Meeting Special Needs
I recently had the pleasure of taking care of and scanning my first legally blind patient. Having worked with special needs children in previous jobs I had no reservations about treating this patient. Most patients are usually in pain and scared to have their first CT so you can imagine how nervous she must have been not being able to see the people around her or her surroundings.
I quickly put her at ease by acknowledging her blindness, figuring out what she could and could not see, what her apprehensions were, etc. She told me when I got close she could see my face. I also pulled the power injector close so she could see it also. I then described the lay out of the room to her.
She had never had a CT or the IV contrast before and was very scared. Trying to describe the warm feeling of the contrast was particularly difficult because of her trepidation. I kept answering all of her questions even if they got repetitive and kept reassuring her that she was going to be fine. I told her I'd be in the room with her during the initial stages of the contrast to make sure she was okay. Her nervousness was made worse by her terrible jaw pain. She was having a CT of her neck with contrast.
The exam was over before she knew it and she was so relieved. I got her back on her stretcher and she took my hand and told me I had a wonderful bedside manner and couldn't stop thanking me for taking such good care of her. Going above and beyond for a patient, friend, or stranger always brings me a great deal of personal gratification. I'm glad I've learned this valuable lesson early on in my life.