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| Show me yours and I'll show you mine. [Maria mit flammendem Herz, via wikimedia] |
If I could teach medical students only one thing as an SP, it would be to provide empathy first. Nothing makes me feel more heard and understood than empathy right at the beginning of the encounter.
What usually happens:
student: "What brings you in today?"
SP: "I have chest pain/this weird rash/trouble sleeping."
student: "When did that start?"What would make me feel ten times better:
student: "What brings you in today?"
SP: "I have chest pain/this weird rash/trouble sleeping."
student: "I'm sorry to hear that. So when did that start?"
Extra credit! Add validation:
student: "What brings you in today?"
SP: "I have chest pain/this weird rash/trouble sleeping."
student: "I'm sorry to hear that. I'm glad you came in. So when did that start?"
Doctors have the most ability to influence patient trust within the first few minutes of the encounter. As soon as the doctor has offered me empathy for my current pain and validation for coming in, I feel like the doctor has heard my concern and is taking it seriously. At that point, I can feel myself relax.
Setting the standard:
If a checklist item asks the SP to evaluate empathy, that empathy should be some sort of verbal statement about the pain the patient is currently experiencing within the first minute of the encounter.
Setting the standard:
If a checklist item asks the SP to evaluate empathy, that empathy should be some sort of verbal statement about the pain the patient is currently experiencing within the first minute of the encounter.
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