Comments on: Patient Assertiveness

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 18:26:51 +0000

Perhaps imagining them bent over with plumbers crack? hehehehe. I always say I can be a hard stick. I have small veins that roll and seem to go dry when hit with a needle. I say it right when they come in. I point out spots that have worked in the past. I was an EMT for 8 yrs and have always tried to think of the patient as if they were my family member. I also tell them you get 3 tries then i need someone else.
For the most part it has worked. I try to be pleasant and throw some humor in there.
good luck!

By: dldg

dldg — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 23:08:31 +0000

I have always been a stoic patient. I figured it did no good to complain. I’ve had many surgeries and many, many blood tests. But now I have infusions and things are different. I have (I should say had) good veins that were easy to find without a lot of discomfort. No more. The infusions themselves have ruined some of the veins, and poor nursing techniques have injured others. Now I cringe at the thought of going in for my infusion because I know it’s going to be and hour and a half of discomfort bordering on pain. There is a limited number of nurses, too many patient and too few choices in the area in which I live. It’s best not to “T” off someone that you may have to go to month after month. It’s a shame, but it’s the facts. If it’s too bad, I will let them know. But honestly, most could care less…there’s just too much work to do and not enough people to do it.

By: Kelly Young

Kelly Young — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 15:54:39 +0000

Great ideas, Mendy. Thank you.

I was a home birth mom specifically because I chose to take the lead in my own care – that is just more difficult in a hospital setting. It has been one of the greatest challenges of living with a chronic illness.

Have you seen the e-Patient link on the menu? We are walking through a book about learning to become more empowered patients.

By: Mendy

Mendy — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 05:42:35 +0000

I stumbled upon this post from another article about anecdotal evidence and patient testimony.
I justvwanted to say thank you for all the assertive patient ‘tips’.
I teach (well, mentor) childbirth education classes, and one of the strongest, most talked about, and questioned topics that comes up with parents to be is “how to talk with the hospital staff”
As “patients” we are in a passive role, as “clients” or even “consumers” we are in an active role, I believe that it is our responsibility to take a lead role in the “story” of our care.
Birthing From Within teaches the 5 “ates”, which I’ve seen echoed similarly in non violent communication.
Validate: where they may be coming from/their expeience: “I know you do this all the time…. Or, you probably have seen this a hundred times….
Motivate: I wonder if you know another way… Or can I suggest…
Educate: I know my body works well this way….. Or, I found this information/study to show this….
Innitiate: I’m learning from you, you are learning from me… We are initiating each other into this new way…
Celebrate: the creative love warrior’s work of assertive communication

By: Kelly Young

Kelly Young — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 05:10:47 +0000

Good to see you, Kristen. Have you found it much easier to be assertive for you kids than yourself? Don’t know if you’ve seen any of the other posts about them? I have 5 kids & we represent 100′s of dr encounters with their issues (eldest is 20).

I appreciate your encouragement. Don’t know why it is so much harder for myself. I feel like I’m learning to do it better so I can somehow save some part of my life – and be better able to encourage others to fight. There is so much humiliation involved with an invisible illness. Maybe that’s part of it?

By: Kristen

Kristen — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 00:59:43 +0000

Yay for you for being assertive. I learned after having, 3 c-sections, gallbladder surgery and a blood clot/PE, a child diagnosed with Autism, Type 1 Diabetes and now Epilepsy that you HAVE to be assertive to get what you need. You have to be you and your childs own ADVOCATE and if a Doctor or Nurse gets snippy with you for asking questions then it is time for a new one. I have had many professionals annoyed with me because I asked about different treatments and not taking their words as God’s word. They are Scientist’s and it is not an exact profession and they are not God. They are there to help guide you medically, but don’t always know exactly what you need or have your best interests at heart.
So, Good for you and keep it up!!
Twitter ID: SassyKR

By: Jackie

Jackie — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:09:34 +0000

As I understand it Kelly, it’s sort of like the principal that you can control your blood pressure with relaxation techniques – being tense somehow causes resistance to infusion and therefore discomfort. I heard this theory at
M D Anderson Hospital when my dad was being treated for cancer.

I hate to seem sexist, but you have added ammo to my gender-based needle skills theory.

By: Kelly Young

Kelly Young — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:53:33 +0000

Never heard that about men! But my blood draw was from a male nurse today & he did a good job – no strangling tight turniquet left on 5 minutes. I’ve never laid eyes on a male IV center nurse though. Also, I never heard that about being tense – what do you think could cause that?

By: Jackie

Jackie — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:27:20 +0000

I agree with others who have already posted. I was first tested for Rheumatic Fever when I was 9 years old – that simple blood draw took 7 sticks. When it comes to phlebotomy & IVs, I have been taught by experience to only give a nurse/tech 2 tries. After the second unsuccessful try, I now say, “This isn’t working – I think it’s time to get some help.” So far, I’ve sensed that the other person is usually relieved to not have to continue; relieved that the patient has told them to stop. I’ve been lucky not to run into a nurse who insisted on continuing – I would probably stop being polite at that point.

Remember Kelly – if you are tense, an infusion will be more painful – so you owe it to yourself to be comfortable with the person administering to you. And they owe it to you to make you as comfortable as possible.

As an aside, I have found in my experience that men are consistently better at infusion/draws than women – is this a coincidence unique to my experience, or have others noticed this?

Finally, I was advised by a supervisor who was called in to start my IV – if you know you’re coming for a poke, always drink half a gallon of water the day prior. It “plumps” the veins, making them easier to find, more stable when poked, and less prone to “punch-through”, which is what causes those nasty bruises. It’s amazing how much difference this has made for me over the years.

By: Kelly Young

Kelly Young — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 04:53:11 +0000

Warrior Jamie, you are a good example for me. I know you don’t flaunt it to the other readers, but you yourself were a nurse, so I know you know what should be done. I really think I will copy these comments and read them to myself in the car on the way to the next IV or appt.