I have always loved learning people’s stories. Even if we have vastly different interests or backgrounds, I appreciate hearing what makes someone happy, the things they are passionate about, and how they choose to spend their time. A friend of mine recently got a new job as a toll collector on the Maine Turnpike. After learning this, I quizzed her for over an hour about her work–did she get to know the regulars? Was she ever afraid someone would drive into her booth? What about bathroom breaks? She, in turn, asked me why I cared so much about a seemingly simple, mundane job. Yet my genuine interest in learning more about people and their lives is a characteristic that has also allowed me to connect with others, both in my everyday life and now in clinical. It is truly a privilege to hear someone’s story, and, each week this semester, I have made it a point to get to know my patients beyond their diagnosis.
During my freshman year of college, I began working at an assisted living facility for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. As part of my role, I led activities in small groups. I was never one for bingo or card games. Instead, I gravitated towards facilitating discussions, where I would ask simple questions to stimulate conversation. Memory-related diseases take away so much from people, yet I found that many individuals were still able to recollect experiences about their past in great detail. I heard stories about living year-round on an island, owning a restaurant, and raising children, even if the same patients were unable to tell me the year or their age. These experiences set me up to be successful when developing rapport with patients in clinical this semester. While I may still stumble through head-to-toe assessments, I have found a strength in my ability to connect with patients.
A few weeks ago, at one of our first clinicals, my heart sank when I heard my patient assignment. Instead of the elderly people I usually care for, I was given a younger patient, a man with multiple conditions who needed extensive assistance in nearly every activity. Working with middle-aged people was admittedly something I was anxious about. Older patients thought I was sweet, and found my nervousness and lack of experience cute. Yet I believed that younger clients would perceive my newness as annoying and question my competence to the nurses. These thoughts spun in my mind as I spent an embarrassingly long time outside of my patient’s room with the vital sign tower, silently rehearsing my planned introduction over and over. I eventually did go in, and, almost immediately, realized that this patient was likely my most rewarding assignment yet. I could tell he was eager for company and someone to talk to, and I took the opportunity to spend some time chatting before completing my assessment. He spoke to me about his family, his young daughter waiting at home who he was so proud of (she, at 6 years old, could do the monkey bars on the playground better than any of her peers, he told me). He was easygoing, encouraging me when I originally used an incorrectly-sized blood pressure cuff, and questioned me about my assessment findings and what they meant (a great chance to practice my patient education skills!). He was also willing to let me observe and assist with his transfers using a Hoyer lift, and spoke openly about his treatment, seemingly eager for me to learn. I also got some TV show recommendations! I left clinical that day knowing that the rapport I had developed with that man was the kind of relationship I hope to create with all of my future patients. I got to be a calm (or slightly anxious!) presence and listening ear to someone who had been through a lot, and while this may become more challenging in situations where I am caring for multiple patients and have more responsibilities, I hope to remember the power of a kind word or extra moment spent listening, and prioritize my patients’ emotional well-being as well as their physical health.
Something I really appreciate about our clinicals this semester is the amount of time we are given to spend with our patient, as well as other patients who may need a hand or just someone to talk to. With the staff nurses, CNAs, and physical therapists often bustling around with a long list of tasks to complete, students have the opportunity to be a bright spot in a patient’s day. A habit that some of my peers and I have gotten into is visiting each room before dinner and asking if the patient needs a refill on water or anything else to drink. This has allowed us to not only assist in meeting a basic need, but also build small but meaningful connections. On some occasions, I will end up spending extra time in a patient’s room, just chatting and getting to know them. This semester’s clinical has provided plenty of opportunities for me to make a difference for patients, and I have worked to overcome some initial nervousness and take the initiative to step up and be a small light in someone else’s otherwise difficult day.
