE ROLL hasn't happened many times but there are times when things get so bazaar that my subconscious seizes up and reacts for me.. Its that or I yell: NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
3 comments:
haha. The other day a patient came in because her blood sugar "was over 600"..
I asked her what hurt (mistake).. "My stomach.. my chest.. my back.. my neck.. my teeth.. and I'm sorry; I've been so sick I haven't been able to shower for a few weeks."
Her blood sugar was 142.
I am a brand new nursing student and I am imaging that it must be hard at times to keep your personal opinions or feelings to yourself.
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