Coworkers ... are they your friends or are they friendly acquaintances? Where is the line? How far do you go for the people you work with?
What about the colleague who is clearly depressed and stating suicidal ideation and funeral planning? I've engineered a physician assessment that resulted in subsequent script writing and a mental health assessment and I've made myself available for conversation whenever he feels it necessary. He is taking the meds but is resistant to most of the other steps suggested; has attended the mental health assessment but is not finding it or the meds helpful... Must remember, he is not mine to save. Just because he is a friend it is harder to know where the line is - but in this case he is still just a patient.
What about the colleague whose child is sick and who is receiving substandard (ie wrong) care? How do I let him know where to find the appropriate care and tell him what that care should be? How do I know I am right? I'm just the nurse, and the doc is the doc, but sure isn't following any established standard of care... Must remember, I can provide information and options, but that is all. Just because the parent is a friend, it is harder to know where the line is - but in this case his child is still just a patient.
What about the colleague who is in labour, but whose is having complications and requires care that differs from her requests on her birth plan. I must care for her appropriately despite her stated wishes, but how do I help her to see this need? How many decels can I safely ignore without putting the child (and myself) in jeopardy? Must remember, I have two patients, not just one. Just because the mother is a friend, it is harder to know where the line is - but in this case the mother is still just a patient.
I wish that line would stay still!
What about the colleague who is clearly depressed and stating suicidal ideation and funeral planning? I've engineered a physician assessment that resulted in subsequent script writing and a mental health assessment and I've made myself available for conversation whenever he feels it necessary. He is taking the meds but is resistant to most of the other steps suggested; has attended the mental health assessment but is not finding it or the meds helpful... Must remember, he is not mine to save. Just because he is a friend it is harder to know where the line is - but in this case he is still just a patient.
What about the colleague whose child is sick and who is receiving substandard (ie wrong) care? How do I let him know where to find the appropriate care and tell him what that care should be? How do I know I am right? I'm just the nurse, and the doc is the doc, but sure isn't following any established standard of care... Must remember, I can provide information and options, but that is all. Just because the parent is a friend, it is harder to know where the line is - but in this case his child is still just a patient.
What about the colleague who is in labour, but whose is having complications and requires care that differs from her requests on her birth plan. I must care for her appropriately despite her stated wishes, but how do I help her to see this need? How many decels can I safely ignore without putting the child (and myself) in jeopardy? Must remember, I have two patients, not just one. Just because the mother is a friend, it is harder to know where the line is - but in this case the mother is still just a patient.
I wish that line would stay still!
Labels: Nursing
1 Comments:
You what amazes me is my co-workers who come to work and tell everything that is going on in their lives - personal stuff, stuff we don't need to know. A lot of people seem to have no boundaries.
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