Miss Easy Going

The patient had been a nightmare. She was irritable, demanding and anxious. Anyone who failed to do exactly what she wanted when she wanted it got reported to management.

A doctor who refused her demand for a catheter was reported. The nurses who overheard the exchange said that he was nice and explained that he didn't want her to risk an infection and that she didn't need one since she was already able to void just fine. She said he was arrogant and didn't want him ever to see her again.

Another doctor was reported because he refused to remove the dressing and splint on her leg. He has a great bedside demeanor and told her that he could not remove the dressing without her risking a massive infection. She reported him too. Management told him to go back and try and reason with her again. He did so and again refused , nicely, to remove the dressing. She wanted it removed because her leg was itchy.

Her response was to bang her leg against the bed, over and over again. Soon she was crying because her leg hurt so bad, so she was put on a morphine pump.

She is not confused and although she has "issues", is not insane. These are just a couple of examples of her behavior. She was a terror with the nurses as well and reported people left and right for no good reason.

Last night it was my turn to endure her. When the previous nurse introduced me to her, the patient told me that she was "very easy going." The other nurse and I managed to make it out of the room before exploding in laughter.

And just in case you were wondering, I managed to get through the shift without enraging her, but if she thinks she is easy going, I would hate to see what she thinks difficult is.