Other narratives speak of patients becoming aggressive and threatening one minute and repentant the
next. The RNs found it uncomfortable to deal with such patients, and instead of dealing with the situation
by questioning the patients’ behaviour, the RNs avoided them as much as possible. This led to feelings of
guilt, as on the one hand the patient was seen as very ungrateful and unpleasant but, on the other, was
entirely dependent on the RN’s care: