Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Oranges and me, the NP



So, as most of you know, I am a psychiatric nurse practitioner.

I deal with patients every single day. I count the victories, the patients that are sober for 10 years after having a forty year history of alcohol dependence. The patients that are off probation, keeping their job, saving their marriage and generally doing great. Which is different then when I first see them. When they first come to me, my patients are usually a mess.

Then, after they come, it is my job to help them sort things out and guide them on the path of getting better. Which is great, if they cooperate. But sometimes they cooperate a little. Sometimes they don't cooperate at all.

Which is kind of tough for me to tolerate. Because I am a nurse, I care and help outline a plan to get better. But, they are in charge. It's up to them to follow the plan.

So, the last few days I've had people really challenge me with their not cooperating. The worst is then they don't cooperate and claim I don't care. That I am a vending machine to dispense pills. A tool of the man that only serves to make their problems worse. A tool of uncaring.

This is my Achilles tendon. To be accused of not caring gets to me. Because if there is one thing I do do, it's care.


And that's all I got to say about that.

3 Left a message at the beep:

Heff said...

Pill Vending Machine huh ?

Hey, if I put a coin in your slot and nothing came out, I'D GET PISSED, TOO !

Mrs. Hall said...

yeah well, the sign says

EXACT CHANGE ONLY

for a reason ;)

Grant said...

At first I thought you said you were a psychic nurse. That would be cool - healing people with your mind. But being a pill dispenser is cool too. Can you share some of your meds with me?

BTW, the appearance of oranges in the Godfather heralded the coming death (or attempt) of one of the characters. You could totally terrify your patients with oranges. Or just stick them in a bag and beat your patients until they feel well.

And my word verification for today was "trancy".

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