Sites that I like, medical sites and those dealing with phobias in general:
The other side of the fence:
This is a question that I posed to those who play the starring roles in every medical phobic's worst nightmare: Doctors, nurses and other medical professions.
Greetings,
I am doing some research, and I'm looking to collect opinions from medical professionals for a website I am creating. This is to be a non-commercial info/entertainment website, and I am not seeking advice of any kind. I am specifically looking for those who have direct contact with patients, especially doctors and nurses. I have asked you because I do not know any one in the health care field personally whom I can ask. I really would like to have a few statements about a certain issue (not political or controversial in any way, I assure) that is the main topic of my site. If you would like to contribute a few thoughts I would be greatly appreciative. My site is to be about phobias that involve medical treatments and situations, and what it is like to be a sufferer. This is a anonymous unscientific poll - I don't want names; just your exact title/degree, and (optional) your gender and city where you work. Specifically I would like to know: About how often do you run across a patient who is visibly terrified of a procedure, treatment or situation (roughly how common is "medical phobia" in your experience)? What is your reaction to (dealing with)/thoughts about a frightened patient? Do you think that such a problem ("medical phobia") is adequately recognized and addressed by the health care system today? Please e-mail me or simply post your answer(s) here. Thanks in advance Lee
And some of the answers I have received....
lee.........I have seen patients break out in a sweat and visably have beads of sweat on their forehead just directly before being having a laceration sutered up and once I saw a patient refuse the numbing meication ( shot) because he couldnt stand needles and actually had the doctor sew him up with no anesthesia...
52/M/Southern Illinois
(Answers are printed here exactly as they were written, although I deleted any personal info like e-mail addresses)
i noticed your post on ..... and thought i would try to help i am a 38 yr old male nurse in macon georgia. my specialty is cardiacsurgery so all of my paients are terrified.most patients can be comforted using diferent techniques i like to use humor but threr are many ways that would be the rn's job to find what that particular pt needs. i hope this helprd if yopu need more e-mail me at ...... ps i thoght some of the respones at ..... were strong god is the answer but everybody doesn't know that. we help who we can..
...just a quick statement to your question, I do think much of the phobia in this area can be resolved by careful, detailed patient education regarding what to expect. It is the fear of the unknown that causes most of the phobias.
54/M/Indiana
AND in answer to oyur question.... Most patient fears are addressed and allayed with proper explaination of the procedure and what to expect because the known is much less frightening than the unknown
49/F/state of grace
What do you think? Are you a "medical phobic" or do you know one? Are you in health care? If so, how would you answer the above question? I invite everyone to sign my guestbook, and I welcome any thoughts you might have.
