Whilst on my neuro placement I was having a chat to the other student on the placement with me. Earlier in the day I had heard our supervisor reprimand a patient for a comment he had directed to the student. When I asked the student what exchange had occurred she said the patient had randomly made an inappropriate comment about her and that she was feeling anxious as this patient was planned for her final exam. She had previously read the patients medical notes and discovered that since his stroke he had a history of verbal abuse to the allied health team. This issue was being addressed yet she was nervous that she wouldn't know how to react if it happened during her final exam.
My advice was to notify our curtin supervisor about it prior to the assessment. I said that she could think about it, come up with a way to deal with it and tell the supervisor how she will approach the situation if it arises, then confirm with them if this is an appropriate way to address the problem and also ask their personal opinion. I let her know that as long as she doesn't appear to be intimidated by the patient and she remains in control of the situation regardless of what is said, the patient will be unlikely to be abusive again. I said in the past when it's happened to me I usually humourously turn the tables on the patient to address what they are saying but show them I am not taking offence or if the remark is quite offensive or I can't think on my feet, I simply state that their comment isn't appropriate and re-direct them to the physiotherapy assessment/ intervention.
Is this good advice?
Has anyone come across inappropriate verbal comments from a pt? If so how did you deal or not deal with it?
Is it okay to reprimand a pt for inappropriate behaviour when they have a frontal lobe lesion and can't help what they are saying?
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Mel I think the advice you gave was great! I have not came across any patient that was using inappropriate verbal comments intentionally, but yes with those that are suffering from a frontal lobe lesion.
I guess, when a patient has a frontal lobe lesion, they are unaware of the inappropriate comments that they are making? I would not let them continue saying things that are inappropriate, instead, tell them that that was not a right thing to say? I would also continually direct them towards the Rx and also ask them different questions to help them talk about issues that are familiar to them. Hope this helps!
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