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12 Facts for Nurses to KnowAbout Their Chronically IllPatients
by Lisa Copen
 Nurses make the medical world go around. It's nosecret that a nurse can make all the difference not just during a medical visit, but also a medical procedure, scheduling an appointment, andhanding you tissues as you receive a devastatingdiagnosis. A nurse not only needs to know all of the medical terms and procedures, but she mustalso be there emotionally for the patient becauseoftentimes her simple presence can determinehow well we as the patient deal with that particular circumstance and mentally deal withthe outcome.For most of us with a chronic illness, it is not a challenge to remember a nurse whohardly acknowledged our presence, one who kept forgetting to bring our medicationwhen we were in the hospital, or just the nurse who overly enjoys her role as thegatekeeper to the doctor.But as a chronically ill patient, and our many encounters with nursing staff, we can alsofondly recollect the nurses who helped us make undeniable recoveries by being our advocate when doctors wouldn't listen, or by simply holding our hand while we endured a painful (and possibly lonely) medical procedure.Recently, I was checked into the hospital straight from the wound care center. The nursewho was told to push me in the wheelchair to the hospital had to go all through aconstruction zone maze outside, but ironically, she revealed while she walked that she toohad rheumatoid arthritis like I did. I felt like I made a new friend within our ten-minuteconversation and much more relaxed by the time I got to the hospital.As the editor of a magazine called HopeKeepers, I have attempted to find a nurse whowould submit an article that would shed some light on what a typical day for a nurse islike at a doctor's office. I realize that it can be frantic, scheduling and reschedulingdozens of people, all who need to see the doctor today. Nurses try to please the physicians, check patients in, take health histories, give out lollipops and smile, all whileattempting to do more than can be expected in the time allotted.I have not yet found a nurse who was willing to even be interviewed for such an article;more than a few have even exclaimed, "If anyone found out, I would lose my job!"
 
The better chronically ill patients and nurses keep trying to improve communication andincreasingly understand one another’s needs however, there is only room for trustingrelationships. It's a relationship that (sadly) can last longer than a marriage.Here are 12 tips chronically ill patients would like to give to nurses:[1] When you ask if I am taking any medications and I pull out two pieces of paper witheverything listed, please don't look flabbergasted or as if I am a drug addict.[2] It grows tiring to always be the patient and only have people interested in my physical body. When you ask me about how I am coping with my illness emotionally, I feel likeyou really care. Sometimes it loosens me up enough that I may even be more comfortableand forthcoming about things that doctor may benefit in knowing about the physicalsymptoms.[3] When you celebrate my little successes with me, it can be the highlight of my day.You understand unlike most people how hard it can be to reach a goal weight on certainmedications or what a struggle it can be to wean off a medication. I know you hear thestories of patients like me every day so I appreciate your enthusiasm for my littlesuccesses.[4] Practically, I realize that you are not able to keep up to date on every medication thatis out there on the market, but when you have to ask me how to spell the name of mydrug three times, which happens to have an ad in all the best-selling magazines, Iquestion how often you get out of the office.[5] I don't know if you realize how powerful your words are. When you complement me by saying, "You have the best attitude about your illness. I really admire you for how wellyou cope with it," that can keep me going for days.[6] I'm thankful for the times you ask "Can I pray for you?" Though some of your  patients will say no, for many it will be the first time someone has ever cared enough toask.[7] When there are times that I am having a medical procedure and my friends and familyare not able to be there, having your hand to hold makes all the difference. I know manymedical procedures may seem minor to you, but thank you for understanding that whenit's happening to me, it's all major.[8] I am somewhat of a "professional patient." And that means I can come across a little bit like a control freak when it comes to monitoring my pain level and knowing when andhow much medication I need to control it. That said, handing you the reins of dispersingall of my medication when I'm in the hospital is a challenge. The time of morning I takemy drugs makes all the difference in my day. So I appreciate when you are able to get itto me as close to the right time as possible.
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