owlegrad
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When it Comes to Compassion, Actions Speak Louder Than Words
- Thread starter owlegrad
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To start with, I am an EMT who works at a 911 service. We got a call one morning at about 6:30 am for an elderly male just not feeling right.
When we arrived, the patient told us that he was not sure why his wife called, because he felt fine. We went to ask his wife why she called EMS for her husband and she said "he just isn't acting right, I would like for him to go to the hospital." I thanked her for the information, and went to go help my partner move the patient to the stretcher. Before I could turn around, she tugged at my jacket and asked me if I could help her with her coat and shoes. I made sure my partner could handle, and then I spent the next 20 minutes with her while she decided what she wanted to wear to the hospital. I helped her out to the truck (and ambulances are fairly high off of the ground) so I lifted her into the truck. She turned to me and gave me the most sincere thank you I have ever gotten in my life, you know, the kind that makes you feel all warm and tingly inside. Once I walked around and got into the drivers seat she turned to me and said "how's my baby doing? (referring to her husband)" I told her he was doing good and we continued to the hospital. On the ride there, she told me the story of how her and her husband met, how they had been married for 70+ years and how they traveled the world together as a young couple. A week or so ago, we were dispatched on a car vs. tree. When we got on scene, we could not see the patients from the road. Once we got closer, I realized it was the same couple we had made a few months earlier. They were both fine, but when I went to the side she was on, she looked at me and said "how are you young lady? I remember when you helped my with my shoes the last time I met you, you must be my guardian angel because you are here every time I am in distress."
When we arrived, the patient told us that he was not sure why his wife called, because he felt fine. We went to ask his wife why she called EMS for her husband and she said "he just isn't acting right, I would like for him to go to the hospital." I thanked her for the information, and went to go help my partner move the patient to the stretcher. Before I could turn around, she tugged at my jacket and asked me if I could help her with her coat and shoes. I made sure my partner could handle, and then I spent the next 20 minutes with her while she decided what she wanted to wear to the hospital. I helped her out to the truck (and ambulances are fairly high off of the ground) so I lifted her into the truck. She turned to me and gave me the most sincere thank you I have ever gotten in my life, you know, the kind that makes you feel all warm and tingly inside. Once I walked around and got into the drivers seat she turned to me and said "how's my baby doing? (referring to her husband)" I told her he was doing good and we continued to the hospital. On the ride there, she told me the story of how her and her husband met, how they had been married for 70+ years and how they traveled the world together as a young couple. A week or so ago, we were dispatched on a car vs. tree. When we got on scene, we could not see the patients from the road. Once we got closer, I realized it was the same couple we had made a few months earlier. They were both fine, but when I went to the side she was on, she looked at me and said "how are you young lady? I remember when you helped my with my shoes the last time I met you, you must be my guardian angel because you are here every time I am in distress."
Amazing article! Some of the things I am most proud of are also the simplest. Goes to show that compassion isn't something that can be memorized or forcibly learned from a prestigious institution.
I hope to never lose sight of this most important aspect of medicine/life.
I hope to never lose sight of this most important aspect of medicine/life.
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I think this is an AWESOME article. As doctors (or future doctors), our actions are so important. Just spending a few extra minutes with a patient to really understand and address their concerns can make such a huge impact, both for the patient and us.
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Wonderful article. I hope to god that I remember things like this during medical school and beyond. Thank you.
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Beautiful article and just the story to remind oneself why medicine over other careers. In this age of regulations, icd codes, electronic medical record, the business end of medicine does not encourage nor compensate for listening to our patients.
I no longer allow my staff to put my patients into the isolation of an exam room. I do as much recording in my office that I can quickly do (thank you smart phrases) and then personally escort my patient from the main waiting room to the exam room where I let the patient speak without interruption for several minutes.
I no longer allow my staff to put my patients into the isolation of an exam room. I do as much recording in my office that I can quickly do (thank you smart phrases) and then personally escort my patient from the main waiting room to the exam room where I let the patient speak without interruption for several minutes.
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