I recently finished clinicals at an Oncology Center. It was very stressful but an over all enjoyable experience.
The patients were so full of life despite the fact that most of them had Cancer.
I would see them show up for chemo with their families, they would be hooked up to an IV filled with poison (chemo) killing almost every good and bad thing in them. Their families would all leave one by one and they would eventually fall asleep until closing.
It was heart breaking. Everyday people fighting for their lives. Clinging on to their faith and inner strength.
The most upsetting thing was how normal all of this was to almost every employee. Now I understand that its healthy to grow a thick skin but I would look around and all I could see were professionals who somewhere down the road lost their humanity.
You look to you're right and one nurse is rolling her eyes to the poor lady who is pouring her heart out. You turn to the left and they medical tech is doing inappropriate gestures to the little old lady in a wheel chair. It blew my mind to see such behavior in a "Medical" facility. Not everyone who worked there was like this but it was there. And it was pretty sad. Ugh and the neglect is a whole other story.
Is this going to be the new normal?
The patients were so full of life despite the fact that most of them had Cancer.
I would see them show up for chemo with their families, they would be hooked up to an IV filled with poison (chemo) killing almost every good and bad thing in them. Their families would all leave one by one and they would eventually fall asleep until closing.
It was heart breaking. Everyday people fighting for their lives. Clinging on to their faith and inner strength.
The most upsetting thing was how normal all of this was to almost every employee. Now I understand that its healthy to grow a thick skin but I would look around and all I could see were professionals who somewhere down the road lost their humanity.
You look to you're right and one nurse is rolling her eyes to the poor lady who is pouring her heart out. You turn to the left and they medical tech is doing inappropriate gestures to the little old lady in a wheel chair. It blew my mind to see such behavior in a "Medical" facility. Not everyone who worked there was like this but it was there. And it was pretty sad. Ugh and the neglect is a whole other story.
Is this going to be the new normal?
Stay strong and don't let the weak make you weak with them! =)
@fattymoocow: Thank you for your kind words! Yeah, you can always spot the mushy hearts at dog pounds and hospitals and I'm always one of them haha. But thanks again, I don't ever want to lose compassion. And right back at you, don't ever lose that good heart :D
@sherry: Oh yeah, I totally agree, there are some health care workers who are very good at what they do and don't mind to put a little elbow grease and a pinch of love in to their jobs. And I'm glad that your facility seems to be filled with those type of people. :)
Thanks for all of the comments!
It's normal to 'lose part of your humanity' if you work in these surroundings. I just think 'losing humanity' isnt really the right term. In fact i find it very humane that I find ways to cope so that my spouse and children don't suffer the side effects of my job. I also find it very humane that i find a way to keep objective whilst performing my job instead of being a bleeding hearth who is prone to make alot of mistakes because emotions get in the way.
I would also hope that the people who don't work in healthcare would have some respect for the fact that we make ourselves more 'inhuman' in order to take better care of you, our patient. It's in that aspect of healthcare that most of the self-sacrifice lies.