I worked extra shifts this weekend on an inpatient palliative care unit/consult team. While it does help with building my financial savings, it also replenishes my emotional and spiritual reserve. I love learning, but I also love being able to feel like I can put my learning to work. This weekend was a test to my communication training from just a week ago. I had a patient with dementia that had been all but discredited for having input into his own care. Certainly, he cannot make his own medical decisions, but he still has thoughts and the ability to assent or dissent. He deserves to have his voice heard, and feel like he's worth listening to. We all forget that when someone can't understand us at our level.
On the other hand, I had a family who was worried about the decisions they had made about their loved one, and wanted someone to walk them through how to get from the hospital back to the facility without a hiccup. I used "I wish..." statements, and NURSE (Naming the emotion, Understanding, Respect, Support, Empathy) to show empathy. I made an effort to show respect. I gave my personal opinion. I think it helped because the family seemed much more at ease today. I felt like I made a difference simply by listening to the family's concerns and addressing them.
I feel like each day I learn something new that improves my skills as a physician. I'm excited to go to work. I feel rejuvenated. I'm also excited about the fact that I get to work at the inpatient hospice facility for another week before I head off to intervention pain management.
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