- The patient keep pressing the call bell... anxiously.
- The patient looked real anxious.
- The patient keep asking the same questions, anxiously.
Obvious enough?
Let's look at a particular conversation I had with this patient who had lung effusion. (fluid and air retention in the lung cavity.) He has a chest tube inserted into the chest to suck out the fluid and air.
Patient: Nurse nurse. I think there is something wrong with my chest tube.
Me: What's wrong?
Patient: I think it is not working.
Me (make a check on the chest tube): It is working alright.
Patient: Look at the bottle attached there, there is no water inside. Isn't it suppose to be filled with water?
Me (Had a closer look at the bottle and saw "Do not add water into this bottle" printed on the bottle.): No, it is not suppose to have any water.
Patient: I think my chest tube is leaking.
Me (Thinking to myself, if the chest tube is leaking, the patient will already collaspe as air will rush into the lungs.): It is really alright. There is no leaking. I assure you.
Patient: Then why is it only so few fluid is suck out of my lungs after 1 whole day.
Me (Fact of the matter, there is more air then fluids in this patient's lung.): I think it is sucking out air more than fluid. It seems like you have more air retention.
Patient: Then how much air had being suck out?
Me (answering the question in a very logical and calm manner.): Uncle, I can't see air.
Patient and I rehearsed the same dialouge every once in a while. I told the Nursing Officer about the patient's anxiety. Don't know whether to laugh or to cry about it. Haiz...
