How to Care for a Patient Who is Hungry and Wearing a Backless Gown
Dr. Susan Brunner is an internist practicing in Jasper, AL. Dr. Brunner specializes in the medical treatment of adults. Internists can act as a primary physician or a consultant to a primary physician. They manage both common and rare diseases. Dr. Brunner provides comprehensive care and manages treatment with surgeons... more
When I go to get my car fixed it usually ends with me staring blankly at a mechanic who is trying his best to explain the charges and what he did to my car. My brain cannot comprehend the words he’s saying so I look into his eyes to see if I find him trustworthy with a sincere desire to keep my car running reliably. After practicing for close to 30 years as a bedside physician I can relate to patients with complex medical issues. Lots of consultants come into your room and tell you terrifying things you don’t understand. That’s in addition to losing your privacy, and ability to eat when and what you eat. It’s tough to be a patient. As a career hospitalist, I take all of these things into consideration as I enter a patient's room. I explain that it’s only a matter of time before I am the one in a backless gown, tubes coming out of me, and feeling dehumanized while doctors work on my body.
I understand I cannot discuss a patient's mortality without facing my own because without that it is insincere. I am kind to staff so they have the energy to take better care of my patients when they are tired too. My communications with consultants are used as time to build collegial respect so they know when I call it’s because I need them. Hospitals are complex places and each one has a different culture, hierarchy, and ways to get things done. Reminding people that clean the floors that their job is important because it’s a part of patient care makes them feel appreciated and work harder. I’m sure to give compliments to hospital administrators when they change something that improves patient care. All of these things I’ve come to appreciate and master in the hospital setting can help make or break a patient's stay. All of these things make for a valuable hospitalist. The doctor's words are just that-doctor words. The patient's trust in your decisions and whether you care is of the utmost importance. Hospital medicine is my vocation. And if it’s practiced well becomes an invaluable tool for patient care and healing.
