How to Work with Patients Who Refuse to Follow Physician Instructions You may be familiar with the old expression, “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink”. Well, it is the same concept with patients that refuse to follow their physician’s instructions. You can provide directions, explain the importance, but you can’t “make” them follow the instructions. However, these are people we are talking about, and in some cases, failure to follow medical advice could have very serious consequences, so what can you do? As you explain directions to the patient, in many cases, you can tell by their lack of interest that there is a chance they will not follow medical advice. It is frustrating and potentially dangerous for the patient, so is there a simple way to stress the importance of physician’s orders?
Understanding why the Patient Disregards Doctors Orders Many patients, often male patients, think of themselves an invincible. They just don’t think there will be serious consequences to their actions, or lack thereof. The number one condition patients refuse to acknowledge, and therefore treat, is high blood pressure. They can’t see it, and many times have no physical discomfort because of it, so they don’t accept that it exists. There is a reason hypertension is called the “silent killer”, and you should point that out to your patient. There are numerous hands out publications that explain in depth the repercussions of not treating high blood pressure, make sure you provide them to your patient. When delivering the prescription to the patient, or when discharging them, start out by saying, “It’s very important”, that you take this medication as prescribed. Or, it’s very important that you follow the doctor's’ orders. It won’t guarantee they will listen, but the word important sometimes carries value. Related: Certified Registered Nurses Anesthetists (CRNA)
Convincing the Patient of the Importance of Following Orders Be conscience of the method you use to deliver information and instructions regarding doctor’s orders. Don’t just provide a handout of papers and quickly toss some verbiage in. If possible, keep the patient sitting, and then take a seat facing them, making eye contact. Explain what the doctor’s