“John” was the first patient we met at the hospice center. On our first day, we were heading to meet the floor staff when we spotted “John” taking a stroll nearby. The staff introduced us to him, and he turned out to be a very energetic and lively man. He shared that he went boxing once a week just down the street. Although it was a bit difficult to understand him, he took a step back from his walker and threw some punches in the air to demonstrate what he meant. At times, he could be hard to locate during our visits, but as we continued to see him, I began to realize just how quickly a patient’s mental and physical health can decline. On subsequent visits, “John” was often either sleeping in his room or sitting in a chair when awake. When he was awake, he would sometimes demonstrate signs of depression, or he’d mention experiencing physical pain. Over the recent winter break, we received the sad news that “John” passed away on New Year’s Eve. His passing taught me not to take any interaction with a patient for granted, as I will never know when it might be the last. I also learned how drastically a patient’s condition can change from one day to the next. Moving forward, I will approach patient care with greater awareness and sensitivity. It’s impossible to predict how a patient will feel on any given day, and as a caregiver, I can’t assume they’ll be with us for a specific amount of time.
Another patient, “Jane,” has shown me another important lesson. She is still with us today, and each of our visits are similar to the last, but reinforce that these patients are living completely different lives. Every time we visit her, she asks us why we are there and what is in it for us. When we tell her that it is simply to check in and say hello, and that we are friends with her, her eyes and smile light up the room. She makes it clear that she is entirely grateful, especially when we are saying goodbye.
Through my time working closely with patients, I’ve come to truly appreciate the small things. This comes from both recognizing that they’ve lost abilities I often take for granted and seeing how thankful they are when I visit. Many of my patients are sitting in the same spot every time I see them, unable to move and depending on staff to help them change positions or transfer from bed. They often express deep gratitude for my visits, and it’s clear how much their mood lifts in response. Their appreciation reminds me that they don’t get as much social interaction as I do.
These experiences have shifted how I see my role in healthcare. I now believe more strongly that I play an essential part in their lives. Visiting these patients has shown me that I can make a significant difference in their day-to-day lives and truly enhance their quality of life.
In my personal life, hospice volunteering has made me significantly more appreciative of small things. Even just walking outside– something that some of my patients are unable to do. Professionally, I find more motivation and meaning behind my studies because I have experienced the ways that I can help others through my goal of working in healthcare.
Although I was not performing any hands-on tasks to help the patients medically, this position has shown me the true importance of building empathetic, trustworthy relationships with my patients. Because without even inducing any treatment on them, I have seen the positive effects that simply building a relationship with them has. So, I vow to continue to do this when I am a medical professional, and not forget that this is a fundamental part of patient care.