Patient Satisfaction?

I got my first taste of a "sour" patient this rotation. Or, depending on your patient care philosophy, a not-so-great counseling experience :) The R.D. I was rotating with was consulted for a patient with a recurrent PICC line infection. After I completed her chart review and EER, IBW, etc. to prep us for our conversation with her, we ventured into her room. Since the patient was also Diabetic, we were explaining our concern about her elevated Glu levels, as they would affect her healing, and then how she could help improve her labs in that sense. Well, the patient would have none of it. The second we mentioned "blood sugar," she got defensive on us. She adamantly stated that there was no way she was going to eat her french toast without syrup. After getting more (negative) feedback from her (mainly about how our expectations for her diet changes were outrageous), and then kindly accommodating our recommendations for her, her room phone started ringing. The patient heard the ring and said "Oh, is that my phone?...thank God!" as she stared us down. My rotating R.D. stopped talking as the patient answered the phone and proceeded to tell the relative on the other side of the line how "these dietitians" were in her room talking to her about fiber (which we hadn’t mentioned to any degree) and that she didn't want to hear any of it, as -again- she stared us down. My rotating R.D. wouldn't back down though, so the patient waved her hand in dismissal, as if to say “I’m through with you, you can leave.” My rotating R.D. was nice and said we’d come back later, and after we left the room I looked at her with my jaw dropped. She just laughed at me and said, “Oh honey, I’ve seen worse!” I couldn’t help but laugh at this point, too! To a certain, definite point, as well-intentioned as we may be, we are only as effective as our patient is accepting and compliant. Lesson learned.