Garth Rattray | Caring for patients is a privilege

I recall wanting to become a medical doctor since I was a child. My father (of blessed memory) used to remind me that, when I was six years old, I did not want any toys, but chose the Visible Man science project kit instead. It was a model of the human anatomy. It required that the little plastic organs be assembled and then placed in the correct place within the plastic ‘skin’. I vividly recall the smell of the plastic, and the little pieces of organs that were needed to complete the model. I still have that plastic model in my office … it is now over 62 years old.

I grew up with frequent respiratory problems until I was about 12 years old. I had many visits to doctors and to the hospital. Perhaps my experiences as a patient enhanced my natural desire to become a physician. Being on the receiving end of medical care allowed me to fully appreciate and understand the perspective of patients.

There are many things about this world that are topsy-turvy; one of them is how the public tends to revere the politicians that are supposed to be their servants. Another example is that patients tend to consider themselves privileged (fortunate) to be able to see a doctor or be cared for by a nurse. In fact, it is the healthcare professionals who are privileged to be given the opportunity and honour of taking care of others.

EXAMPLE

I often use the example of my little performance sedan. I bought it in 2003, soon after a young patient of mine died. He and I shared eerily similar histories, but, when we were biopsied, he had a lethal cancer, and I did not. “There but for the grace of God I go”, I thought to myself, and I resolved to acquire a vehicle for driving pleasure. Because that little car holds special significance to me, I would not give it to just any mechanic (automotive technician) to work on. I give it to someone who I feel is competent and trustworthy.

In my opinion, the union between our body and our soul is the only true marriage. Once we are born, it is “… to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death”. We only get one body; there is no possibility of an exchange or a divorce. When someone entrusts you with the honour of caring for their one and only body, that honour must be recognised, appreciated, and cherished.

Healthcare personnel are not perfect, we are not infallible. We are human and susceptible to shortcomings and errors. Like anybody else, we can have bad days, become frustrated or tired. However, despite whatever we are going through, healthcare professionals must always remember that the patient is the number one person in the room.

Unavoidable

Because we do not all have the same personalities, at some point in our career, all healthcare providers have had or will have patients with whom they have disagreements. Although it is unavoidable, we must do everything within our power to minimise those situations. We must keep in mind that, because they are patients and very likely to be anxious about some aspect of their health, people will require calm, understanding, and gentleness when interacting with them.

Recently, my mother was reminiscing about my birth, infancy, childhood, and youth. She told me that she was registered to have me at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital (VJH). However, at her very first clinic appointment, the nurse asked her about her occupation, and when my mother told her that she was a teacher, the nurse became huffy and proclaimed that all married women are housewives and that was how she was going to register her. Well … my mother does not tolerate fools, so that was her first and last visit to the VJH.

It’s sad to say that, to this very day I sometimes get complaints about how women are treated at the VJH. Patients tell me that some staff members are rough, unfeeling, and gruff, shout at them, and are generally unsympathetic. This is not commonplace, but it happens enough times to give people the impression that they may fall victim to harsh treatment in that institution. That should never happen.

The University Hospital of the West Indies is primarily a teaching hospital. It has an air of academic excellence, but, unfortunately, sometimes patients sense an attitude of academic superiority. This makes some patients feel as if their healthcare is secondary to the learning opportunities that they provide. Everything should be done to dispel such notions.

Empathy and communication are very important. Words are not our main medium for conveying our ideas, thoughts, and feelings. Intonation, volume, facial expressions, and body language are all extremely important. Having put their faith in us, patients deserve our best in return. The best way to show our appreciation and gratitude for being entrusted with someone’s most prized possession is to remember what we would want from a doctor or a nurse if we were a patient. If we do that simple thing, we cannot go wrong. It is a privilege to be of service to others.

Garth A. Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and garthrattray@gmail.com.