As a healthcare professional, treating patients with chronic pain is part of your job, but that doesn’t make it easy. Seeing someone in pain and not necessarily being able to help — or at least provide immediate relief feels awful.
You might not be able to take their pain away, but you can make these patients’ lives easier.
Here are a few tips to help you better care for patients suffering from chronic pain.
Show Compassion
No one asks to be in chronic pain. Patients suffering from underlying health conditions that cause them to feel persistent pain are uncomfortable and scared. Therefore, they need a healthcare provider who truly cares about them and does everything in their power to put them at ease. Treat these people with extra kindness — even if they’re on the challenging side to deal with — because they’re really suffering.
Listen to Their Needs
You’re the healthcare provider, but that doesn’t always mean you know what’s best. Patients know their bodies better than anyone, so really listen when they ask for something — i.e., a new prescription or alternative medicine technique. This doesn’t mean you need to indulge every request, but don’t brush them off. Talk to them about any requests they make, so you can get to the root of it and make the best possible decision for their health and comfort.
Create a Unique Treatment Plan
When it comes to chronic pain, treatment should never take a one-size-fits-all approach. Carefully observe your patient, review their medical history, and talk to them to create a plan tailored to their unique needs. Everyone is different, so what worked for one of your patients won’t necessarily be effective for another.
Be Open and Honest
You want so badly to take your patients’ pain away, but there are no guarantees. Before giving patients a new drug or testing out a new therapy, manage their expectations, so they know treatment is a matter of trial and error. It’s important to keep their hopes up that you’ll find something to help, but you also don’t want to make promises you can’t keep, because this will cause you to lose their trust.
If you’re ready to find a rewarding new healthcare opportunity, Management Registry, Inc. wants to help. Contact us today to find out what we can do for your career!