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Don't give in to manipulative patients

Healthcare Security Weekly, June 1, 2004

You may have seen it before: A patient tries to goad you or a coworker into a verbal or physical confrontation. If you notice this happening, remove yourself or your colleague from the situation and let the patient cool off, says Doug Bridges, RN, lead instructor for Western State Hospital's staff development in Tacoma, WA.

Afterward, don't approach the patient with an "I won, you lost" attitude. Instead, build a rapport by saying something like, "I want to ask how you're doing, even though we had a problem a little while ago."

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