An indispensable prerequisite in the physician’s approach to the patient and his family. Oncologists must be able to choose words and gestures
Listening to the patient’s and family’s stories, creating an empathic relationship; giving attention that goes beyond medical duty such as a smile or making the patient understand that the doctors are there with their heads and shoulders, to share the weight of diagnosis and therapeutic strategies. It’s still, do not defer information that patients look forward to as it is statistically proven that the earlier they are informed, the more their anxiety and stress are reduced. Knowing how to choose the right words also in communicating unpleasant realities: the patient has the right to know, but the doctor has the duty to communicate, in the clearest, most natural and immediate way possible, in order to give birth to the very beneficial alliance in the path to be undertaken. Finally, engage caregivers and support them to ensure that everyone – patients, family members and staff – travel in the right direction.
Humanity at the basis of the relationship between doctors and patients
These are the five steps to practice kindness towards cancer patients and their caregivers. Behaviors seemingly taken for granted, but sometimes forgotten, often due to the enormous workload that weighs on professionals, with more and more organic, and therefore to be recovered. To remind her of Cipomo, the Italian College of primary hospital medical oncologists, which met in Cagliari for the annual congress in recent days. A gentle and humane approach to the patient it must be an integral and essential part of the therapeutic path and of the doctor’s training. Listening not only puts the patient at the center by motivating him, but also helps the doctor to modulate and personalize therapies even better thanks to his feedback. this is how it is built effectively the therapeutic alliance. Kindness is the fundamental prerequisite for those who want to do this job, also because its effects go beyond the hospital boundary – he says Luigi Cavanna, president Cipomo -. With kindness, good is done not only to the patient and his family, but to society as a whole because kindness means respect. Consideration and respect for people are the foundations of a relational relationship, of whatever nature it may be: in particular those who work with patients must be good, but above all human. And if you are not born like this, you either strive or train yourself, for example with courses that start with improving communication between doctor and patient.
The importance of words
In short, the era of the icy doctor who speaks in Medichese must end, light years away from those in front of him. If the patient does not understand the doctor’s words, he becomes intimidated and discouraged: this can lead to a lack of adherence to therapies, if not even to a renunciation of treatment. The consequences are an aggravation of the state of health from which exacerbations, re-hospitalizations and emergency hospitalizations derive, with a heavy organizational and economic impact on the National Health Service. I believe to avoid all of this a little humility, listening skills and even self-criticism would be enough, combined with professional commitment Cavanna adds. Treatment begins precisely when a patient enters, restless and anxious, in contact with a doctor. He listens to the words that are said to him and looks him in the face. If the words are nourished with kindness and the looks are docile and attentive, the trust is born, which is the premise for the sincerity and spontaneity of the description of the disorders – underlines Giuseppina Sarobba, president of the congress -. There are doctors who have these innate qualities and have the ability to to be in immediate harmony with the sick. All doctors should have in mind the importance of the right words and their emotional tone, trying to find kind words that are those of hope.
Watch out for couples, children, the psyche
In addition to careful words, concrete actions are also needed to substantiate kindness. Cypome strongly feels the need to sensitize hospital Oncologies to consider a series of indirect aspects of cancer – continues Vincenzo Montesarchiomember of the Cipomo board -: the psychological experience, on which a lot is already being done, family and couple dynamics, sexuality, difficult relationships with children, often in childhood or adolescence, are issues on which we need to work a lot. All this cannot and must not be the initiative of the individual, but there is a need to activate laboratories in which patients can relate to doctors and nurses beyond their roles, skills and barriers of all kinds. There are many virtuous examples that are implemented in many hospital Oncologies, from the most frequent make-up and wig workshops at the music therapy, from themed meetings between patients, healthcare personnel and psychologists, to experiential meetings. For example, there are more and more projects implemented by certified beauticians who can help patients manage the unavoidable skin blemishes and nails caused by therapies, instructing them on corrective make-up and on proper hair removal, all with the aim of giving well-being to the body and mind – adds Montesarchio -. Initiatives that should be able to be implemented in all Italian Oncologies.
Kindness also for those who work in the hospital
But kindness must become a good practice to be implemented also in hospital wards, to motivate operators and make the Italian health service attractive again. In increasingly complex work contexts, the role of the manager is taking on evolved and highly changing contours – concludes Sarobba – and it is no coincidence that in recent years the concept of gentle leadership has increasingly established itself. Even Confindustria today speaks of kindness: kindness to listen and take care of oneself, of others, of the environment, of the workplace. A change also linked to a gender issue: the achievement of top positions by women has brought out “feminine” characteristics of leadership linked to empathy, to kindness itself, to taking care of others. A new approach that is much more appropriate for the present times. Companies are understanding this more and more and it is desirable that the healthcare world too rediscover this organizational style for recover the motivation and sense of belonging of the operatorsif you want to reverse the current mass flight of professionals from the NHS.
May 26, 2022 (change May 26, 2022 | 17:24)
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