week 3 post 1

Today we went an saw the grumpy old lady from my previous blog, 'dot'. Dot has a #NOF and is a little bit demented. She was sitting out in her chair when we went to see her and was initially quite pleasant. I then mentioned I was going to get her up and take her for a walk, and she blatantly refused because the ground was too hot and she'll burn her feet and she had to get back into bed because she getting burnt. I tried reasoning with her and she became increasingly aggitated and refused and continually claimed shes too hot, what horrible people we were wanting her to burn her feet, by this time I was getting pretty frustrated and angry, so laid down the line and told her we know that she really wants to go home and to that she needs to be walking confidently on her frame and if she's not going to co-operate with us then its going to delay her discharge another day and she'll be in here for another day. We also gave her a pair of plaster shoes (rubber soles with straps) that funnily enough she fell in love with. In the end we got her up an walking, it tested my professionalism by having to hold back laughter as she strutted down the corridor in her rubber shoes. I think I handled the situation pretty well, we found it suited her personality to give her stern orders and not give in to her excuses, and also very specific goals to achieve before she can go home so she doesn't think she can milk her way through her stay at hospital not doing anything and go home.