Photo by Mitchell Hollander on Unsplash
In the business of healthcare, we are often in contact with people who are at their worst because of pain and the anxiety that comes with it. So it is imperative that we are always our best self. A colleague recently shared the following story.
Real world story: “I was in such excruciating pain. I was certain I had torn the rotator cuffs in both my shoulders. My doctor had previously told me to lose weight. I guess he didn’t intend for me to go from sipping umbrella drinks on a floating pool lounge one day to swimming a mile a couple of times a week. Well, you live and learn. I headed to my doctor’s appointment just waiting for the very second I would have relief from my pain.
“As I sat in the waiting room, a nurse poked her head out from behind a door and called my name. I thought I would surely be pain free very soon. The anticipation actually made me feel a little better. The nurse and I entered an examination room, and we both sat opposite each other.
“’I’m sure you know how difficult it is to work with XXX people, don’t you?’ said the nurse. I was stunned at her overt racist comment! I’m sure I looked like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming truck. I just stared at her with obvious horror. But that didn’t stop this nurse from her racist tirade. ‘THESE people are so lazy, you know. You have to do everything for them. They have absolutely no drive to do anything for themselves. And, of course, since my supervisor is also XXX, nothing ever gets fixed.’ Again, I sat in silence as she bashed her coworkers. I just looked down and rubbed at the excruciating pain in my shoulders. The nurse went on and on with her racist rant, which concluded with “But I’m a 30-year professional, so I just let it go.” She then begins her rant again and repeats it for another 10 minutes. Thank heavens she had let it go I thought to myself as I sat there in horrific shoulder pain.”
Strategies that turn it Around:
- Show Empathy. Your patients always come first. From the very start of every interaction with a patient, always show empathy to THEIR problems. When you show such kindness, patients will have a vastly better medical experience because you demonstrated that you cared.
- Be Your Best Self. We all have bad days. But as medical professionals who meet patients on some of their worst days, we don’t have the luxury of allowing bad days to dictate our moods. As an example of striving always to be our best self, a colleague of mine in the medical field prays every morning before work. He prays for the patience needed to work with sick people.
- Be Professional. A true medical professional is not someone who has survived 30 years of dispensing medical aid to others in need. A true medical professional is someone who puts his or her patients first, always. A true medical professional is someone who is always his or her best self when others are at their worst.
Remember. As healthcare professionals, we should realize that the people we often come into contact with are usually at their worst because of pain and anxiety. Our jobs, therefore, require us to be our best self. And this is something we must never forget.
What do you do to ensure you are the best you can be in order to deliver exceptional customer service? Please share in the comments sections below.