Thanking someone for their dedication to their profession is a great gift to them. I have worked as an R.N. along side of a lot of doctors and I have been the patient and the caregiver of family members. I have been able to see the life of the doctor from many sides. In order to really thank the doctors for their commitments and long hours that they spend working at their profession we must stop for a moment and stand in their shoes. We can have empathy for them when we try to understand that their life is filled with sacrifices, so that we can be healthy and happy. Empathy leads us to gratitude. It allows us to understand another person's life and brings us to a better understanding of the person. The best doctors that I have worked with and been a patient of are the doctors who have mastered themselves empathy for their patients.
From my own experiences with the medical profession, not all doctors are created equal. Everyone in life comes to their profession with their own set of values, morals and work ethics. We are who we are, but it does not mean that we can't work on changing and becoming empathic to others. It does not mean that we have to agree on everything that happens in life or that we become emotionally involved with people. Empathy does however create an environment conducive to helping our patients get well. From my side of the fence a great doctor not only cures us with medical treatments, but with empathy for his patients.
Today I am not in the presence of any doctors. I am healthy because of great doctors and so are my family members. I would like to say that I do appreciate the doctors who took that extra minute to acknowledge that I or a family member was not just another diagnosis or whiny patient to see. They called me by my name and acknowledged that I am human. They let me speak and didn't dominate the conversation or keep looking at their watch, or cell phone. They missed their lunch for me. They sat down beside me rather than stand and intimidate me. They smiled or even perhaps sighed and admitted they were tired and hungry. They let me know that even if they could not help me that perhaps another doctor could. I felt their empathy and I am forever grateful to them.
I hope those doctors realize the gratitude I have for them and I hope they take a moment today to love themselves for the empathy they have showed others. They are appreciated and they should be proud that we are healthy and happy.
Take a moment today and thank your doctor.
Learn some empathy for doctors tonight and watch the documentary, "Cancer: Emperor of All Maladies" on PBS. It is a Pulitzer-Price award winning biography by Siddhartha Mukherjee M.D. I had the pleasure of reading this great book after it was brought to my attention by one of our doctors. I wish that I had been able to see Dr. Mukherjee speak in person, but I am excited to watch the documentary. Hopefully people will tune in for the documentary the next three nights.
Life is beautiful !!
Elizabeth:)
No comments:
Post a Comment