Describe a challenging patient you have had and how they helped you develop as a nurse.

"I had an overly flirtatious patient who would make rude and unacceptable remarks when we were alone in his room. When another team member was in the room, he refrained from making those comments. It got to the point where I did not want to enter his room alone, but our unit did not always have sufficient staff to take someone with me. Finally, I had enough, and I went into the patient's room alone to give him his medications. The minute he said something rude, I stopped him and set much-needed boundaries. He was amazed that I stood up to him and apologized for hurting my feelings and being rude. After that, he never made a rude remark and was respectful for the rest of his hospital stay. That situation helped me grow as a nurse because I was new to the field when this happened, and I did not know how to stick up for myself. This lesson taught me that I am strong and in charge and do not need to be disrespected. I always treat my patients with dignity and respect, and I deserve the same."

"I had a challenging patient that could not talk due to a traumatic brain injury. He would become frustrated when I did not understand what he was trying to tell me. I worked with this patient for almost a year, so I started understanding what he needed over time. He helped me grow as a nurse because I had to use critical thinking skills and develop a better communication method. I ended up making flashcards with things that my patient would ask for. When he wanted to communicate, he would show me the flashcard. He became much less frustrated with me once our communication issue was solved."