Wednesday, September 29, 2010

The Angry Patient


So how do you deal with an angry patient? Well, it kind of depends why they are angry. Usually patients become angry when the unexpected occurs. Whether it is a long wait time or their physician did not explain what we would actually be doing for their BE, there is typically one or a combination of unexpected events occurring that usually sets them off.

Big mistake - avoid the angry patient. This may seem like the more comfortable thing to do because you really "don't have time" or "don't want to be a target." Patients will continue to grow in frustration if they feel like their concerns are not being dealt with. How do you know what their concerns are? Ask them.

Communicate - find out why they are angry... and apologize to them for the experience they are having. Even if it is not directly your fault, most of the time it is the fault of someone in your organization, which you represent as well. Once you know why they are angry, you can move forward with an action plan.

If it is within your power to do so, resolve the issue. If you cannot resolve it, direct the patient to someone who can. Not by pointing to someone in a crowd of course, but by introducing them to the person and explaining their problem. If that person is unavailable, follow up with the patient a few minutes later. A good amount of time to wait to address the patient again is around 10 minutes, but use good judgment... some patients may require a shorter span.

There are many patients who seem like they are just angry. They may not be able to identify a problem when approached, nor express the desire to. They just seem to be royally peeved and they are going to take it out on YOU! Does this give you an excuse to treat the patient in the same manner? Of course not. Put yourself in their shoes. They might have just received horrible news about their health or had an indication of what their bill for the hospital stay will not be covered by insurance.

Always act professionally. You still have a responsibility to treat that patient with dignity and respect. Continue providing quality patient care. Speaking in soft tones is one way to deflate tension in a room. And ask direct concise questions when acquiring a history.

The best thing you can do is show the patient that you care. Listening is one of the most therapeutic things within our power to do. Slow down and remember that every patient should have the opportunity for quality care, including a sanity break. They may feel 10 times better after getting something off their chest.

Of course, there are patients that become hostile... spitting, biting, screaming, punching, slapping, kicking, etc. For these patients, I recommend security. Always stay a good arm's-length away from these, and never ever turn your back on them!

In closing, we all have busy days and moments when we don't feel like going the extra mile. But remember, our patients are not only paying for a service, they are depending on the quality of work we do to evaluate and treat their health. Wouldn't you want that same type of effort on your family member?

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Shoe Fitting Fluoroscope

I found this link that was posted on one of the AuntMinnie forums that I was reading.

The Shoe Fitting Fluoroscope is something that you might hear about from an older generation (or two... or three), but it is something that I have commonly referenced during lectures and received more than a few blank stares.

This is a great article, explaining some of the dangers of radiation exposure to the extremities in severe cases where feet or entire legs had to be amputated due to excessive radiation burns.

The construction of the machine has a viewing device similar to what Spock (oldschool Spock, Leonard Nimoy) used to look through on the bridge of the Enterprise when Captain Kirk asked him for a status report, and he would spout out a completely logical, statistic-based answer... my rambling is showing how much of a geek I am.

Back to the point, which is the absence of Image Intensifiers... basically, the x-ray beam is pointed straight up at the viewing eye station; yikes! Anyhow, I found this to be a fun, interesting read.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Topics in Radiography listed in "Top 50 Radiology and Sonography Blogs"


What's funny about this is I didn't even know until I was browsing Dave's Place.

So two thanks go out: one to Dave for enlightening me on this, and one to Radiology Technician Schools for listing me in the "Top 50."

Friday, September 24, 2010

Goodbye X-ray Tubes???

One of my former students presented me with this link, which proposes some groundbreaking changes in the world of Radiography.

The MAX (microemitter array x-ray) is a flat-panel source of x-ray photons that produces a parallel beam from solid state technology, rather than the traditional x-ray tubes that we currently use.

Radius Health is testing equipment with the assistance of UCLA to eventually produce a flat-panel source for ionizing radiation at the diagnostic range. They believe that the MAX will reduce cost, allow equipment to be smaller and lighter, while allowing for maximum portability.

I'm excited to see where this goes!

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