When to Offer Patients Advice and When to Consult the Physician As a nurse, you are going to be asked hundreds of questions per day, some you can answer, and some you cannot. Always think carefully before you answer, as your response can come back to hurt you if you answer to abruptly. Will I Be OK? Although you may be thinking it’s a silly question since it’s a very routine procedure, but to the patient, it’s all too real, and they are concerned. So how do you answer? Despite the fact that you are very certain they will be fine, don’t make a guarantee, you never know what complications may arise. You could say that the procedure is very routine, done very often, and you have not heard of anyone that is not ok. How Long Will the Surgery Take? Unless the physician has instructed you to advise the family of the length of time it will take, reframe from providing this information. It could be that you know most similar procedures take 1 hour, but if you say that, the family will worry unnecessarily if it takes longer. This question is better off referred to the physician. How Long Before I am up and Walking? This may be okay to answer, most doctors have post-surgery notes that will include when they would like to have the patient up and walking, which is generally 24 hours following surgery. Related: Holiday Schedules & Vacations How much Pain will I be in? This is impossible to answer. Everyone is different, and everyone’s pain level is different. It may also depend on the surgery itself, if there were any complications, etc. this can cause an increase in pain. Assure your patient that medications will be given to ease pain and help them heal. Other questions that may be asked, and should not be answered areIs the surgeon good? Just say all of the doctors in your facility are good or they would not be employed there. Would you use this particular surgeon? The best answer is obviously yes, if they are a board-certified surgeon and you needed surgery, you most likely would.
It’s not uncommon for patients and their family to have an abundant amount of questions regarding an upcoming surgery. They are nervous, worried, and concerned, and they are searching for anything that can make them feel better. Blake was a nurse working the orthopedic floor, when he met a patient scheduled for knee replacement surgery. The man was scheduled the following day, and between him and his visiting family, they had two pages worth of questions. Blake was telling them to ask the doctor on most, but he got tired of many questions, and answered a couple, thinking that might put their minds at ease. One question asked was if everyone is ok after this type of surgery. Blake knew that unless complications arose, everyone was ok, so there was no reason a 45-year-old healthy man would not be. The following day the surgery proceeded as planned, however there was a complication, as infection was already in the knee area when it was opened up. The infection spread, and the man was in a coma for 3 weeks. He did recover, however he lost his leg from just above the knee down. This was hard enough to accept, but this family immediately sued siting that the nurse assured them all would be ok. The results of the suit are not known, however the nurse assuring them all would be ok, made a big mistake, and Blake learned a valuable lesson, reframe from answering those patients’ questions and refer them to the doctor. Related: Newsworthy Nurses & the Nursing Profession Simple questions are fine to answer, such as cafeteria times, meal menus, and what flavor drinks are available. Just refrain from giving answers to questions regarding a procedure or surgery that is upcoming for the patient. Related: International Nurses Association - What's Your Superpower? Tshirt