What can nurses do to better help you?

I've been diagnosed with cancer twice in the last 4 years (breast cancer and melanoma). Several health care professionals that I have been in contact with have been wonderful to me. Most of the nurses in the operating rooms and pre and post op have been great. Through all the treatments and tests, etc. that I have had in the last 4 years, there were only a few that were just not nice --

Kindness, compassion and a sense of humor -- that's what you need. Also, if you have trouble inserting an IV, get help! Nothing worse than having a nurse try 4 or 5 times to get it -- and it still won't work! The patient will thank you for not treating them like a guinea pig. (I had it happen a couple of times and I had to tell the nurse that she couldn't put another needle in me. She had to get someone else. Not only is the patient under stress by that time, the nurse isn't happy either.)

And patients need to know what's going on. Not knowing is frightening. If a nurse can't explain a procedure, let the doctor know that the paitent needs to be given some knowledge of what's going on -- it's better for everyone.
Remember that not only with a cancer diagnosis but also other serious ailments, patients don't always hear/listen to all instructions. Things may need to be written down.

Smile.

Good luck in your career.