Advice for nurses - Dealing with the Patient

There are many countries that avoid giving the unequivocal prognosis to a patient who is dying.  When nursing in America however you will find that the patients are particularly keen to have to have this information. Importantly that US nurse should always agree the patients’ wishes with him before speaking to family members

2. The Independent American Patient

When the patient wants to look after themselves with regard to bathing and feeding this is a good characteristic and particularly valued  by US nurses

3. Newborns

New mothers are encouraged to take care of their own infants after birth as the bonding between the mother and baby is encouraged.

4. Emotional and Psychological Support

The US nurse should question the patient as to their psychological needs even if they have family members present. This will enable the nurse  to allocate the relevant resources to aid recovery

5. Be friendly

When nursing in America it is clear that patients like to be treated in a warm and friendly manner. No matter how rushed you may be, avoid being brusque and ‘to the to the point’ as this will be perceived as rude and unfriendly.

6. Complementary Medicine

Alternative medicines and therapies are very popular in the USA and the nurse will certainly come across these types of medication on a regular basis.  Importantly you must be nonjudgemental about this area – it may provide a good emotional support.
Be sure to find out if the patient is consistently taking a herbal remedy and what type as this may interfere interfere with the medication prescribed by the hospital.

7. Violence at Home

In some  cultures it is normal for the husband to answer questions on behalf of his wife. This is not the case in the USA and may be the sign of domestic violence. If you have a patient who has injuries consistent with being inflicted by her husband or partner then you should carefully document these suspicions and share them with your supervisor.

8. America is a litigious place

It sometimes seems that everyone is suing everyone else. Certainly there are enough attorneys in the USA to cater for the demand. The US nurse must therefore be diligent in documenting everything that is pertinent to the patients’ condition.

9. Non English speaking patients

Where this is the case the US nurse should use a professional interpreter. If the family conduct the translation there is too much scope for misunderstanding. The translator may innocently choose to give you the information that he considers important and not the patient

10. Patient advocating own treatment

In the age of the world wide web it is considerably easier to for a patient to research his/her condition in detail. They may insist upon the most aggressive and latest treatments. Sometimes these treatments may not yet be available or indeed approved by the FDA. As a US nurse you must keep abreast of all developments and new research with regard to your area of speciality. In this way you will be able to discuss your patients treatment regime with confidence. If in doubt then refer them to your doctor or someone else on your multidisciplinary team,