This is a guest post.
The role of the medical professional is to help a patient through their illness, offering them medical treatment, which will either cure their ailment or ease the severity of the symptoms. But patient care should go beyond simply regulating medicine doses and offering advice on how best to deal with an illness. Instead, those that are dealing with the sick and injured need to be on hand to offer patients emotional support and ease their fears and concerns whilst being a confidante about their feelings surrounding their situation.
Studies have shown that doctors and nurses, particularly the latter, that have a caring and understanding approach encourages patients to be receptive and can make the entire experience far more manageable.
Every part of the medical process should be made as easy on the patient as possible from consultations, stays in hospitals and even physical therapy billing for example.
Usually, patients will have their own support systems around them. This typically involves family, friends and loved ones but it is often the medical point of view that can be far more reassuring. A medical professional will be able to identify exactly what it is the patient has to go through and how the situation will make them feel. The reassurance of the emotion range being normal and the appreciation for the serious nature of the illness or injury can allow the patient to be put at ease.
Medical care is something that is a right and the treatments and future of the suffering patient should always be discussed and regularly enough to keep the person up to date with their personal progress. But a simply conversation about the emotional effects that are being experienced can also go a long way to help the healing process.
Anyone that has ever had to have long stays in hospital or receive a increased amount of medical treatment will know that it is a difficult time and something that puts a great deal of stress onto both the patient and the people around them.
The patient is less likely to want to bombard family and loved ones with how they feel, wanting to ease the worry that is being felt in the people closet to them. They should be able to turn to someone that has far more knowledge on their case as they have seen it before in other patients.
Getting a person through a period of illness is not simply about patching them up and sending them on their way it is about reassurance and creating a strong unit behind that person to help them work their way through their problems.
Debbie Fletcher is an enthusiastic, experienced writer who has written for a range of difference magazines and news publications. Follow her here: @Debbie_Fletch18
Photo credit: Foter.com / Public Domain Mark 1.0
I wish more medical professionals had a caring attitude. It’s hard with doctor/patient ratio in hospitals and clinics.
There is such a major difference in a caring medical professional and one that is not. I’ve left a doctor before that I thought was rude and tried to push their own idea on me.
My grandfather just passed away after a long hospital stay. The nurses and staff took amazing care of him and were so kind to our entire family!
I know that the care and bedside manner one receives makes an enormous difference and I’ve changed doctors for both myself and my parents for that reason.
I am a nurse and worked 7 years in a local hospital. I know first hand how important it is to always be kind to people and treat them with the highest respect. There were days when I was have a horrible day but that was not my patients fault so I left it at the door. I wish more people had this attitude.
I think it is nice when you find a nurse or doctor who actually shows they care about their patients .. seems like sometimes it is about the money the make not the person they are caring for.
My grandfather just passed away before Christmas. Those that cared for him over the past year were so amazing to him and my family.
I agree with all of this, and I think patients would do better knowing they were truly cared about
I wish there were more caring nurses and doctors. I feel like if one’s going to work in the medical field, they should have their bedside manner in check. 🙂
I totally agree and I do wish nurses bedside manner was better. The last time I was at the hospital they could barely care about me. I could only imagine how they treat an elderly person who needs a lot of attention.
While it’s not the same as an illness, I’ve appreciated having a very supportive doctor throughout this pregnancy. I’m hoping to have things go differently with my labor & delivery this time and having such a great doctor gives me confidence that it will. It makes a huge difference when your doctor actually cares!
I just went to a dermatologist who didn’t care about anything than getting money from me. very sad 🙁
I think really good medical care is hard to find…it shouldn’t be.
Although it’s wasn’t an illness, I know that my doctor made my labor and delivery with Joshua so much more manageable for me with his calm, cool demeanor. It was pretty crazy and I’m glad I have a wonderful doctor.
Bedside manner is so important. Going to the doctor & facing illness is hard enough.
I’ve often been reluctant to change doctors, even when our treatment has been subpar, because we have a “history.” But dealing with lots of health issues in our family over the last year has made me appreciate good doctors and more willing to find a new doctor if we’re not happy. Bedside manner is so important.
My Mom spent many years in the healthcare industry. She really cared about her patients, and still does although she is now retired.
I definitely think doctors/nurses need to be caring, there is just something about a visit with a doctor who shows they care