It's been a while, I'm aware. Sometimes, doctors are patients, which is what happened to me. And being a patient really sucks. I've always known that I prefer to be wearing the white coat rather than the blue gown, but until I spent a few years in the gown, I didn't really know how it felt.
Delivering bad news is something I do nearly every day. Hearing bad news is relatively new to me, but I've become an expert. And what I've learned is that it isn't really what you say, it's how you say it. The tone of voice is so important. I wanted to know that my doctors were really sorry things weren't turning out well. They seemed as surprised and as sad as I was. And while that didn't give me the outcome I was seeking, it made me feel so much better.
I'm an emotions-on-my-sleeve kind of gal, but have often felt like I have to hold it in when interacting with patients and their families. Now, I don't hold back as much. I let them know how sad I am for them. And even though I can't change the situation, they feel just a little bit better.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment