It may happen that even after years have passed from the time of the disease, the patient forgets the name of the doctor who diagnosed him.
However, they may remember the nurse who sat by their side when they were in fear.
They may recall the person who moved their pillow, fed them, can explain a procedure again, or go back to check on them.
It’s not a matter of who’s more important. Healthcare is a collaborative process, with each professional participating in health care in their own unique way.
However, nurses spend much longer uninterrupted time with patients. They’re there during the mundane moments which doctors might never see, like a sleepless night, before a procedure, the first meal after an operation or when a patient is just in need of reassurance.
But patients don’t always remember the health care through medical facts.
They remember experiences.
A patient may not remember the name or dosage of a medicine, but remember the name of the person who was reassuring when they were frightened. They may not have the facts of their diagnosis in mind but they have a memory of someone who treated them with dignity when they were vulnerable.
That’s something healthcare professionals can easily overlook. We may meet hundreds of patients in our training or during our careers and one encounter may be routine.
But for the patient it may be one of the most terrifying days of their life.
There are investigations, procedures, and treatment plans in medicine, but the human aspect of medicine is what’s left in people’s minds the longest.
Often, it’s the little thing that makes a big difference.
Ever had a health care worker that was kind, and that you remember years later?
MBH/PS