How to Deal with Difficult Patients
Difficult patients come with a variety of specific personality issues. You might encounter patients who are arrogant or seductive, demanding or manipulative. Condescending patients or those with unrealistic requests or needs are just as annoying as patients who disregard your advice or use anger and rudeness as a way to manage their stress.
Listen
The first step in dealing with difficult patients is to listen to what they are saying and how they are saying it. Repeat back what they said: “So Miss Smith, you feel you have been left in the examining room too long, is that right?” Active listening, where you repeat what the patient has said, can often stop the patient from being agitated.
Show empathy
Show empathy and the patient usually begins to calm down. Saying “Miss Smith, I realize your time is valuable and that you’ve had a long wait” indicates to her that you understand her frustrations.
Exhibit self-control
Never let a patient irk or rattle you to the point where you lose your self-control. Model a calm, relaxed demeanor, and often the patient will become more manageable.
Use positive language
Instead of saying “You won’t be able to ski for five months,” say, “You will need to rest your knee for about five months before you can ski.” Positive phrasing helps patients digest negative news.
Speak slowly and softly
When a difficult patient is shouting at you, it’s easy to raise the volume of your own voice or speak even more quickly than usual. Both voice changes can make the listener feel stressed and anxious and can escalate the problems.
Watch your body language
Make a conscious effort to keep your muscles relaxed, and both you and your patient will feel less stress. Hands balled up into fists, frowns, squinting eyes or arms folded across your chest can be interpreted as visual signs of aggression and anger.
