What to do When Your Patient Keeps Saying No
Being in healthcare means dealing with all kinds of patients. Some patients make a caregiver's work a lot easier. Some are lonely, frustrated, or totally dependent, making care procedures particularly challenging. And then, there are a select few who can really put your self-control and patience as a caregiver to the test. These are the patients who keep saying “no.”
Uncooperative patients do not receive proper care when they refuse procedures or treatments, which can either make their condition worse or cause a whole new set of health problems. For caregivers, having a difficult patient means losing valuable time, not to mention often finding themselves at wit's end.
If you are screaming a silent “HELP” from within, hang on and don’t lose hope just yet. Here are some great tips that can save you from losing your cool while caring for a difficult patient:
1. Ease up before speaking with the patient.
Your patient might have invented the word no, and you are sure you won’t get anything done with them, ever again. This kind of negative approach to patient care is bound to be unproductive in the end. Instead, shake away all the resentments brought about by previous encounters that went badly. Start new each time you interact with the patient and see the difference it makes.
2. Stretch your patience.
This can mean having to explain the importance of a particular procedure more than once, fetching another basin of warm water for a bed bath because the previous three had gone cold, or waiting until they are “in the mood” to eat. These circumstances indicate that the patient needs care all the more.
3. Help your patient become more agreeable.
Schedule tiring activities after they have taken their pain medications. Play the patient’s favorite music during mealtimes. Converse with them casually before starting a procedure.
4. Avoid asking questions that are answerable by yes or no.
If you do, then you're fishing for a negative response every time. Instead of asking if the patient wants to take a bath, tell them it's time to wash up and help them to the bathroom at once.
5. Give them choices.
Letting a person choose from several options tends to make them agree to one instead of refusing altogether. This is an excellent strategy. If an uncooperative patient normally refuses a change of clothes, prepare two or three sets for them to choose from. After taking their pick, say something like, "Great choice. Let's put these on you."
6. Set limits.
Boundaries are beneficial in the sense that it gives the patient the opportunity to choose the positive behavior over the negative. Being firm also enables caregivers to give appropriate time to other patients who equally need care and attention.
If a patient is persistent in refusing a care procedure, respect their decision, but tell them that you will be back after a certain period to help them do it.
7. Try to understand the situation from their perspective.
A patient’s negativity might be the sum of all the pain, uncertainty, family problems, and personal struggles that they keep to themselves. Get to know them beyond what you see and be a little more understanding. With a bit of coaxing and a lot of sincerity, you will soon gain your patient’s trust and cooperation.
8. Do not give up on them.
Difficult patients often drive other people away, even their family and friends. As a caregiver, you know better than to do the same. Be genuinely concerned about their wellbeing. Acknowledge that the patient still needs the utmost care and attention. These efforts may be all that is necessary to help them open up and cooperate.
