Working with Patients When Embarrassment is an Issue

Working with Patients When Embarrassment is an Issue Many patients that enter a hospital setting are doing so for the first time.

Whether in a doctor's office or hospital, there are numerous opportunities for patients to be embarrassed. When patients are ashamed or embarrassed over a medical condition they may ignore the issue or neglect it and decide not to seek treatment or acquire medication for it.

Related: Coping with a 12-Hour Shift Solutions to Ease Embarrassment When patients are admitted to the hospital, and arrive in a semi private room, it can pose for some embarrassment. When discussing the patient’s condition, regardless of whether you’ve heard the same from other patients 100 times before, go along with the patient as if it’s second nature, and nothing out of the ordinary. Remember, if the patient is sharing a room, that divider curtain offers no sense of privacy with regards to your discussion.

When a patient begins to discuss their condition and seems to have difficulty in doing so, it may be appropriate to jump in and help lead the conversation, ask questions as you enter the information and do all you can to make the patient feel at ease. Assure them they are free to discuss any medical issues pertaining to their condition. It is vital that you have all pertinent information; the patient care depends on it.

Be sure to acknowledge the patient’s feelings, and if they make a comment about their being embarrassed, validate their feelings and explain that you understand and then assure them that you have seen it all before. Show empathy to a point while being professional and then move on to vital signs etc.

For patients that are suffering from bladder, bowel, or issues that are related to genitals, they may be very sensitive in discussing their medical history.

Continue to be professional, and stick to the facts at hand, the attending physician will need all information in order to provide the correct form of treatment.

Suggestions for the Patient Studies prove that men have a more difficult time with embarrassment in the hospital than women do. Women are more accustomed to situations due to physical exams childbearing and the need for contraception. Many males in particular feel nervous or embarrassed to see a doctor, it may have been

years since their last physical however they will continue to put it off. They may be facing a current medical crisis due to their years of neglecting medical care. That in itself may add to the embarrassment.

Assure the patient, they are not alone. Their primary care physician as well as you, their nurse has many patients with many conditions and there is very little you have not seen and heard. Assure the patient no one will question their personal life or inquire about intimate issues, the doctor is more likely to address concerns pertaining to the physical aspects of the body in order help work through the health situation.

Related: Family Interactions of Terminal Patients Suggest to the patient that they write down their concerns. Depending on the length of time before the doctor visits their room, a pen and paper might allow them to write their concerns and deliver them in more of the matterof-fact manner. If the patient’s records indicate a problem that may be embarrassing, and they fail to mention it, casually bring it up, it may make them more at ease to discuss it if it originates from someone else.

If family members or friends are present when admission questions are being asked, make the suggestion that they step out for a few moments. If the patient does not mind them staying, they may speak up and indicate so, however, it's easier for you, as the nurse to ask them to step out.

Sometimes the embarrassment for the patient is more difficult than the treatment to be done. The more at ease the patient is, the more likely they are to be forthright with their health concerns, and ultimately receive proper treatment. It is very common for patients to feel guilt over the delay to seek medical care. That, combined with the condition itself can make a patient feel like climbing under the bed instead of in it.

A direct and to the point attitude is generally the best approach. Stick to the facts and relevant medical questions; don’t deviate into friendly talk until after all medical history is recorded. Most patients will begin to feel at ease after the initial discussion, and your role in covering the information can lead to a more comfortable visit while hospitalized.

Related: Highly Respected Nurse Sherry M. Roy, RN, BSN, LNC, will be Noted in the Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare Please follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest and Twitter