标题: Listening Is Powerful Medicine 倾听是味良药 [打印本页] 作者: 擱淺 时间: 2011-2-12 22:36:10 标题: Listening Is Powerful Medicine 倾听是味良药
本帖最后由 擱淺 于 2011-2-12 23:38 编辑
Studies have shown it takes a physician about 18 seconds to interrupt a patient after they begin talking.
It was Sunday. I had one last patient to see. I approached her room in ahurry and stood at the doorway. She was an older woman, sitting at theedge of the bed, struggling to put socks on her swollen feet. I crossedthe threshold, spoke quickly to the nurse, scanned her chart noting shewas in stable condition. I was almost in the clear.
I leaned onthe bedrail looking down at her. She asked if I could help put on hersocks. Instead, I launched into a monologue that went
somethinglike this: “How are you feeling? Your sugars and blood pressure werehigh but they’re better today. The nurse mentioned you’re anxious tosee your son who’s visiting you today. It’s nice to have family visitfrom far away. I bet you really look forward to seeing him.”
She stopped me with a stern, authoritative voice. “Sit down, doctor. This is my story, not your story.”
Iwas surprised and embarrassed. I sat down. I helped her with the socks.She began to tell me that her only son lived around the corner fromher, but she had not seen him in five years. She believed that thestress of this contributed greatly to her health problems. After
hearingher story and putting on her socks, I asked if there was anything elseI could do for her. She shook her head no and smiled. All she wanted meto do was to listen.
Each story is different. Some are detailed;others are vague. Some have a beginning, middle and end. Others wanderwithout a clear conclusion. Some are true; others not. Yet all thosethings do not really matter. What matters to the storyteller is thatthe story is heard – without interruption, assumption or judgment.
Listening to someone’s story costs less than expensive diagnostic testing but is key to healing and diagnosis.
Ioften thought of what that woman taught me, and I reminded myself ofthe importance of stopping, sitting down and truly listening.
And,not long after, in an unexpected twist, I became the patient, with adiagnosis of multiple sclerosis at age 31. Now, 20 years later, I sitall the time – in a wheelchair.
For as long as I could, Icontinued to see patients from my chair, but I had to resign when myhands were affected. I still teach med students and other health careprofessionals, but now from the perspective of physician and patient.
Itell them I believe in the power of listening. I tell them I knowfirsthand that immeasurable healing takes place within me when someone
stops, sits down and listens to my story.
I tell them I believe in the power of listening. I tell them I knowfirsthand that immeasurable healing takes place within me when someone
stops, sits down and listens to my story.作者: la527cn 时间: 2011-2-13 01:43:43