CULTURE: Behaviors in pain management

I am lucky enough to have gained most of my experience from a country of different culture form mine, I have been able to practice in my own country and am currently working in Arab world. My experience in behaviors relating to pain has been one of amazement, annoyance and sometimes laughter! We got to celebrate our cultures but I wish beyond that we would leave them at home when we decide to go visit the hospitals, because there you will be treated like a person! Everyone gets the label patient regardless of where you are from and who you are.

European patient: I will particularly focus on Finland, having spent a decade there, I can tell you they are the most quiet or do I say shy people when sober, which they are all week. It is the hardest thing to break through a Finn but once you do, they are the easiest people to deal with. As a nurse, sometimes it's like studying a patient to know the exact level of their pain. They will look at you and tell you it's ok when you imagine it's not! The men take it as men, unless you are giving something to take them to another level haha. The women will cry but without sound and the kids wil genuinely cry only when in pain or when being a kid! Other than that, the hospital corridors remain quiet with a few relatives hugging and crying softly if they lost their loved one. Finnish people move when in extreme pain, from one stand to another, they push as far as their can, that makes the list of my favorite patients, easy job:-) stick to professionalism.

African patient: the Kenyan patient, I have heard a lot of similar stories from other countries in Africa. This is more of a TV drama series, I worked there for 3 months, I know it's not enough to base a blog but I have  21 years of patient experience so I qualify! 

The men will be men! They will not tell you when in pain, when they say it's a little, know it's in its worst! They grow up being taught that a man has to be tough and some small pain won't break you and you have to take it as a man! My grandfather once dislocated his shoulder, he had never been to the hospital his entire life! He has never needed to be, with a swollen shoulder, it took 9 of his children and several grandchildren to talk him into going to hospital, he finally did! Goal......!

But it wasnt smooth for my old man! He stereotypes you know, he let the male doctor check him but he couldnt let the smiling Nurse take care of him, he walked out on her! Well, on himself claiming the Nurse was young, maybe he expected someone his age!. I know how it feels, for a patient to walk out, its rejection! For some of these men, they will choose the pain and i say, so be it. The kids? Dont even go there, i could be the best example! Knowing we were going to the Nurse was traumatic! We cried all the way to the Hospital, threw some tantrums at the hospital , cried all the way back and a few days after that.Lol! 

When a loved one is lost, reactions depends on your tribe, wailing is common in the biggest percentage of women though! Some tribes will hire professional wailers! You do not want to be around when the show unfolds.

Arab patient: Saudi patient, what do i say, they are the craziest with selfies, they will take selfies without a care in the world! Even after surgery, they ask for their phones before they ask for medications. The men are so real in Hospital and so different outside! They will cry of pain, cry when they loose a family member guard their kids during Hospital stay, if you never knew anything about them outside, you could be fooled. I wish for the sake of women that they were like that at homes! As for me, i smell their arrogance before they open their eyes! Count on the women to be dramatic and attention seekers! They will be calm and collected and once they wake up and see their husband or someone who looks like them, they will hyperventilate and faint like its the end! To be on their side, i completely understand, with your husband having 4 other wives and loads of children, when do you ever get attention? Its your only chance sister! Go for it! Hyperventilate until he kisses your forehead!

Did you wonder about the kids? They learn kun fu and tai kwondo in their mothers womb! The little humans kick and cause mayhem like the new dawn!

Am sure by the end of my stay in Saudi, i will have lots of stories to tell, i just hope i will be saved the black eye....😀😷