How do you describe compassion in Health care and is it important to you?

Kim Bolen RN CCM ACM — Wed, 11 May 2016 00:00:01 -0400

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 7:08 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 07:08:26 -0400

Kim Bolen RN CCM ACM Compassion is important not only in healthcare but also in life. In healthcare it's about the attitude of the individual. Most people in healthcare are the most compassionate that can be found.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 2:16 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 14:16:28 -0400

As difficult as it may seem - compassion in health care also means knowing when you are prolonging life and when you are prolonging death - so not blinding pursuing every possible medical intervention when we cannot maintain and/or improve the patient's quality of life - particularly when against the patient's and the family's informed consent and appropriately documented wishes. Warmest Regards, Sandy

Response by MSgt Doug P. made May 11 at 2016 4:27 PM

MSgt Doug P. — Wed, 11 May 2016 16:27:30 -0400

Compassion is one aspect of health care that I feel should be provided so long as other aspects of medical care aren't reduced.

To me, compassion is:
1. Provide me with treatment as an individual patient and not as a text book example. Just because some test results are "within normal range" doesn't mean that everything is fine. Treat the patient as a unique individual, not according to the medical model.
2. Give me the straight up truth about what is ailing me and what is necessary to remedy it (if there is a remedy). Don't hide behind that white lab coat with an air of "smarter than thou art" and tell me it's all in my head or it's no big deal and using oversimplified terms while doing it (don't sugar coat it).
3. Take care of the patient's needs first. Then take care of their wants as you can if it'll truly help them recover. If the patient is becoming unruly, demanding, demeaning, or simply attention seeking, apply some tough love (another form of compassion) to help them realize the bigger picture and what's really important. You are a person too so you shouldn't have to put up with any harassment from a whiny, condescending patient.

Watch the movie "Patch Adams" and learn about various forms of compassion and bedside manner. If medical professionals take these to heart and practice them, patients will often return the favor.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 6:40 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 18:40:04 -0400

there is no compassion in health care its a buisness, been there done that got out

Response by Cpl Justin Goolsby made May 12 at 2016 2:13 PM

Cpl Justin Goolsby — Thu, 12 May 2016 14:13:09 -0400

Honestly, I don't care about compassion. What I need is a treatment or an answer to questions. Your brain will make up horrible what if scenarios by itself. I don't need the doctors help with that. There's nothing worse than a doctor coming in saying "I'm not sure how to tell you this", because you've already made up 50+ worse scenarios in your head.

Compassion is great when you're working with children. But as an adult, we need answers. We need solutions. Good news or bad news, we need it so we can move past it.