First and foremost remember this: Patients who like you tend not to sue you! This means to be NICE to the patients, even if you don’t like them. While this is some of simplest pieces of information, it is also one of the most important. It is, after all, up to the patient to decide whether or not to sue you.
Commit yourself as a Nurse and a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC) to showing kindness and patience to every person. Approach each patient , or attorney, with the same smile and good attitude, regardless of your mood or stress level. You may be thinking that this is a given and that being “nice” is simply part of being a good and caring nurse. But consider those patients you encounter who are not very nice to you, who are uncooperative or ungrateful. Even with these patients, strive to be good-natured. It is, of course, most challenging to be nice to the individuals who you dislike.
As a nurse, you have devoted yourself to the welfare of those committed to your care. But not only should you be giving excellent, quality health care, you should consider giving it with a smile if for no other reason than to avoid getting sued. Litigation is increasing exponentially. As a PLNC, you need to know that.
“The patient decides whether or not to file a lawsuit.”
This is so important for the simple reason that the patient decides whether or not to file a lawsuit. Let’s say an error was made, it is the patient who determines if a lawsuit will result and, if so, who will be blamed. Believe it or not, if you were friendly and kindhearted, the patient will be less likely to place blame on you if an error occurs. Likewise, they will be less likely to be looking for areas of misconduct or inaccuracy if they personally liked you. We generally don’t sue people we like. It’s just human nature.
The same applies to your patients’ families. Despite disagreements, bad attitudes, or just general meanness, you must apply your patience and compassion to them as well. If the patient is deceased or incapacitated, the patient’s family will be the deciders of beginning any litigation. They may also be influential in encouraging the patient to file suit especially if they are present during their care and/or treatment.
A nurse needs to know it’s far easier to avoid getting sued than to get dismissed from a lawsuit! Attorneys know this. Professional Legal Nurse Consultants know this.
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