What I learned on day 2 of my rotation
It was my second day on my rotation at SAH and I
was still getting used to being around psychiatric patients. There are two
units; southwest and northwest. The northwest unit holds the more chronic and
aggressive psychiatric patients. The southwest unit holds the more acute
patients. This particular day, I was in the southwest unit and was asked by my
preceptor to join group therapy. Group therapy allows patients to see their own
problems mirrored in and confronted by others. I was excited to see what I
would learn, but at the same time I was nervous. Would a patient become
psychotic in the room? Would I see behaviors that I wasn’t used to? A lot of
questions flooded my mind as I entered the room.
A patient in a blue shirt came and sat down next to me. I had not yet heard his story and he was a new face to the unit. “Are you a medical student?” he asks. “No, I’m a physician assistant student.” I reply. “Where at?” he asks. “Here in St. Pete.” I say. Short and sweet I was thinking to myself.
I hadn’t really given much thought to our conversation until the next day. I was asked to go follow up with the patient in the blue shirt. I found out many things about him and as to why he was at SAH. Guilt started to set in because I didn’t have to be “short and sweet” with him. This patient was a normal guy but just going through some rough time in his life.
The lesson I learned on my rotation at SAH is that psychiatric patients, and any patient just want someone to talk to. They are scared and they want compassion and empathy. Patients are as curious about my life, as I am about theirs. Psychiatric patients may have manic episodes and even psychotic episodes but they are still people too—they are patients that need help. I learned to sit and be patient with them. I learned to be open with them and talk with them. It didn’t have to be about their problems, but it could be about their life in general.
In the future, I will make sure as a future physician assistant to see every patient as equal. I will not label them by their diagnosis. I will listen, be patient, demonstrate compassion and empathy and learn from my mistakes to become a better physician assistant for my future.
A patient in a blue shirt came and sat down next to me. I had not yet heard his story and he was a new face to the unit. “Are you a medical student?” he asks. “No, I’m a physician assistant student.” I reply. “Where at?” he asks. “Here in St. Pete.” I say. Short and sweet I was thinking to myself.
I hadn’t really given much thought to our conversation until the next day. I was asked to go follow up with the patient in the blue shirt. I found out many things about him and as to why he was at SAH. Guilt started to set in because I didn’t have to be “short and sweet” with him. This patient was a normal guy but just going through some rough time in his life.
The lesson I learned on my rotation at SAH is that psychiatric patients, and any patient just want someone to talk to. They are scared and they want compassion and empathy. Patients are as curious about my life, as I am about theirs. Psychiatric patients may have manic episodes and even psychotic episodes but they are still people too—they are patients that need help. I learned to sit and be patient with them. I learned to be open with them and talk with them. It didn’t have to be about their problems, but it could be about their life in general.
In the future, I will make sure as a future physician assistant to see every patient as equal. I will not label them by their diagnosis. I will listen, be patient, demonstrate compassion and empathy and learn from my mistakes to become a better physician assistant for my future.
1 comments:
Excellent post Ashleigh! You are so good at learning from your daily experiences and writing about them in a meaningful way. I admire that.
I had an interesting experience with a patient (age 25)who came in through the ED one time that your story reminded me of. It was Good Friday when he was admitted and he passed on Easter Sunday. I drew his blood gases several times over that weekend. Then later I learned that he was a convicted pedophile who had sustained head injuries in prison from other inmates. This taught me that each patient deserves our utmost care and compassion no matter their background or deeds.
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