What do you do if a patient lacks support and understanding?
When you're faced with a patient who is feeling unsupported and misunderstood, it can be a real challenge. As a patient advocate, it's your role to bridge the gap between healthcare providers and patients, ensuring that the latter's needs and concerns are heard and addressed. This involves not only lending an empathetic ear but also empowering patients with the right information and resources. Whether it's clarifying medical jargon or connecting patients with support groups, your goal is to help them navigate the healthcare system with confidence and support.
To effectively support a patient, you first need to identify their specific needs. This involves active listening and asking the right questions to understand their concerns. Whether they are confused about their diagnosis, unsure about treatment options, or feeling isolated from their support network, pinpointing these issues is crucial. Once you've established what they need, you can begin to address each point, providing clear information and reassurance.
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Francesca Lanni 🌻
If a patient lacks support and understanding, I focus on building a strong, empathetic relationship with them and help connect them to relevant support groups and resources that can provide the additional assistance they need.
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Brendon Scott
Experienced Emergency Response & Healthcare Project Consultant | Seeking to Lead Life-Saving Programs
I've recently experienced this matter from the opposite side of the bed. With my brother sick with Stage 4 cancer in a different country and the rest of the family deceased it's been difficult for him as the cousins can only visit at times for to distance etc. Then comes the "nurture" where we are taught not to ask for help, be tough, suck it up, mentality. So the common thing is to hide real emotions.. The patient advocate cannot just rely on telephone calls or emails and messages, the advocate needs to go see the client, as a visitor, and then guide the patient to revealing their true concerns. Only then can you truly identify the needs
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Hamze Salhab
MSF International Mobile Staff Pool | Registered Nurse | Emergency Specialist | Patient Safety Specialist
If a patient lacks support and understanding, it's important to identify their needs. Take the time to listen to the patient and understand their concerns, fears, and frustrations. Ask open-ended questions to gather more information about their situation and what kind of support they require. This could involve emotional support, assistance navigating the healthcare system, or help accessing resources. By identifying their specific needs, you can better advocate for them and help them receive the support and understanding they need.
Once you understand what a patient is struggling with, providing clear and accessible information is crucial. This might mean breaking down complex medical terms into simple language or offering resources that explain their condition and treatment options. It's important to ensure that the patient feels informed enough to make decisions about their care, which in turn can help alleviate feelings of helplessness or confusion.
Trust is the foundation of any patient-advocate relationship. To build this trust, you must be consistently reliable, honest, and transparent in your interactions. Show empathy and validate their feelings, demonstrating that you truly understand their situation. A patient who trusts you is more likely to open up about their concerns, which allows you to provide better support.
Sometimes, a patient's needs go beyond what you can offer in terms of information and emotional support. In such cases, connecting them with the right resources, such as support groups, counseling services, or financial aid programs, can be incredibly beneficial. These resources can provide additional layers of support and understanding that you alone may not be able to offer.
Encouraging patients to advocate for themselves is an empowering step. Teach them how to communicate effectively with their healthcare providers and to ask for what they need. When patients feel capable of voicing their own concerns and preferences, they're more likely to feel supported and understood within the healthcare system.
It's important not to leave patients feeling abandoned after your initial interaction. Following up with them shows that you are committed to their well-being and are available to provide ongoing support. This could involve checking in after appointments, ensuring they have accessed the resources you provided, or simply offering a listening ear for any new concerns that may have arisen.
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Dr. Richard C. Scepura
DNP, MBA/MHA, RN, NEA-BC Créatif|Author of Amazon #1 New Release The Healing Burnout Guide at Victorem Enterprises LLC
If your patient lacks support and understanding it’s a good idea to offer support and understanding. Support and understanding deficits begin with caretakers by filling the gaps. Specific support can be determined and coordinated with the care team. As far as understanding, this is a bit more complex since there is such high incidence of discrimination, racism, biases, stereotyping, and stigmas within healthcare and nursing, sadly. Caretakers can receive lots of education on these topics, yet, still persist with their discriminations, racism, biases, stereotyping, and stigmas. Discrimination isn’t enforced partly due to lack of resources. The marginalized should expect lack of support, lack of understanding as the norm, and navigate.
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