Hector’s previous experience of a nurse was that they were not kind and did not care for him in a way he found acceptable. Unless Hector experiences nurses who act in a different way to this he only has his ‘bad’ experience to base his view upon.

Hector needs time and a different experience of nurses to assist him to realize that not all nurses will act in the same manner as the one who hurt him. To do this it would be necessary for you and your mentor to coax him out from behind the chair, if possible enlisting the help of the family member or carer who is attending the surgery with him, by finding, for example, a toy, that he would be interested in. It is key to develop a relationship with Hector where he trusts you and your mentor. It is likely that this would take some considerable time and if he was becoming overly upset it may be necessary, for example, to enable his family member or carer, or even Hector himself, to be the person who removes his dressing and, if necessary replaces it with a new one. It is highly important to take this time and to establish a trust between Hector and the nurses, as otherwise he is going to constantly find it very stressful whenever he requires nursing care.

There are no right or wrong answers for either question in this case study. The values you hold are your values and make you the person you are. However, you must remember that your values may not be the same as the patient’s. Inflicting your values upon a patient may be seen by them as judgemental and unprofessional (NMC 2015), resulting in a negative effect upon the care they receive from you. Think back to the ‘Hector’ case study – the nurse and Hector had very different values. The nurse valued what she viewed as being brave and acting in a grown-up manner. Hector was scared and hurting and could not appreciate this view. He needed a nurse who could understand his feelings and care for him in a way which didn’t make things, in his view, worse.