I realize that some patients are more difficult to deal with than others, whether it is because of their medical condition or because they have a certain disposition. At my previous job, I came across an elderly gentleman who was extremely cantankerous because of dementia. Right away, I tried to find the cause for his anger. I eventually discovered that it was because he was experiencing physical pain. When I took steps to remedy that pain, he calmed down a little, and we were able to treat him properly.

Since I first got into nursing, I’ve always strived to cultivate empathy for patients, and that has helped me immensely whenever I come across someone who seems like they may not want to be helped.