How impersonal our healthcare system has become! From the doctor’s office to the scans, lab techs, hospitalists, and yes, even to the nurses, it seems most of the medical community - except maybe the CNAs - focus on the disease rather than acknowledging that there is a person in the bed or on the cart.
I believe everyone is well-meaning and knowledgeable, but people — scared, hurting people — need more than diagnoses, evaluations, and medical procedures. They also need their humanity recognized and honored.
Healthcare professionals — the person you see before you is scared and generally does not comprehend the extent of their situation. Add to that they are sitting without proper clothing coverage, or lying in an uncomfortable position, and feeling very small.
I’m asking you to see this person first. Look into their eyes, touch them, give them your name, sit if you can. Meet the person first, put them at ease, and then do the doctor, nurse, or healthcare thing.
Keeping the person in mind, ask these questions before you leave the room:
• Did you understand everything we talked about?
• Is there anything else you would like to ask me?
• Is there anything else you want to talk about?
We in healthcare are taking care of people that have diseases or physical conditions that require attention. Yet let us remember there is a feeling person inside who has the malady we are addressing.
Something more... about compassionate caregiving
We have assembled a bundle that includes booklets and DVDs for the caregivers and for those being cared for. The Professional Caregiver Series contains a number of Barbara's resources addressing a variety of challenges you and your patients may be experiencing.
