How to Manage a Bitter Patient in Healthcare

Professionals in the healthcare field often find their job rewarding since they have the opportunity to save people's lives and comfort them when in pain. While most patients are pleasant to deal with, others make their jobs difficult by being negative and demanding. To stay positive, doctors and nurses need to learn how to manage a bitter patient in healthcare.

Instructions

• 1

  Understand the patient's reason for being upset. Ask the patient to share his frustrations to you. Listen to his responses. Pain and illness leave people upset, and many patients simply need to vent their frustrations of not feeling well. Empathize with the feelings and frustrations while addressing any concerns you can.

• 2

  Communicate with the patient about her health. Explain her health problems in terms she can understand. Discuss a treatment plan that enables her to have some control in getting better, whether that's eating right, exercising or taking medication. Allow her to ask questions and answer them truthfully. If you are unsure of an aspect of the disease or treatment plan, admit that you don't know and need to research it further. Follow up on the research and contact her with your findings.

• 3

  Provide the best service possible. Attend to the patient's needs as soon as you can. Apologize if a delay occurs. Strive to make him as comfortable as possible. Have a positive attitude when caring for the patient.

• 4

  Consult support systems. Ask the patient's family members to accompany the patient to doctor's appointments and get involved in managing their care. Inquire about a history of depression or other mental illnesses as well as recent events which could be a factor for their bitter attitude. Refer them to a social service representative, ombudsman program or counseling services if appropriate.

• 5

  Get relief from stress outside of work. Know that some patients have a pessimistic attitude that can't be cured with good service, communication or a positive attitude. Don't take their attitude or comments personally. Develop stress-relief activities to perform outside of work to get your mind off the negative experience with a bitter patient.