Nursing the patient who is attention-seeking

Abstract

The nursing student will probably have met in her daily life individuals who like to be the focus of attention. They may be self-centred, manipulative and prone to sulking when they are unable to get their own way. They may lack any loyalty or sensitivity towards the needs of others, and hide their shallow feelings by displays of spurious emotion. When such personality traits are exaggerated the person may be described as suffering from a hysterical personality; such a personality is not necessarily a prerequisite for a psychiatric illness, but the nurse will most certainly meet patients who exhibit attention-seeking behaviour; they are usually in hospital for a variety of other reasons.