This a poem written by a patient about their experience with health professionals :
What ever happened to courtesy? Just a little knock.
Do you think I’m just a vegetable, Laying here like a rock?

What ever happened to manners? I haven’t got a clue.

BUT KEEP IN MIND AND DON’T FORGET, THAT I’M A PERSON TOO

I know I can not talk, Or even joke around.
But I’m well aware of everything, and also every sound.

If you have another worker help, change me during rounds.
Please don’t talk about me, as if I’m not around. Treat me with respect, the same I’d give to you.

My bones are stiff and achy, I hear you say I’m contracted.
My belly hurts, I haven’t pooped, I hope I’m not impacted.

I’m sorry I may drool, and at times I even stare.
It’s not easy being old, aging isn’t fair.

These are the cards God dealt me, There’s nothing I can do.

JUST KEEP IN MIND AND DON’T FORGET, THAT I’M A PERSON TOO.

I used to be a lively one, just like your pretty self.
I traveled, married, and worked long hours until I lost my health.

I’m sorry that I messed the bed, I feel like such a baby.
I’m so embarrassed, and ashamed, that I’m doing this at eighty.

KEEP IN MIND AND DON’T FORGET, THAT I’M A PERSON TOO.

I wish that I was able, to communicate some way.
So finally I’d get the chance, to say what I want to say.

It is a worldwide epidemic that majority of allied health professionals don’t show a great sign of humanity when dealing with patients, they mainly just perform whats expected of them and move onto the next patient without even considering the feelings and values of the patient. A prime example isthe fact that doctors perform medical procedures and ensure medical stability but then don’t worry about the quality of life afterwards.Patients are generally treated like they don’t have a say and majority of them aren’t even aware that they have rights and are allowed to question eve rything that happens to them while in medical care. Specifically the black patients I have had the opportunity to work with have stated that they’re are not even aware why they are in hospital but have just agreed to treatment.

I am guilty of showing such incompetence and not treating the patient holistically as at my first week at a general hospital I attended to a patient who presented with delirium and disseminated TB. Me being a bit anxious I was only worried about completing my session and did not even consider the fact that the delirium may influence our session. Throughout the subjective assessment I was consistently getting answers that did not make sense and I was started to get frustrated as I thought the patient was being difficult. Throughout the treatment session the patient was not being compliant at all and did not understand the instructions at all which resulted in me losing my cool and addressing the patient inappropriately. I did not once think to place myself in the patient’s shoes and understand that delirium has an impact on the patient’s cognitive function. I basically put myself first instead of treating the patient holistically.

My dilemma is that due to the thin line between empathy and sympathy it can be often misunderstood and may be deemed as me crossing the line or being unprofessional as I am there to provide a service and if i sense any emotional or psychological issues I must refer to the relevant services.

Watson, Steckley & McMullen (2014) explains that empathy is deemed to be very crucial in the therapy as it influences change in patient’s attachment styles and treatment of self resulting in a formation of a rapport between patient and therapist. Studies have been performed and show that there was a significant direct relationship between therapists’ empathy and outcome and a significant indirect effect, showing that clients’ perceptions of therapists’ empathy was associated with significant improvement in attachment insecurity and significant decreases in negative self-treatment at the end of therapy (Watson, Steckley & McMullen, 2014).

references

Watson, J. C., Steckley, P. L., & McMullen, E. J. (2014). The role of empathy in promoting change. Psychotherapy Research, 24(3), 286-298.

Source: https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/im-a-person-too