The title of the art work done by Otis L Stanley is “Don’t lose your soul at the crossroads”. His description of the artwork is as follows; “there is no shortcut to the important things in life. Faith, time and effort go a long way to make things happen. This piece tries to remind us of this life lesson. Beware of the quick and easy fix. Do the work”.
Reflection: To me this piece of artwork really struck a nerve. The depiction of a faceless person illustrates that this can refer to anyone and everyone. There is no clear indication as to where each road leads to and leaves them questioning if they have chosen correctly. The title of the artwork is also very striking as in the mythology an individual goes to the crossroad to sell their soul for something in return, however are completely unaware or ignorant to the consequences such a choice will have in the future (Lévi-Strauss, 2013), however the main depiction of this artwork I will be referring to is not based on the mythology but rather on the indecisiveness of which is the right path to choose. In our work as health care professionals we sometimes try to look for the quick and easy fix, especially when it comes to treating patients, and find that we end up at a crossroad not knowing which path to choose to best treat our patient. It is here at these crossroads that we must not lose our soul by looking for a quick and easy fix but rather, as the artist reminds us, “do the work”.
I have been placed in a position like this already where I have ended up at the crossroad when looking for the quick and easy path. I went to see one of my patients for the day and as they had a condition I was not too familiar with I asked my clinician for some advice on what some of the things I should do, after which I felt confident and knew what to expect and do. However as I got to the patient and started going through their folder I started reading over the surgeons and doctors notes, which had different managements for this patient compared to what my clinician had said. This placed me in a bit of confusion and hesitation as to what to do. Whose advice do I listen to? We have been taught about the patient centered approach but it has never been practically applied in our teaching and is based more on experience from working with other health care professionals (Barry & Edgman-Levitan, 2012) .As such I then thought what I would do is attempt to merge the two managements for this patient, as such I knew which path I was on and the direction I was going. However I soon came to my crossroad. During my assessment and management of this patient they had their own goals of what they wanted to do that were entirely different from those of my clinician and the doctors and surgeons. They would refuse to do anything except that which followed with what they thought should be done. I found myself stranded, standing in the middle of the crossroad, confused, unsure and alone. Which path do I choose is the question I asked myself? My clinician’s path? The doctors and surgeons path? The patient’s path? Or do I choose my own path? I had no idea which path would be the right one to follow or which path would help my patient the most and left me doubting myself and my own ability. What I decided to do first is engage with my patient about what their goals are and what they want to achieve. As such I went down the path that focused on what the patient wants to achieve. Was this path I had chosen correct? Not entirely, as when speaking with my clinicians regarding what I had done they mentioned that at times the patients goals may not be realistic enough or completely unrealistic and that it is my responsibility to manage these expectations in such a way that has the best outcome for the patient.
It has always been emphasized that the patient comes first (Barry & Edgman-Levitan, 2012; Oates & Weston & Jordan, 2000) but do they always know what is the best management for them to get better? It was here and then I realised there was no quick and easy fix, I had to do the work, put the time and effort in, not just for this patient but for all of the patients I see as that is the only way to best help those around me. However having had a chance to reflect and look back upon the scenario one question still remained, do all the paths, not matter which one you choose, lead to the same destination…recovery?
References:
Barry, M. J., & Edgman-Levitan, S. (2012). Shared decision making—the pinnacle of patient-centered care. New England Journal of Medicine, 366(9), 780-781.
Lévi-Strauss, C. (2013). Myth and meaning. Routledge.
Oates, J., Weston, W. W., & Jordan, J. (2000). The impact of patient-centered care on outcomes. Fam Pract, 49(9), 796-804.
5 thoughts on “Stranded at the multidisciplinary crossroad”
Hey Michael, thanks for your post.
I really like the image you chose and how well you annotated the image – such as why the man is faceless and what the different paths could mean as well as the link to mythology. It was also nice to see a direct quote from the painter as to his view of his own artwork and how you brought his concepts in later (“do the work”). Your story and reflection piece also linked extremely well with the image. It is also a situation we all face which makes the content very applicable.
Your layout is nice and concise with one idea flowing into the next. It also shows how the patient is feeling – them having their own specific goals and not wanting to deter from them even if you, as the health professional, have different knowledge or better treatment methods.
Possible changes: adding another paragraph into the last section. Maybe before the “then i came to my crossroad” bit to add a bit of spacing for the real story section to have its own paragraph. Also is there a reference for the actual image?
Which path did you end up choosing? Have you considered maybe for a bit of a conclusion adding in which path you decided on taking which could show how you analysed the situation and how you decided on the path.
Besides those minor points, i think your image and story link well. Your reflection and depiction of how your views have changed regarding having to work hard with each patient to keep their best interest and best treatment methods together in order for the best outcome is clear.
– Jess Funston
Hi Jess. Thank you for your feedback I appreciate it. Regarding the reference to my picture I have included a hyperlink to it in the first paragraph but will add the link in to the reference list at the bottom too.
I have also added in another paragraph describing the path I chose. I did not think this was relevant initially as the dilemma was more the uncertainty regarding which path to choose over the path I had chosen but I do understand where you are coming from and a such have added in the path I chose and why.
Many thanks again for your help.
Hi Michael, I love the post and how you broke down the painting regarding the situation you were feeling. In your first paragraph I immediately grasped your comparison of the struggles you face while on clinical practice and using the painting to reference these experiences. However in your second paragraph I feel that you could of added another paragraph after explaining your situation and come to a better conclusion regarding what you learnt or how you would deal with these situations in the future. As I feel your conclusion is to simple for such a beautiful and detailed image.
Great job nonetheless.
Hi Liam, thank you for your comment and suggestions I appreciate it. I have made adjustments regarding your suggestions and hope they meet your expectations.
Many Thanks again
hi… Micheal , I enjoyed reading this post.i like the facts that you were able to link your image with the context of story. possible changes , check grammar on the highlighted sentence: paragraph 3 and last sentence.” Not entirely, as when speaking with my clinicians regarding what I had done they mentioned that at times the patients goals may not be realistic enough or completely unrealistic ” maybe something like: “not entirely,after I spoke to my clinician regarding the patient’s problems,she /he told me that at some point ,patient’s goals may be unrealistic” besides this minor errors, your post is very good and interesting.