Humbleness in healthcare, where has it gone? When I think about healthcare and humbleness, I think of healthcare workers
approaching the profession with humility. Always having a commitment to learning and improvement in their department(s), and a deep
respect for their patients and colleagues who entrust their health and well-being to healthcare system, because let’s be honest, this ultimately
contributes to better patient outcomes and a more compassionate and effective healthcare system. In all healthcare, I believe this is a crucial
trait and approach that healthcare professionals should have and acknowledge when in this line of work. It involves a willingness to
acknowledge one’s limitations. One should not pretend to know everything and should be open to seeking help or guidance when needed.
Medicine and healthcare are constantly evolving fields, which is why it’s so important to stay committed to continuous learning and
improvement, and to keep a deep sense of empathy and respect for patients and colleagues along the way. However, has anyone noticed the
lack of bed side manners these days? Are we nothing more than a paycheck or number now?
A 2008 blog post entitled What Bad Bedside Manners Really Mean reviews the negative impact and consequences of these adverse
behaviors stated the following: “Doctors are supposed to be in the line of work of helping people. With this profession comes a lot of
responsibility. The medical field is not supposed to be simply diagnosing a problem, handing out a few pills, and moving onto the next patient.
It means much more. It means being a physician, and a physician means being a healer.” Patient’s expectations and desires when seeking
services from healthcare, especially over 65, can vary depending on their specific medical needs and personal preferences. Aging seniors
look for professionalism. Patients want to feel safe and trust the healthcare professionals who come into their homes or is attending to them in
anyway. This involves ensuring that healthcare providers are properly trained, certified, have completed a background and have a sense of
professionalism when entering a room– obviously these vary depending on title and line of work.
Seniors already feel naturally anxious when waiting on an impending prognosis, especially if the condition has the potential to be
serious. Do they really need lack of empathy and compassion on top of that? If the doctor, nurse, etc. seems disinterested in what you are
telling them, there are greater chances of them missing something. If they seem put-out or preoccupied, the patient might be more likely to
leave out pertinent information. Furthermore, if the healthcare provider is disrespectful, it may discourage patients from seeking medical
assistance altogether. With a distressing environment and technological developments, I can understand why medical practitioners may
harbor some poor bedside manners, but that doesn’t make their etiquette right or beneficial. I think it’s important for healthcare providers to
remember why they’ve entered the field in the first place; if it’s because they sincerely want to help people, it’s crucial to know how to relate to
patients on an emotional level especially working with seniors.
l personally think medical schools should have official courses on being more empathetic something that emits an aura of ease for
the patients, while also involving them in health decisions. We all want to be heard, respected and feel genuinely supported.
Article written by: Valerie McSpadden – Marketing Director for Home HealthCare, Inc.